Malaysian Badminton Pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani Reach Final of Arctic Open

Victory Against World No. 1 Chinese Pair Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian shuttlers Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have made it to the final of the 2024 Arctic Open in Finland after defeating China’s world No. 1 men’s doubles pair Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in an enthralling hour-long battle.

‘First Win’ for the Malaysian Pair

The victory is the first win for the Malaysian pair in their four meetings with their Chinese rivals, with all their matches going into three games. Sze Fei-Izzuddin came out victorious 18-21, 21-17, 21-18, giving them a significant boost of confidence ahead of the final match.

A Strong Start in the First Game

The first game started on a cautious note, with the Chinese taking a quick 11-8 lead and increasing it to 17-12, but the Malaysian pair did not give up and saved three match points before surrendering the game at 21-18 in 19 minutes.

A Strong Comeback in the Second Game

In the second game, Sze Fei-Izzuddin started out very well, taking a 4-0 lead in two minutes and leading 7-4 before some unforced errors saw the Chinese pair coming back to lead 8-7. However, Sze Fei-Izzuddin came back strongly to take a 13-11 lead, and eventually won the game 21-17 to force a rubber.

A Dominant Performance in the Decider

They continued their power play in the decider to take a 7-5 lead. After some tight exchanges, the Malaysians took a slender 11-10 lead at the break and went on to win 21-18.

What’s Next for the Malaysian Pair?

In the final match, they will face the winners of the other semi-final between Thailand’s new combination Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh and world No. 2 pair Kim Astrup-Anders Skarup Rasmussen of Denmark.

FAQs

Q: How did the Malaysian pair win their match against the Chinese pair?
A: They won in an enthralling hour-long battle, coming back strongly in the second and third games to take the match 18-21, 21-17, 21-18.

Q: How many times have the Malaysian pair beaten the Chinese pair before this match?
A: This is the first time they have beaten the Chinese pair, following three previous losses.

Q: Who will the Malaysian pair face in the final?
A: They will face the winners of the other semi-final between Thailand’s new combination Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh and world No. 2 pair Kim Astrup-Anders Skarup Rasmussen of Denmark.