SUKMA 2026 tennis: Federal Territories take six of seven golds

The Federal Territories dominated the tennis competition at the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Selangor, winning six of the seven gold medals on offer at the Kelana Jaya Sports Complex in Petaling Jaya. The team events were decided on 19 August and the individual finals on 23 August.

In the men’s team final the Federal Territories beat hosts Selangor 2-0. The deciding doubles, won 6-3, 6-0 by Aqil Adibi Rahiman and Gareth Lim Hao Zhe, ended on a disputed line call, which the 17-year-old Aqil acknowledged afterwards, telling The Star the pair would have replayed the point had it been up to them.

The women’s team final was closer. The Federal Territories beat Sarawak 2-1: Daania Hazli won her singles 6-2, 6-4 against Soo Hui Yii, Sarawak levelled through the doubles, and Nao Phang sealed the title with a 6-1, 6-1 singles win.

In the individual events, Darrshan Suresh Kumar won the men’s singles gold when his Federal Territories teammate Gareth Lim was unable to finish the final because of an ankle injury. Darrshan then added the men’s doubles with Imran Daniel Hazli, beating Selangor’s Aiden Lim and Ashton Lim 6-2, 6-2. Daania Daniella and Nao Phang won the women’s doubles against Perak’s Shihomi Leong and Catherine Eva Liew, and Imran Daniel and Daania took the mixed doubles 6-2, 6-4 against Sarawak’s Matthew Goh and Soo Hui Yii.

The one gold that left the Federal Territories went to Perak. Shihomi Leong won the women’s singles against Terengganu’s Anja Samia Nayar, who withdrew after Shihomi had taken the second set 6-1 to level the final.

For Malaysian tennis the results matter beyond the medal table. The gold medallists include most of the players who represented Malaysia at the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup earlier in the year, and SUKMA was one of their last domestic tests before preparation intensifies for the 2027 SEA Games, which Malaysia will host.