Lee Zii Jia beats world No. 2 Christo Popov to reach Arctic Open semis as Aaron Tai-Roy King also advance

Malaysia will have two entries in the Arctic Open semi-finals after a strong Friday (Oct 9) at the Energia Areena in Vantaa, Finland. Lee Zii Jia, ranked 56th in the world, needed only 38 minutes to beat second seed and world No. 2 Christo Popov 21-11, 21-16. Later the same night, the new men's doubles pairing of Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King beat Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-19 to complete a third upset of the week.

Zii Jia keeps his perfect record against Popov

Zii Jia went into the match as the clear underdog on rankings, but he controlled both games against the Frenchman. The win made it three wins from three meetings with Popov. Their first meeting was at the 2022 German Open, and Zii Jia also beat him at the 2024 Arctic Open.

The result matters a lot for the 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medallist. He started this Super 500 event in qualifying after a long slump, beat home player Kalle Koljonen to reach the main draw, and then beat China's Dong Tian Yao 21-18, 21-14 in the first round. He beat Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang in round two before taking on Popov.

Antonsen waits in the semi-finals

Zii Jia's semi-final opponent is Denmark's Anders Antonsen, the fourth seed and world No. 6. Antonsen beat China's Hu Zhe An 22-20, 21-19 in a close quarter-final. The two players are known to be close friends off the court.

In the other men's singles semi-final, Japan's Yushi Tanaka plays compatriot Koki Watanabe. Tanaka came from a game down to beat Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn 14-21, 21-13, 21-16, and Watanabe beat Chou Tien Chen 21-19, 21-16.

Scratch pair Aaron-Roy King keep winning in straight games

Aaron and Roy King are playing their first tournament together as part of the Badminton Association of Malaysia's (BAM) experiments with new men's doubles partnerships. They have not dropped a game in Vantaa so far.

They opened with a 21-12, 21-13 win over compatriots Nur Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong. In the second round they knocked out Chinese Taipei's seventh seeds, the brothers Lee Fang Chih and Lee Fang Jen, and they then beat the Thai pair in the quarter-finals. Their semi-final opponents are Denmark's Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer, ranked 32nd in the world, who beat India's Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pratheek Krishnamurthy Roy.

When the semi-finals are played

Both semi-finals are on Saturday (Oct 10) in Vantaa. Finland is five hours behind Malaysia, so Malaysian fans should expect the matches in the evening, Malaysia time. At the time of writing the semi-finals had not started, so these results are still to come. The finals are on Sunday (Oct 11). The tournament's total prize money is US$500,000.

Next on the calendar is the Denmark Open, where Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are set to play together again.

Key takeaways

• Lee Zii Jia (world No. 56) beat world No. 2 Christo Popov 21-11, 21-16 in 38 minutes and now leads their head-to-head 3-0.
• Zii Jia, who came through qualifying, plays Denmark's Anders Antonsen in Saturday's semi-final.
• Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King beat Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-19 for their third upset of the week.
• The Malaysian pair play Danes Christian Faust Kjaer-Rasmus Kjaer for a place in the final.

FAQ

Who does Lee Zii Jia play in the Arctic Open semi-final? He plays Denmark's fourth seed Anders Antonsen, who beat Hu Zhe An 22-20, 21-19 in the quarter-finals.

How many times has Zii Jia beaten Christo Popov? Three times in three meetings: at the 2022 German Open, the 2024 Arctic Open and now the 2026 Arctic Open quarter-final.

Are Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King a regular pairing? No. The Arctic Open is their first tournament together. BAM is trying out new men's doubles combinations, and they have won every match so far in straight games.

Sources: Bernama, The Star, New Straits Times, Free Malaysia Today, BWF World Tour, BadmintonPlanet