Taipei Open: Chen Po-wen/Liu Yu-chen lose in semifinals to Malaysian pair, all Taiwanese men's doubles teams out

Taiwan's hopes for a men's doubles title at the Taipei Open were dashed Saturday as the nation's only remaining pair, Chen Po-wen and Liu Yu-chen, fell in a hard-fought semifinal. The Taiwanese duo lost 26-24, 19-21, 16-21 to Malaysia's fifth-seeded pair, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

The "Kuan-Kuan Combination," as Chen and Liu are known, showed early promise, securing the first game after a tense battle that saw them overcome a deficit. However, the experienced Malaysian pair, featuring two-time Olympic bronze medalist Chia, eventually found their rhythm. The Taiwanese pair struggled to close out the second game, ultimately pushing the match to a decider.

Despite mounting a comeback in the third game to lead 12-15, Chen and Liu committed crucial errors in the final stages, allowing Chia and Soh to win five consecutive points and seal the victory. This defeat marks the end of the road for all Taiwanese men's doubles teams in the tournament.

Chen and Liu, who only began their partnership in May, had shown significant progress, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open in June and the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open in July. Their performance at the Taipei Open, however, concludes their run in the event.