Goh/Izzuddin Suffer Consecutive Losses and Lose World No. 1 Ranking

Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Malaysia’s independent men’s doubles pair, are going through a difficult period following a string of defeats that have directly impacted their world ranking.

After enjoying the status of world No. 1 for eight weeks, their dominance has begun to waver. At the Japan Open 2025 final last weekend, they were defeated by South Korea’s Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae in straight games, 16-21, 17-21.

Their struggles continued at the China Open 2025, where they were eliminated in the first round by another South Korean pair — a loss that further deepened their downward trend. As a result, Goh/Izzuddin have dropped to world No. 3, falling behind their fellow Malaysians Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.

Meanwhile, Kim/Seo, who had beaten them in Japan, have officially taken over the world No. 1 spot. The Korean duo have displayed remarkable consistency throughout the season, collecting five titles since the start of 2025.

The declining performance of Goh/Izzuddin has drawn attention, especially considering their impressive rise as an independent pair who once challenged the dominance of traditional powerhouses such as Indonesia, Japan, and China in the men’s doubles category.