In a stunning show of dominance, Malaysia’s Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik and Pearly Tan / Thinaah Muralitharan have both powered their way into the 2025 Arctic Open finals in Vantaa, Finland, delivering strong performances in their respective semi-final clashes.
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Men’s Doubles: Chia / Soh march on
In the men’s doubles semi-final, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik defeated Thailand’s No. 8 seeds Kittinupong Kedren / Dechapol Puavaranukroh in convincing fashion, 21–15, 21–14. This win extends their head-to-head advantage over the Thai duo to four straight victories.
Their path to the final also featured the exit of fellow Malaysians Choong Hon Jian / Muhammad Haikal, who fell to Ben Lane / Sean Vendy 16–21, 23–25 in a tight 47-minute battle. Thus, Chia / Soh will face an English pair, Lane / Vendy, in the final — setting up a Malaysia vs. England showdown for the men’s doubles crown.
This success caps off what has already been a strong season for Chia and Soh. Earlier in 2025, they claimed the Thailand Open title and also captured the Asian Championships crown. Their run to the Arctic Open final further cements their status among the world’s elite in men’s doubles.
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Women’s Doubles: Pearly / Thinaah fight through
Meanwhile, Pearly Tan / Thinaah Muralitharan showed grit and resilience in their semi-final, overcoming Taiwan’s Hsieh Pei-Shan / Hung En-Tzu in three games: 22–24, 21–8, 21–17 in a 63-minute contest. After dropping a tight first game, the Malaysian pair came back strongly in the second and stayed composed in the decider.
This marks Pearly / Thinaah’s second consecutive Arctic Open final appearance (they were runners-up last year). The duo has been having an outstanding year: the Arctic Open final will be their sixth final of 2025, having previously won the Thailand Open and reached the final in the World Championships, Japan Open, Indonesian Open, and Indonesian Masters.
Their final opponent will be Japan’s Rin Iwanaga / Kie Nakanishi, who secured their spot by pulling out a 102-minute thriller over compatriots Arisa Igarashi / Chiharu Shida, 21–14, 12–21, 26–24.
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What’s Next & Significance
The Arctic Open is a BWF World Tour Super 500 event, held this year from 7–12 October in Vantaa, Finland, with a total prize pool of USD 475,000. With both Malaysian pairs reaching finals, Malaysia is guaranteed at least one title from this event, and possibly two — a rare and impressive double feat.
If Chia / Soh can carry the momentum into the final, they’d add another significant title to their 2025 dossier. Pearly / Thinaah, with their consistent run of finals this year, will be keen to go one better this time and claim the Arctic Open crown.
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