KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — The long-standing reign of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik as Malaysia’s top men’s doubles pair is drawing to a close.

Regardless of today’s World Tour Finals (WTF) outcome, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are poised to overtake them in the national rankings.

Currently ranked world No. 7, Sze Fei-Izzuddin are projected to leap to No. 3 when the updated Badminton World Federation rankings are released on Tuesday.

This marks a meteoric rise for the pair, who have shone in the latter half of 2024, claiming titles at the Japan Open, China Open, and Arctic Open since August.

Meanwhile, Aaron-Wooi Yik, Malaysia’s undisputed No. 1 since April 2019, suffered a major setback with an early exit in the WTF group stage.

The defeat will see them fall out of the world’s top five for the first time in years, dropping to No. 6.

This shift highlights a changing of the guard in Malaysian badminton.

Sze Fei-Izzuddin have emerged as the country’s leading contenders on the global stage, while Aaron-Wooi Yik face the challenge of regaining their form and dominance.

Should Sze Fei-Izzuddin triumph over Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in today’s WTF final, they will clinch the biggest title of their careers, cementing their place as Malaysia’s new standard-bearers in men’s doubles badminton.