For five months, Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping had been searching for a spark.

The Chinese mixed pair finally found it on Sunday, at SATHIO GROUP Australian Open 2026, defeating compatriots Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui 21-17 21-19 to reclaim a title they won in 2023.

The victory not only extended Feng and Huang’s perfect record against Guo and Chen to seven matches, it also ended one of their partnership’s longest droughts. Since bagging the Malaysia Open in January, the pair endured an unusually barren stretch, failing to reach the final at five consecutive tournaments and suffering defeats to unseeded opponents at the Singapore and Indonesia Opens.

“Our recent performances haven’t been quite ideal. However, it’s worth acknowledging that despite the results, our mindset was adjusted in time during this series of matches,” said Feng.

The final itself was a battle between two pairs who know each other inside out, turning the contest into a test of nerve.

“Both sides are familiar with each other’s style,” Feng explained. “It mainly comes down to who performs slightly better. The reason we were more composed during crucial points is we didn’t overthink. It was about not having too many distracting thoughts.”

Huang felt the first game proved decisive. As she and Feng accelerated in the closing stages, they gained momentum that carried them through a tighter second game.

“In the first game, towards the crunch, our speed picked up quite a bit,” she said. “In the second game, the opponents upped their pace and we had a bit of a dip in energy. That resulted in some unforced errors.”

The win adds another Australian Open trophy to Huang’s collection, having also won the title with Wang Yi Lyu in 2019. More importantly, it restores belief ahead of a packed second half of the season.

With the Japan and China Opens still to come before the World Championships and Asian Games, Huang remains optimistic.

“We are still focused on playing each match well first. We are very hopeful of a good performance in the tournaments leading up to the big ones but we will just let things take their course.”

→ Results (Finals)

WHAT OTHERS SAID

“I came here with a lot of doubters and haters but still believing I can prove them wrong so I’m so grateful. This means a lot but I hope I can be humble, keep low-key and continue listening to my coach and parents.” – Alwi Farhan after winning his second title of the season

“I did well in these four tournaments but I’m more satisfied by the fact I was able to perform better than the results indicate. And in the process I gained some valuable points for the (HSBC BWF) World Tour Finals.” – Akane Yamaguchi pleased with her two titles and two runner-up finishes over the last month

“These three weeks have truly felt like an extreme challenge. Towards the end, my physical condition wasn’t that good anymore. But then I felt the desire to win must overcome the fear of losing.” – Jia Yi Fan after she and Zhang Shu Xian won their second title in three weeks