KUALA LUMPUR — Sometimes, the most unexpected pairings create the most beautiful unions.
Malaysian men’s doubles shuttler Ong Yew Sin and former Japanese women’s singles player Aya Ohori have officially announced their engagement, a love story that transcends borders, cultures, and lifestyles.
Yew Sin shared the news on Instagram today with a heartfelt caption: “Our forever starts today.”
“She said yes. We couldn’t be happier to share this with the world. Different nationalities, different cultures and different living styles.
“We’ve learned to adapt and accept each other’s lifestyles, and understand each other’s cultures throughout the years… (we still quarrel always),” he wrote.
At the time of writing, the post has garnered over 65,000 likes and nearly 3,000 comments, including from badminton greats.
Former world number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei commented, “Congratulations to both of you.”
National women’s doubles star M. Thinaah expressed her excitement: “After all these years, finally!”
Singapore’s 2021 men’s singles world champion Loh Kean Yew added: “From friends to fiancée, congrats bro.”
On the court, 30-year-old Yew Sin’s biggest achievement was winning bronze at the 2021 World Championships with Teo Ee Yi.
28-year-old Ohori, meanwhile, secured a women’s singles bronze at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and was part of Japan’s squad that finished runners-up at the 2020 Uber Cup in Aarhus, Denmark. — March 27, 2025