KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, who turned professional just 10 months ago, are reportedly exploring a return to BAM after a worrying slump in form.

The world No. 1 duo, set to lose their top spot this week after failing to defend their Japan Open crown, recently approached BAM, sources say. Their main motivation appears to be Indonesian coach Herry IP, credited with reviving Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun.

Since quitting BAM in September last year, Sze Fei-Izzuddin climbed to No. 1 after winning the China, Arctic, and India Opens. But they haven’t won a title since January, and their ranking is expected to drop further.

Former shuttler Datuk James Selvaraj believes returning to BAM and Herry’s system would help reverse their decline and strengthen Malaysia’s doubles depth. He also highlighted the advantage of BAM’s full support setup, from strength training to mental coaching, compared to managing everything independently.

The pair, top seeds at this week’s China Open, open against Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk-Ki Dong Ju on Wednesday.