Jimmy Wong and Cheng Su Yin produced one of the surprises of the DAIHATSU Japan Open 2026, defeating in-form pair Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje to secure their first-ever HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 semifinal appearance—just five tournaments into their partnership.
The Malaysian duo, ranked world No.118, delivered a composed performance to oust the Danes, who had won four titles from five finals since the All England in March. Wong and Cheng kept their nerve, surging late in the first game and maintaining their lead in the second to win 21-17, 21-17.
“We are the underdogs, so we had to be patient, not rush, and believe in ourselves,” said Wong. “They are more experienced and tactically better, but our patience made the difference. We just reminded ourselves not to play too fast or rush them, and it worked.”
Wardani Dominates Wang
In women’s singles, Putri Kusuma Wardani delivered a statement win over China’s Wang Zhi Yi, handing her one of her heaviest defeats in recent memory. After splitting the first two games, Wardani ran away with the decider 21-4, notching her first victory over Wang in eight attempts.
“I had no expectations at all, as I had never beaten her before,” Wardani admitted. “My coach told me to just enjoy the game and not think too much. Now I feel more confident going into the next round.”
With these upsets, the Japan Open continues to deliver dramatic storylines and breakthrough performances.
Photo Credit: BWF/Badmintonphoto (@Badmintonphoto)
