Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee etched their names into the history books at the PERODUA Malaysia Masters 2026, becoming the first American women’s pair to reach the tournament’s semifinals. The Californian duo pulled off a dramatic comeback on Friday, defeating China’s Luo Yi and Wang Ting Ge 20-22, 21-19, 21-17 in a match that saw every game decided by the slimmest of margins.
This achievement makes Lam and Lee only the second U.S. women’s pair to reach a Super 500 semifinal, following Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai’s run at the Australian Open last November. Despite practicing in different cities, the pair’s chemistry shone under pressure. “It’s just like a 45-minute plane ride away,” joked Lam about their unique partnership.
Lee celebrated the moment with simple joy: “First emotion, just happiness … the crowd was great, the coaches, the families, everything was supportive.” Lam reflected on the nerves of the occasion: “There was so much pressure but we just let go, played freely and told ourselves: one point at a time.”
Their breakthrough is part of a wave of American progress in badminton this year. In January, Presley Smith and Jennie Gai became the first U.S. mixed pair to reach a Super 1000 quarterfinal, also in Malaysia. “I’m happy we are all kind of upping the level of USA badminton,” Lam said.
The Americans now face Japan’s Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto, aiming to continue their ground-breaking run with a spot in the final at stake.
