Scratch pair Aaron Tai and Roy King captured the men’s doubles title at the Arctic Open in Vantaa, Finland, defeating Taiwan’s Lai Po Yu and Tsai Fu Cheng 21-19, 21-19 in a 41-minute final at the Energia Areena, according to reports published by Free Malaysia Today.
Victory at the Energia Areena
The newly formed Malaysian duo claimed the World Tour Super 500 crown after a dominant run through the tournament where they overcame five consecutive higher-ranked pairs in straight games. Sunday’s straight-games victory over the 60th-ranked Taiwanese opponents secured the championship and the US$39,500 winners’ prize, equivalent to approximately RM160,654. The runners-up collected US$19,000, or roughly RM77,277, for their efforts in Finland.
History for Malaysian Badminton
With their title run, Aaron Tai, who turns 20 later this month, and 25-year-old Roy King became only the third Malaysian pair to win the men’s doubles tournament since its inception in 1990. Previous Malaysian winners of the Arctic Open men’s doubles include Nelson Heg Wei Keat and Teo Ee Yi in 2013, followed by Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani two years ago.
Preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics
The makeshift partnership forms part of an ongoing initiative by the Badminton Association of Malaysia to evaluate different combinations ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Both players have recently competed alongside other partners on the international circuit. Aaron Tai reached the final of the Taipei Open in August partnering senior player Aaron Chia, while Roy King teamed up with Tee Kai Wun to win the Korea Masters and reached the semifinals of the China Masters last month.
Transition to the Denmark Open
Following their success in Vantaa, Aaron Tai and Roy King travel directly to Denmark for their next scheduled tournament appearance at the upcoming Denmark Open, a Super 750 championship taking place this week.
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