[Saba Sports News] The 2026 Japan Badminton Open has concluded. China’s pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping fought out a three-game thriller in the mixed doubles final to beat Hong Kong China’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet and claim the title. After the match, Japanese fans questioned whether Feng Yanzhe was using medical timeouts as a tactical ploy, sparking widespread debate.
Feng received on-court medical treatment twice during the match, interrupting play. The first stoppage arrived at 3-3 in the decider, when Feng scraped his knee while diving for a shot. Medical staff came onto court to treat the injury, and play resumed after a two-minute break. The second interruption took place when the Chinese pair led 17-15 in the deciding game. Feng sustained another knee abrasion on a defensive dive, prompting medical personnel to attend to him once more; competition restarted following a halt of three minutes and 20 seconds. Following the game, Japanese fans alleged Feng’s second medical timeout was a deliberate tactic called when his opponents were mounting a comeback. Hong Kong China’s pairing had reeled off three consecutive points after falling behind 12-17, cutting the deficit to just two points before their momentum was disrupted by the break. Once play resumed, the Chinese duo sealed victory with four straight points, securing China’s sole title of the tournament.
Afterwards, Japanese fans compiled instances of Feng’s previous medical timeouts over the past year and labelled him a repeat offender. Nevertheless, other observers argued the backlash stemmed from sour grapes and jealousy over his string of title successes.
Claims by Japanese fans that Feng Yanzhe calls for medical timeouts every time he concedes points reflect a misreading of regulations and emotional outbursts. The stoppages were triggered by bleeding knee wounds, activating the BWF’s mandatory bleeding treatment rule rather than tactical abuse. Accusations branding him a repeat offender overlook multiple previous occasions when his requests for medical timeouts were rejected by umpires.