BWF Arctic Open 2023: Lee Zii Jia overpowers Ng Tze Yong to claim first title in 17 months
Lee Zii Jia was at his attacking best as he beat his fellow Malaysian after Han Yue took the women's singles title in Vantaa, Finland.
Badminton
Lee Zii Jia ended a 17-month BWF World Tour title drought by beating fellow Malaysian Ng Tze Yong in the final of the Arctic Open 2023 on Sunday (15 October).
The 2021 All England badminton champion took 39 minutes to win 21-14, 21-15 and clinch the Super 500 event in Vantaa, Finland.
With a number of top players taking the week off after the Asian Games, and ahead of the Super 750 Denmark Open, the 25-year-old took full advantage to secure the fourth BWF World Tour title of his career.
Long rallies were few and far between with both players fully committed to attack, and eighth seed Lee took an 11-8 lead into the first interval.
The power and accuracy of Lee's overhead smashes - one was clocked at 418 km/h - were something to behold as he went 15-9 in front before closing out the first game in just 16 minutes.
Ng had no response with Lee showing great athleticism in defence and touch at the net as well as brute force from the back of the court.
Lee raced into a 8-1 lead in the second game before Ng staged something of a recovery to go into the mid-game break 11-5 down.
The world number 19 then showed some of his attacking prowess, but it was too late as Lee converted his fourth match point to take his first title since the Thailand Open of May 2022.
Earlier, Han Yue defeated Wang Zhi Yi in an all-Chinese women's singles final to claim the biggest BWF Tour title of her career.
Han, who won gold at August's World University Games, dropped the first game and had to save a championship point before levelling the match.
And the 23-year-old ran away with the decider 21-12 to take victory after a gruelling hour and 19 minutes.
Following their mixed doubles bronze at the Asian Games, China's Feng Yanzhe and Olympic champion Huang Dongping claimed their sixth title of the year thanks to a comfortable straight-games win over compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin.
Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning made it three wins on the day for China in the women's doubles finals.
The pair beat Thailand's second seeds Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai 21-13, 24-22 in 52 minutes to claim their third title of the season.
In the concluding men's doubles, Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen warmed up for their home event in fine style with a straight-games victory over Man Wei Chong and Kai Wun Tee of Malaysia and secured their third title this year.
Results from finals day at the BWF Super 500 Arctic Open:
Mixed doubles: [1] Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping (CHN) def. [4] Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin (CHN) 21-14, 21-15
Women's singles: [3] Han Yue (CHN) def. Wang Zhi Yi (CHN) 16-21, 22-20, 21-12
Men's singles: [8] Lee Zii Lia (MAS) def. Ng Tze Yong (MAS) 21-14, 21-15
Women's doubles: [7] Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning (CHN) def. [2] Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai (THA) 21-13, 24-22
Men's doubles: [4] Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (DEN) def. Man Wei Chong/Kai Wun Tee (MAS) 21-18, 21-17