IT would be an all-Malaysian affair in the singles final at the 2023 Arctic Open badminton tournament in Vantaa, Finland, as Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong both sailed through the semi-finals.

In the match at Energia Arena last night, Zii Jia defeated world number 10 Anders Antonsen from Denmark 21-17 in the first set and led 13-8 in the second set when Antonsen was forced to withdraw due to a leg injury.

The Kedah-born player will meet Tze Yong, who easily beat seventh-seeded Kanta Tsuneyama from Japan 21-12, 21-16.

This would be Zii Jia and Tze Yong’s first appearances in a final this season.

Mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei did not make it to the final after falling to fourth-seeds Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin from China 21-17, 13-21, 14-21. – Bernama, October 15, 2023.