BAC: Sze Fei-Izzuddin settle for second after three game defeat in final

Malaysia's long wait for a Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) men's doubles titles will continue after national pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin lost 17-21, 21-15, 10-21 against home pair Wang Chang-Liang Wei Keng in the final on Sunday.

The pair's defeat also meant Malaysia have now lost in the men's doubles final of this competition for the third year in a row, after Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi lost at the 2022 & 2023 edition respectively.

In this year's final, Goh-Izzuddin went behind in the first game to the speedy attacking Chinese pair, who set an intense fast pace tempo to win 21-17.

But Goh-Izzuddin improved in the next game, and their immaculate defence frustrated the Chinese into making unforced errors, and they levelled the scores with a 21-15 win.

So to a deciding match it went, and the Malaysians started well with a 5-1 lead, but Liang-Wang soon turned the tables by reeling in eight consecutive points.

That cushion proved the perfect impetus for the world number three pair to romp to a comfortable victory in the end.

Despite the loss, Goh-Izzuddin can be proud of their achievement having come this far and beaten reigning world champions Kang Min-hyuk-Seo Seung-jae, Olympic champions Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin and their national team-mates Chia-Soh to reach the final.

The last Malaysian men's doubles pair to win this tournament were Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in 2007.