Malaysia’s new men’s doubles combination of Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King pulled off a surprise victory to claim the Arctic Open title in Finland on Sunday.
The pair defeated Taiwan’s Lai Po Yu and Tsai Fu Cheng in straight sets in the final at Energia Areena, winning 21-19, 21-19 in 40 minutes.
The triumph was particularly sweet as it came in their first tournament together at the Super 500 event, with the Malaysians showing impressive chemistry throughout the competition.
Aaron and Roy King also maintained an unbeaten record in terms of sets, completing a remarkable campaign without dropping a single game on their way to the title.
In the opening game, the Malaysian duo controlled the pace before capitalising on their opportunities to secure the final two points and take it 21-19.
The second game proved equally competitive, with the Taiwanese pair refusing to give up and drawing level at 13-13 and 15-15.
However, Aaron and Roy King remained composed under pressure and pulled away in the closing stages to seal another 21-19 victory and lift the championship trophy.
Their success also came with a substantial financial reward, as the Malaysian pair collected US$39,500 (approximately RM160,000) in prize money.
The title marks a promising start for Aaron and Roy King as a new partnership, giving them a strong foundation to build their understanding ahead of future tournaments.
