For nearly two decades, the China Masters has been a fortress for local mixed doubles pairs. Since its inception in 2005, the prestigious tournament has never seen a non-Chinese pair lift the mixed doubles trophy- until now.
That long-standing streak was broken on Saturday at the Shenzhen Arena, where two visiting pairs- Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh / Supissara Paewsampran and Malaysia’s Chen Tang Jie / Toh Ee Wei- carved their names into history by ousting Chinese pairs in the semifinals. The result guarantees that, for the first time in 18 editions, the China Masters mixed doubles title will leave home soil.
History At China Masters
Thailand Strikes First
Puavaranukroh and Paewsampran were the first to strike a blow to China’s dominance, toppling top seeds Jiang Zhen Bang / Wei Ya Xin in straight games, 21-17, 22-20.
Though the Chinese pair threatened to force a decider late in the second game, the experienced Thais held their nerve, sealing the win in just 43 minutes.
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Malaysian Resilience on Full Display
The second semifinal at China Masters mixed doubles, however, was a marathon. Newly-crowned world champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei found themselves up against a familiar nemesis: defending champions Feng Yan Zhe / Huang Dong Ping. The Chinese pair had beaten them in their last four encounters- and came close to a fifth.
After narrowly losing the opening game 22-24, Chen and Toh dug deep, roaring back to take the next two games 21-19, 21-17 in an epic 80-minute battle.
“We’re too tired to think right now,” Chen admitted, breathless after the match. “But we are really happy with this result. The last time we beat them was at the Olympics. Since then, we’ve lost four straight. It feels great to finally turn that around.”
Toh added, “Our coach always reminds us to show character on court, and I think we did that today- whether we were trailing or leading. We stayed focused on every point.”
A Final for the History Books
With the dust settled, Sunday’s final promises more than just a title- it represents a changing of the guard. Both Thailand and Malaysia have made deep runs at major tournaments in recent years, but this moment stands out for its symbolic weight: the breaking of China’s 18-year iron grip on home turf.
While the Malaysians have momentum and the confidence of being world champions, the Thai duo holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage. Their last encounter saw Puavaranukroh and Paewsampran emerge victorious- but finals often rewrite scripts.
What’s at Stake
- For Malaysia: A chance to cap off a fairytale season with another historic title, proving their world championship win was no fluke.
- For Thailand: A golden opportunity to reaffirm their resurgence in mixed doubles, and cement their dominance over a top rival.
