Pearly-Thinaah face tougher Indonesia Open path after redraw
KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 4 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah may have avoided a showdown with the world's top pair, but the redraw at the Indonesia Open has handed them an even tougher route.
The Malaysian pair were initially slated to meet Japanese world No. 1 Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida — who hold a dominant 13-1 head-to-head record — in the semi-finals.
However, following the Japanese duo's withdrawal, Pearly-Thinaah have been bumped from the third to the fourth quarter of the women's doubles draw under the "seedings withdrawal movement" rule, and their path has become trickier.
The Malaysians now face Taiwan's world No. 15 Sheng Shu Yun-Yu Chien Hui in the first round, with a likely second-round clash against Indonesia's world No. 20 Lanny Tria Mayasari-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti.
Lanny-Fadia stunned Pearly-Thinaah in the opening round of the Malaysia Open in January, although the Malaysians exacted revenge at last month's Thailand Open — both matches going the distance.
Should they make it through, Pearly-Thinaah could face a quarter-final test of endurance against world No. 6 and Singapore Open runners-up, Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi of Japan.
Meanwhile, in the men's singles, world No. 25 Leong Jun Hao won't be getting an easy ride either despite the withdrawal of China's world No. 27 Lei Lan Xi.
Lan Xi, who pulled out due to injury, was replaced by Indonesian world No. 42 Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo — a dangerous opponent playing on home soil.
Last week, Jun Hao advanced to the Singapore Open quarter-finals after receiving a walkover from Lan Xi in the first round.
This time, however, he'll have to earn it the hard way.
Jun Hao holds a 2-1 head-to-head record over Chico and will look to carry his momentum into this opening-round clash in Jakarta.
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