Aaron Tai-Roy King reach Arctic Open final on debut as a pair after beating Danish Kjaers 21-14, 21-16

Malaysia's newest men's doubles combination has gone all the way to a final at the first attempt. Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King beat Denmark's Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer 21-14, 21-16 in the Arctic Open semi-finals in Vantaa, Finland, on Saturday 10 October, and will play Chinese Taipei's Lai Po Yu and Tsai Fu Cheng for the Super 500 title on Sunday 11 October.

A straight-games semi-final

The Danish pair, ranked No. 32 in the world, were expected to test the Malaysians in front of a European crowd, but Aaron and Roy King controlled both games. They took the opener 21-14 and closed out the second 21-16 without needing a decider, keeping alive their record of not dropping a single game all week.

Their opponents in the final, Lai and Tsai, came through the other half of the draw against France's Julien Maio and William Villeger.

Four rounds, zero games dropped

The run in Vantaa has been built on consistency rather than one big upset. In the first round on Wednesday 7 October, Aaron and Roy King beat compatriots Tan Wee Kiong and Nur Azriyn Ayub 21-12, 21-13 in just 26 minutes.

The second round brought the result that announced them as genuine contenders: a 21-19, 21-11 win over Taiwan's seventh seeds, Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen, in 39 minutes. In Friday's quarter-final they then beat Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul 21-13, 21-19 in 38 minutes.

That makes eight games played and eight games won on the way to the title match.

Why this is an experimental pairing

Aaron's long-time partner was Khang Khai Xing, with whom he won the 2024 world junior title. Men's doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi split the pair, citing a difference in their speed, and has since been trying Aaron with different senior partners.

Before Finland, Aaron reached the Taiwan Open final alongside Aaron Chia and also played the China Masters with Soh Wooi Yik. Vantaa is the first tournament in which he has partnered Roy King, and reaching the final in their debut event gives Herry plenty to think about as he plans the doubles department's next steps.

Zii Jia's run ends one step short

Malaysia had hoped for two finalists. Lee Zii Jia, who knocked out world No. 2 Christo Popov in the quarter-finals, lost his men's singles semi-final to Denmark's Anders Antonsen 21-11, 15-21, 21-16 after 78 minutes. Antonsen meets Japan's Yushi Tanaka in the final, which leaves Aaron and Roy King as Malaysia's only representatives on finals day.

What to watch for in the final

The final is scheduled for Sunday 11 October in Vantaa, which is five hours behind Malaysia. Fans should check the BWF order of play for the exact Malaysian start time, as it depends on the sequence of the five finals.

Whatever happens against Lai and Tsai, a first final for a brand-new partnership at Super 500 level is a strong return for the Malaysian camp, which has been searching for depth behind its established men's doubles pairs.

Key takeaways

• Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King beat Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer 21-14, 21-16 in the Arctic Open semi-finals on 10 October.
• They face Chinese Taipei's Lai Po Yu and Tsai Fu Cheng in the final on Sunday 11 October.
• The Malaysians have not dropped a game in four matches, including a win over seventh seeds Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen.
• Vantaa is their first tournament together after coach Herry Iman Pierngadi split Aaron from Khang Khai Xing.
• Lee Zii Jia lost his singles semi-final to Anders Antonsen 21-11, 15-21, 21-16.

FAQ

Who did Aaron Tai and Yap Roy King beat in the Arctic Open semi-finals? They beat Denmark's Christian Faust Kjaer and Rasmus Kjaer 21-14, 21-16 on Saturday 10 October.

Who will they play in the final? Chinese Taipei's Lai Po Yu and Tsai Fu Cheng, who beat France's Julien Maio and William Villeger in the other semi-final.

Is this a regular partnership? No. The Arctic Open is their first tournament together. Aaron previously played with Khang Khai Xing and has recently been tested with Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

Sources: The Star, Portal Berita RTM, Free Malaysia Today, Jesselton Times, BadmintonPlanet