PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing pulled off an impressive win over Japan’s two-time Olympic bronze medallist Yuta Watanabe and his young partner Maya Taguchi to reach the Indian Open second round. Watanabe used to be known as one of the best mixed doubles players in the world and reached No. The 28-year-old also won two World Championships silver medals with Igarashi before the pair decided to go their separate ways shortly after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Fellow independent pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are also through to the second round after ousting Taiwan’s Wu Guan-xun-Lee Chia-hsin 21-17, 21-17. Meanwhile, reigning world champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will play China’s world No.

Source: The Star January 13, 2026 23:04 UTC