PV Sindhu just gave a young Malaysian shuttler a big shoutout. The Indian badminton star took to social media to praise Aaron Tai. And she did it with a lot of warmth.

"Aaron Tai is a very, very interesting player," Sindhu tweeted. "I've been tracking him since his junior days, and he was always known for bringing some really fun strokes onto the court."

She also mentioned her sparring partners in Bangalore. "A few of my sparring partners in Bangalore have played him on the junior circuit too, and they've all spoken very highly of him," she added.

Her post came in response to news about Aaron's performance at the Singapore Open. And he is having quite a run there. He and his partner Kang Khai Xing are turning heads.

The pair beat Indonesia's Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-19, 21-17. That win came in the round of 16 and lasted just 38 minutes. Earlier, they took down Malaysia's Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong in the round of 32.

Up next is a tough one. They will face India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the quarter-finals. And the same matchup will repeat at the POLYTRON Indonesia Open 2026 in the first round.

So what makes Aaron so interesting? He is known for creative, fun shot-making. Behind-the-back returns and lightning-fast reflexes are part of his style.

He and Kang already beat top pairs like Satwik-Chirag at the All England Open. The pair also won the Boys' Doubles title at the 2024 BWF World Junior Championships.

Aaron has a smaller frame but it does not slow him down. He makes up for it with incredible court coverage and smart anticipation. He adapts well to windy and tricky conditions too.

Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai's Performance So Far in 2026

The Malaysian pair is currently ranked No. 27 in the world. But their results say they belong much higher. They have already pulled off two major top-10 upsets this year.

The Singapore Open run is the latest example. They stunned world No. 7 Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Reza Pahlevi Isfahani in the round of 16. The win sent them into the quarter-finals.

Back in March, they made noise at the All England Open. They beat India's world No. 4 pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in straight games. The score was 23-21, 21-12, a real statement win.

They went out in the round of 16 to China's Liu Yi and Chen Boyang. But the damage was already done. People were watching now.

The Swiss Open in March was another strong week. They reached the quarter-finals after beating two higher-ranked Indonesian pairs. They lost to Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.

The Malaysia Masters in May was a tougher one. They made the round of 16 before losing to fellow Malaysians Junaidi Arif and Yap Roy King. The Thailand Masters in January also ended in the round of 16, with a loss to China's Hu Keyuan and Lin Xiang Yi.

Even with a few early exits, the pair keeps proving they can beat anyone on their day. Aaron Tai might just be the most exciting young name in men's doubles right now.

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Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar