Sze Fei-Izzuddin sizzle to take Arctic Open in three-game thriller

 

Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have scored a hat-trick of badminton doubles titles in the Arctic, Japan and China Opens. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Independent professional shuttlers Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani continued their winning streak when they captured the 2024 Arctic Open men’s doubles title in a three-game thriller this evening.

The pair, ranked world No 8, beat world No 2 Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark 15-21, 21-15, 21-19 in Vantaa, Finland, for their third title since September after winning the Japan and China Opens.

Yesterday, Sze Fei-Izzuddin upstaged China’s world No 1 Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang 19-21, 21-17, 21-18 en route to the final.

The victory today should put them in a confident mood as they wind down for the rest of the season, culminating in the lucrative World Badminton Federation world tour finals in December, with total prize money of US$2.5 million at stake.

In tonight’s match, Sze Fei-Izzuddin trailed all the way in the first game, but came back strongly to take the second game in 23 minutes. In the decider, the two pairs traded point for point before the Malaysians finally forged ahead to win the match.

Women doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah are hoping to make it 2-0 for Malaysia when they take on China’s world No 2 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning in the final later tonight.

Pearly-Thinaah, the world No 7 pair, outlasted Japan’s world No 6 Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi 21-19, 19-21, 26-24 in a marathon semi-final clash last night lasting almost one hour and 42 minutes. - FMT