KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — A left knee injury sustained by national women’s doubles player, Pearly Tan ended her journey with M. Thinaah in the second round of the 2022 Japan Open, here, today.
Despite taking the first set against Baek Ha Na – Lee Yu Lim of South Korea, 21 – 13, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games champions then went down 19 – 21 in the second set.
After trailing, 11 – 16 in the rubber set, Pearly decided to call it a day and leave the court in a wheelchair in tears while the South Koreans were through to the last eight in the tournament held in Maruzen Intec Arena, Osaka.
Meanwhile, only three Malaysian representatives survived the second round of the 2022 Japan Open.
Professional men’s doubles pair Ong Yew Sin – Teo Ee Yi stormed into the quarter-finals after they took 33 minutes to dump French duo, Christo Popov – Toma Junior Popov, 21 – 13, 21 – 13.
Yew Sin – Ee Yi will set up an encounter against Choi Sol Gyu – Kim Won Ho in the last eight after the South Korean duo beat Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando – Daniel Marthin, 21 – 15, 21 – 13.
Two other Malaysian mixed doubles pairs — Tan Kian Meng – Lai Pei Jing and Hoo Pang Ron – Toh Ee Wei — also made the cut to the quarter-finals.
Kian Meng – Pei Jing, seeded seventh, prevailed against Taiwanese pair, Yang Po-Hsuan – Hu Ling Fang, 14 – 21, 21 – 11, 21 – 15.
The 2022 BWF World Championship bronze medallists, Wang Yi Lyu – Huang Dong Ping await Kian Meng – Pei Jing in the next round after the Chinese pair trounced Rinov Rivaldy – Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia, 21 – 13, 21 – 18.
A mammoth task lies ahead for Pang Ron – Ee Wei as they would have to slog for a semi-final spot against the current world champions, Zheng Si Wei – Huang Ya Qiong of China tomorrow.
Pang Ron – Ee Wei subdued Dutch duo, Robin Tabeling – Selena Piek, 29 – 30, 21 – 18, 21 – 11 while Si Wei – Ya Qiong eliminated Supak Jomkoh – Supissara Paewsampran from Thailand, 21 – 7, 21 – 11.
— Bernama
