Mia Blichfeldt has delivered Europe’s only win so far on the opening day of the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2026, coming through a marathon clash, while Christo Popov said goodbye early on in Kuala Lumpur.

The Dane needed one hour and 24 minutes to defeat Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira. Blichfeldt took the lead early with a 21-15 first game before Nidaira came back in a close second, 23–21. The decider followed the same pattern as the second game, with close scores, changing momentum, and a dramatic finish that saw Blichfeldt staying strong to secure a 22–20 win.

Also today, Christo Popov made his 2026 debut following his World Tour Finals win last month. He faced Hong Kong China’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, starting strongly with a 21–13 opening game but Lee turned the match around, taking the second 21–19 and sealing the win in a close third game. This is an earlier exit than expected for the Frenchman, although more opportunities lie ahead during this January Asian leg of the tour.

Mads Vestergaard/Christine Busch, Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Bøje, Alexander Dunn/Julie Macpherson, and Toma Junior Popov are also out, but there are more European players still fighting to secure the win in the first round.