It was a day to remember for Lauren Lam and Allison Lee, as the American pair staged a remarkable comeback to reach their first-ever HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 quarterfinals at the DAIHATSU Japan Open 2026.
Facing world No.3s Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee, Lam and Lee were a game and 1-9 down before turning the match on its head. Gaining confidence with every point, they clawed back in the second game and dominated the decider to seal a 9-21, 21-18, 21-12 victory. “I just told Allison to fight, just one point at a time,” said Lam. “Honestly, it was pretty nerve-racking, but we kept getting our momentum.”
“It’s one of our biggest wins, it just feels very surreal,” added Lee. “We just kept fighting, challenge after challenge, and kept our focus—that led to the win.”
Other Highlights:
Brian Yang pushed top seed Shi Yu Qi to the limit, leading much of the second game before falling 16-21, 21-19, 21-18. “Once I started getting closer to 21, I was overthinking and got a bit nervous,” Yang admitted.
Jimmy Wong/Cheng Su Yin stunned sixth seeds Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue 23-21, 24-22 after rallying from 5-11 down in the second game.
Alwi Farhan ousted France’s No.7 seed Alex Lanier 9-21, 21-14, 21-16, while Christo Popov overcame an early deficit to beat Leong Jun Hao 16-21, 21-11, 21-17.
What They Said:
Jimmy Wong: “On the crucial points, it’s about how daring you are, how strong is your mentality. I told myself—‘Don’t think too much’. That’s how I could calm myself.”
Michelle Li (after her loss): “All her shots are aggressive. It was all very quick—so it was either I die or she dies.”
Pusarla V Sindhu: “These wins will give me the confidence, so this matters a lot.”
With more shocks and standout performances, the Japan Open continues to deliver thrilling action and breakthrough moments.
Photo Credit: BWF/Badmintonphoto (@Badmintonphoto)
