'We stayed calm, they cracked': Arif-Roy King celebrate bizarre win

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King 's breakthrough win at the Macau Open wasn't just about the silverware — it was a powerful statement ahead of their World Championships debut later this month.
The world No. 24 Malaysians battled through bizarre conditions, including constant court-mopping due to a leaking roof, to upstage Indonesia's world No. 8 Sabar Karyaman Gutama-Moh Reza Isfahani 22-20, 21-18 in an 80-minute final on Sunday.
It was their first World Tour title since teaming up in 2023 and comes at the perfect time, with the World Championships in Paris from Aug 25-31 just around the corner.
"This win means a lot. It's our first title together, and we're proud to finally get the breakthrough," said Roy King.
"It gives us a big confidence boost heading into the World Championships. We want to carry this momentum into Paris."
What stood out just as much as their composure in difficult conditions was their growing maturity in executing coach Herry IP's tactical game plan — something they've struggled to consistently do until now.
Coach Herry, a seasoned Indonesian tactician brought in to steady Malaysia's men's doubles department, praised the duo for finally translating months of training into a complete performance under pressure.
"It's a major breakthrough. They stayed calm, stuck to the strategy and didn't let the external distractions get into their heads," said Herry.
"The leaking roof disrupted the match every couple of rallies, but they didn't panic. They've become more consistent and disciplined in following our tactical setup.
"This is what we've been waiting for — for them to believe in the system and stick to it even under stress. It's a very encouraging sign before the World Championships."
The win also brought a sense of redemption as Sabar-Reza had denied them the title at last year's Spain Masters.
This time, Arif-Roy King turned the tables, becoming the first Malaysian pair since Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong in 2013 to lift the Macau Open crown.
Their reward: a winner's purse of US$29,230 (RM125,018) and, more importantly, belief that they belong at the highest level.
In contrast, the Indonesian pair let the conditions get the better of them — visibly frustrated as delays mounted and errors crept in.
"Our boys stayed calm. Sabar and Reza didn't," Herry noted.
"And that made the difference."
Now all eyes turn to Paris, where Arif-Roy King will make their World Championships bow — and with momentum on their side, they could prove to be dangerous dark horses.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's mixed doubles pair Jimmy Wong and Lai Pei Jing saw their fairytale run end in a 21-13, 21-16 defeat to Denmark's Mathias Christensen and Alexandra Boje in the final.