Kuala Lumpur: National men’s doubles professional pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani are now ranked as world number one based on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) ranking released today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, having amassed 91,090 points, climbed up one position to take over the top spot from Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, who accumulated 90,411 points. The Danish pair failed to defend their title at the recently concluded Malaysia Masters, allowing the Malaysian duo to ascend to the top.

Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin are the first Malaysian men’s doubles pair to be ranked number one in the world since Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong held the position in 2016. They join an elite list of former national greats who have achieved this feat, including Razif-Jalani, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, and Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock.

Despite a strong start to the year with a victory at the India Open in January, Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin’s form saw a decline as they failed to reach the semi-finals in subsequent tournaments. However, they are set to compete in the Singapore Open from May 27 to June 1, beginning their campaign against Taiwan’s Lee Fang Chih-Lee Fang Jen tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik remained steadfast in the third spot in the world rankings, while the newly-crowned Malaysia Masters champions Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun moved up one position to seventh place.