Pearly-Thinaah seek revenge in Japan Open final after breaking jinx
The world No. 3 had only beaten the Japanese pair once in 14 previous meetings — but tore up the script with a dominant 21-13, 21-11 win in just 36 minutes to book their spot in the final.
Revealing the key to their breakthrough, Pearly said: "We were patient and didn't rush to score points. Our communication and trust throughout the match were the difference."
Now, the Malaysians have a shot at revenge when they face China's world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning in the final — the same pair who beat them in last month's Indonesia Open final.
Victory on Sunday would make Pearly-Thinaah the first Malaysian women's doubles pair to lift the Japan Open title.
In the other semi-final, Sheng Shu-Tan Ning cruised past compatriots Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian 21-7, 21-16 in a one-sided affair.
Until now, the best Malaysian result in the women's doubles at this Super 750 event was a runner-up finish by former world No. 1 Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui in 2008.
Thinaah said their stunning win over Shida-Matsuyama has lifted their confidence.
"We didn't focus too much on the score. We just fought for every point," she said.
"The support and motivation we gave each other really helped. Now we'll rest, prepare, and talk things through with our coaches. We want to give our best in the final."
Shida-Matsuyama were a shadow of their usual selves — perhaps distracted after announcing last week they'll split following next month's World Championships in Paris.
Even so, Pearly-Thinaah's win could not have come at a better time, and they'll be eyeing a double blow on Sunday with their sights firmly set on the title.
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