KUALA LUMPUR: The adage "better late than never" aptly describes men's doubles Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who seem to be flourishing only recently despite having been teammates for nine years.
On Sunday, the world No. 12 clinched the biggest title of their careers by winning the Japan Open Super 750, shedding their underachievers' tag just in time before turning professional next week.
This feat is particularly impressive as they triumphed over some of the world's best pairs, including reigning world champions Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae of South Korea in the final and former world No. 1 Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia in the quarter-finals.
With their confidence at an all-time high, Sze Fei-Izzuddin must now find a way to sustain their success for the long run and prove they are not one-hit wonders. This won't be easy, as their rivals will likely pay more attention to studying their game, now seeing them as formidable opponents.
Their credentials will be put to the test immediately this week as Sze Fei-Izzuddin aim for their first back-to-back titles at the Korea Open in Seoul. On paper, their prospects look promising, given their fourth-seed status in the tournament.
Placed in the bottom half of the draw, they won't face top seeds Min Hyuk-Seung Jae until the final, should both pairs advance that far.
However, a tricky opener awaits Sze Fei-Izzuddin as they face teammates Choong Hon Jian-Haikal Nazri. The only other notable rivals in their quarter are the experienced but newly formed pair of Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagas Maulana, whom they defeated in the semi-finals in Japan last week.
If they reach the semi-finals, Sze Fei-Izzuddin will likely face second seeds Ren Xiang Yu-He Ji Ting of China.
Coach Tan Bin Shen looks forward to seeing Sze Fei-Izzuddin cap their national team career with a flourish. While he wishes he could continue guiding them, he respects their decision to pursue their careers with a fresh approach.
"I can't say I'm sad to see them leave the national team. It's just a shame that I can no longer play a part in their career progress at a point where they're on the rise after going through ups and downs," said Bin Shen, who is in charge of the team in Seoul.
"But I think they are mature enough to know what they want for their future. I just wish them all the best and hope they keep working hard for their dream."
Bin Shen has been placing his faith in Sze Fei-Izzuddin, whom he said could rise again.
Asked by Timesport in February whether the duo had stagnated, Bin Shen at that time remarked: "Whether they have stagnated or not, only they can truly feel it.
"I don't want to say that they can no longer push themselves further. There's still every possibility for them to rise once again.
"We, the coaches, still have faith in their ability to return to a better version of themselves."
Months later, Sze Fei-Izzuddin did show signs of revival by finishing runners-up at the Asian Championships and turning in an inspiring performance to help Malaysia reach the Thomas Cup semi-finals.
They followed it up by reaching three successive quarter-finals at the Malaysia Masters, Singapore Open and Indonesia Open.