Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik saw off the home favourites in two sets on Sunday at the Badminton Asia Championships for the final crown.
The world No. 6 duo beat China’s Chen Boyang and Liu Yi 21-19 and 21-17 in front of a disappointed home crowd in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo.
They are Malaysia’s first champions in the event since Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah defended their title at the Asian showpiece in 2007.
Vitidsarn clinches the men’s singles title
Moments earlier, reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand snagged the men’s singles victory after China’s Lu Guangzu withdrew in the second set after complaining of an injury.
But there were still celebrations for Chinese fans in the crowded stadium.
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World No. 1 Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China beat No. 3 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida of Japan in an electric two-set finale, winning 21-15 and 21-19 to hand the Japanese duo their first loss of 2025.
The finals berth for the Japanese duo came days after 27-year-old Shida told Chinese fans to “stop stalking” her and said she was “very scared” by the unwanted attention.
The Paris Olympics women’s doubles bronze medallist has a strong following in China partly because of her engagement with the local culture.
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“Every time we compete in China we always experience the harm of stalkers,” Shida wrote Tuesday on Instagram in Chinese, though she thanked the majority of fans for their support.
“It has already gone on for a year and a half, and recently I have felt very uncomfortable and very scared,” she said.
“From now on, please immediately stop stalking me”, she said.
Chen wins an all-China summit clash
Earlier, Chen Yufei beat Han Yue 2-1 in an all-Chinese women’s singles finale.
And Hong Kong China’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet beat Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito 2-1 to win mixed doubles gold.
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