KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — National men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are just one win away from glory at the Malaysia Masters 2025 after a stunning 21-12, 21-14 semi-final victory over Japan’s Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil here today.

The first game began cautiously, with both pairs level at 3-3 before found their rhythm and turned on the style to open up a seven-point lead at 15-8 before romping to a 21-12 win.

The fifth-seeded Malaysians had a shaky start to the second set, trailing 0-2 before they caught fire to storm to an 11-5 lead before a delicate net shot from Kai Wun sealed the deal, sending them into the final with a commanding 21-14 win in just 31 minutes.

This was their first-ever win over the 2021 world champions from Japan, having fallen short in their two previous encounters.

The world number eight Malaysians now have a chance to go one better than their 2023 runner-up finish when they went down fighting 15-21, 24-22, 19-21 to South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae.

In tomorrow’s final, Wei Chong-Kai Wun will face either Malaysian fourth seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik or the top-seeded Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark.

Kai Wun said their aggressive tactical approach was key to denying Hoki-Kobayashi a place in the final.

He said that today’s win over another world-class pair, following their 19-21, 21-7, 21-16 quarter-final triumph over world number two and compatriots Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani had given them a major confidence boost heading into the final.

Wei Chong, meanwhile, hopes that they can stay focused and carry their red-hot momentum into the title showdown.

"It would be great if we can become champions but what’s important is that we must focus on our performance,” he said.

Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah were the last Malaysian men’s doubles pair to emerge victorious in the Malaysia Masters back in 2013. — Bernama