KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — National doubles pair Pearly Tan – M. Thinaah opened their Japan Open campaign in superb style by edging South Korea’s Lee Soo Hee – Shin Seung Chan, the world number two pair, in a match that went the distance at the Maruzen Intec Arena in Osaka, Japan.
Pearly-Thinaah who lost to Japan’s fifth seeds in the third round of the World Championships in Tokyo, last week, beat the South Koreans 16 – 21, 21 – 14 and 21 – 18 in three games.
The Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning pair, ranked 11th in the world now, moved into the second round of the competition with the win.
Another Malaysian pair Vivian Hoo – Lim Chiew Sien also moved into the second round after beating Germany’s Linda Efler – Isabel Lohau 21 – 17, 23 – 21.
In the mixed doubles competition, Cheng Tang Jie – Peck Yen Wei lost to Hoo Pang Ron – Toh Ee Wei 21 – 23, 24 – 22 and 21 – 17 in an all-Malaysian encounter.
Two other pairs were also shown the exit in the men’s doubles and women’s doubles competition when Goh Sze Fei – Nur Izzuddin Rumsani lost their men’s doubles match to Muhammad Shohibul – Bagas Maulana 17 – 21, 21 – 18, 19 – 21 in three games while Anna Ching Yik Cheong – Teoh Mei Xing were beaten by China’s Liu Xuan Xuan – Xia Yu Ting 21 – 9, 21 – 14 in the women’s doubles.
— Bernama