The badminton circuit has seen an exciting shuffle of partnerships, particularly among the Asian powerhouses, leading to early successes for several new combinations.
At the PETRONAS Malaysia Open, Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae clinched the men’s doubles title, while Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto secured a breakthrough win in women’s doubles. In mixed doubles, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran impressed with their victory.
The momentum continued in India, where Arisa Igarashi and Ayako Sakuramoto triumphed in women’s doubles, defeating fellow new pair Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong—who went on to win the Indonesia Masters the following week. At the Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters, Seo Seung Jae struck gold again, this time alongside Jin Yong, while Lanny Tria Mayasari/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (women’s doubles) and Puavaranukroh/Paewsampran (mixed doubles) also emerged victorious.
The post-Olympic period often brings experimental pairings, and the Korean team has embraced this approach. Seo Seung Jae noted that while the changes are still being tested, familiarity from their junior years helps ease the transition.
In Japan, Igarashi and Sakuramoto’s pairing has already paid off, with Sakuramoto highlighting Igarashi’s aggressive playstyle as a key asset. The duo’s India Open victory saw them take down several top-ranked pairs.
Meanwhile, not all partnerships have hit their stride. Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi are still finding their rhythm, with Watanabe acknowledging the challenges of adapting to an all-left-handed combination.
As the circuit moves to Europe for the YONEX German Open and YONEX All England, these new pairings will look to build on their early success and establish themselves among the elite.
