Scratch pair Aaron Tai-Roy King crowned Arctic Open champs in 1st outing

Malaysian scratch badminton pair Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King secured the men's doubles title at the Arctic Open in their inaugural appearance at the World Tour Super 500 championships in Finland. This victory marks the third time a Malaysian pair has won the men's doubles title in the 36-year history of the tournament. The ambitious duo bested all five higher-ranked pairs in straight games, ultimately triumphing over 60th-ranked Taiwanese duo Lai Po Yu-Tsai Fu Cheng in a 41-minute match with scores of 21-19, 21-19.

As champions, Aaron Tai-Roy King will receive a prize of US$39,500 (RM160,654), while the runners-up will take home US$19,000 (RM77,277). The pair, who include Aaron Tai, who celebrates his 20th birthday later this month, and 25-year-old Roy King, have joined the Badminton Association of Malaysia's initiative to identify the most suitable duo for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The scratch pairing will next compete at the Denmark Open this week, a Super 750 championship. Previously, Aaron Tai-Roy King finished as runners-up at the Taipei Open in August and Roy King paired with Tee Kai Wun to secure a victory at the Korea Masters, advancing to the quarter-finals at the China Masters last month.