Malaysia’s men’s badminton team booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a commanding 3-0 victory over Mongolia at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium on Monday, 21 September, setting up a last-eight meeting against top seeds Indonesia on Tuesday, 22 September.
Malaysia won all three matches in straight games, with the recorded match times adding up to 69 minutes. The next opponents, top seeds Indonesia, present a different challenge from the opening tie.
Three wins in straight games
Leong Jun Hao set the tone by opening the tie against Batdavaa Munkbat, beating his Mongolian opponent 21-13, 21-12 in 25 minutes to hand Malaysia the first point. The doubles partnership of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani beat Battugs Bayarsaikhan and Bishrelt-erdene Odbayar 21-5, 21-15 in 19 minutes to double the lead.
Justin Hoh then sealed the quarter-final berth in the second singles rubber, defeating Gerelsukh Jargalsaikhann 21-7, 21-5 in 25 minutes to complete the 3-0 scoreline. With the tie secured after three matches, Malaysia required no further play.
| Match | Malaysian Player(s) | Mongolian Opponent(s) | Score | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Singles | Leong Jun Hao | Batdavaa Munkbat | 21-13, 21-12 | 25 min |
| 1st Doubles | Goh Sze Fei / Nur Izzuddin Rumsani | Battugs Bayarsaikhan / Bishrelt-erdene Odbayar | 21-5, 21-15 | 19 min |
| 2nd Singles | Justin Hoh | Gerelsukh Jargalsaikhann | 21-7, 21-5 | 25 min |
Rexy urges confidence against Indonesia
Speaking briefly after the match at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky urged the squad not to be overwhelmed by Indonesia’s status as tournament favourites. He called for a never-say-die attitude and insisted the players should take to the court with confidence and fight for every point. Rexy also pointed to a practical benefit of Monday’s match: the opportunity to acclimatise to the venue ahead of the far more demanding quarter-final. He said he hoped all the players could take their experience of the court conditions as an advantage going into the clash with Indonesia, who entered the last eight via a first-round bye without having played at the venue.
The quarter-final challenge
Indonesia’s standing as top seeds underlines the scale of what Malaysia face on Tuesday. As team manager Datuk Ng Chin Chai acknowledged ahead of the tournament, there is no easy route to winning a medal because the top four seeded teams in both the men’s and women’s events are very strong. He added that the squad had been prepared to produce their best performance and beat whoever stands between them and the podium.
The pre-tournament draw placed Chinese Taipei and Thailand in the section that would provide Malaysia’s semi-final opponents if they advance. The immediate task is to get past Indonesia; the opening-round result does not establish how Malaysia will fare against the top seeds.
Malaysia has not won an Asian Games badminton team medal since the men’s squad claimed bronze at the 2014 Incheon Games. At Hangzhou 2022, the men were eliminated by South Korea in the opening round, making this quarter-final appearance alone a step forward in terms of tournament progress.
Women also reach the last eight
Malaysia’s women’s team reached the quarter-finals a day earlier, defeating Hong Kong 3-0 on Sunday, 20 September, also at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium. K. Letshanaa opened the tie by beating Happy Lo Sin Yan 21-9, 21-16 in 34 minutes, before world number five doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah defeated Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam 21-11, 21-17 in 39 minutes. Wong Ling Ching sealed the victory over Liang Ka Wing 21-17, 21-16 in a further 34 minutes.
The women now face third seeds South Korea, whose squad is led by world number one An Se Young. National singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen praised the players for their discipline against Hong Kong, describing it as a very good and solid performance and noting that it is never easy when you are the favoured team, but the players showed a good balance of focus, discipline and determination.
Malaysia are competing in the Asian Games women’s team event for the first time since 2014, with half of the current ten-player squad aged 21 or younger, according to BadmintonPlanet. The combination of youth and a fiercely competitive draw makes the women’s quarter-final against South Korea a significant moment for the programme’s development regardless of the result.
Two tests against seeded opponents
Both Malaysian teams won their opening ties 3-0. Malaysia’s men now face Indonesia, while the women meet South Korea. The coaching staff’s comments emphasise adapting to the venue and maintaining confidence, with each team needing another victory to reach the semi-finals.