Aaron Tai sets record as youngest Japan Masters champ

Aaron Tai-Yap Roy King clinched their second title in only their fifth tournament as a pair when they came from behind to win the Kumamoto Masters men's doubles title on Sunday.

The Malaysians beat home pair Yugo Kobayashi-Takuro Hoki 16-21, 21-13, 21-15 in a 55-minute victory to become Malaysia's first men's doubles winners in this tournaments.

It is also back-to-back titles for Malaysia after Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah won the women's doubles crown last year.

Not only that, Tai has also become the youngest shuttler to win this tournament at 20 years and 19 days, replacing China's Liu Sheng Shu.

Tai-Yap dominated a large period of this contest and could have sealed the match in straight games had they not blown a 10-3 lead in the opening game.

But as it played out, coming from behind to win that first game was Hoki-Kobayashi's best spell of the match, as the in-form national pair recovered and never looked back after that.

The world number 57 pair also dazzled with their fancy shots, with almost all of them coming from Tai.

The 20-year-old produced the shot of the contest, even the tournament, when he fell back to defend a smash.

As he fell, the diminutive shuttler returned the shot from the top of his head, which paved the way from Yap to seal the point.

The Arctic Open champions were also composed, attacked well and were lightning quick when needed to make their opponents work hard for every point.

They have now clinched their second title in a month, to add to their victory in Finland.

In five tournaments, they have won two titles and made one semi-finals, which indicates only bigger things for this exciting pair.