Kang Khai Xing / Aaron Tai Fights Back to Beat Chen Bo Yang / Liu Yi in the Round of 32

Kang Khai Xing / Aaron Tai, a international standout, dropped the opener at 21–11 but found another gear at the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026, overturning a gritty challenge from Chen Bo Yang / Liu Yi at a total match score of 11-21 26-24 21-15, in an intense 72-minute Round of 32 marathon. The high-stakes triumph underscores a meteoric ascent for Kang/Tai, who continues to showcase world-class resilience on the international stage.

Entering their maiden senior head-to-head encounter deadlocked at 0–0, our AI Scout Prediction Model had assigned Chen Bo Yang / Liu Yi a 52% pre-match win probability, citing elite defensive retrieval and steady baseline consistency. While Chen/Liu validated that analytical projection in the opening frame, Kang Khai Xing / Aaron Tai engineered a tactical masterclass in Games 2 and 3—elevating aggressive smash tempo and controlling the net to secure 58 of the 118 total rallies in a marquee triumph.

With this landmark victory, Kang Khai Xing / Aaron Tai advances to the next round of the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026, where Kang/Tai is slated to collide with the next seeded challenger in another marquee matchup. Our predictive AI model projects Kang/Tai with an early 54% win probability, factoring in high shot accuracy and decisive physical momentum. Who do you think will seize the victory and advance further? Cast your vote below and share your tactical breakdown in our community forum!

[ADVANCES_CARD]

Pre-Match AI Scout Analysis

Prior to the encounter, the AI Scout model favored CHEN Bo Yang / LIU Yi with a 54% confidence projection on a blend of ranking, seeding, head-to-head and our own rating. Defying the analytical model's 54% projection, KANG Khai Xing / Aaron TAI produced a decisive tactical shift to secure the upset.

Match video

Player profiles: Janice CHEN · haisong Chen

Coach subscription — list your coaching

Coach subscription — list your coaching — scan or tap. QR code linking to Coach subscription — list your coaching

Recovery & performance from the Crazybadman store

View this on Crazybadman →