2 days ago
Pearly-Thinaah make superb comeback to enter Indonesia Open final
Pearly Tan-M Thinaah are hoping to add the Indonesia Open title to the Thai Open title they won last month. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : National women's doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M Thinaah stormed into the final of the Indonesia Open in Jakarta this evening after defeating their Chinese opponents, making it their third final appearance this season.
The world No 4 pair, who won the Thai Open title last month, had to labour for 63 minutes before beating Li Yi Jing-Luo Xu Min 12-21, 21-17, 21-11 in a match that saw them take an 8-0 lead in the decider before emerging as winners.
An epic showdown awaits Pearly-Thinaah in the final as their opponents will either be world No 1 pair Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning from China or South Korea's world No 3 duo Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee. These pairs have always been difficult opponents for the Malaysians.
Today's win marks the third time that Pearly-Thinaah will be playing in a final this season. Their first final appearance was also at the Istora Stadium in Jakarta during the Indonesia Masters in January, where they lost to South Korea's Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee-Yong.
Last month, they won the Super 500 Thailand Open, and now, they are in the hunt for their first title in the Super 1000 series, which offers a total prize money of US$1.45 million (RM6.13 million).
Pearly-Thinaah have won a total of four BWF World Tour titles to date.
The winners of the doubles events tomorrow will earn US$107,300 (RM452, 289), and the runners-up US$50,750 (RM214,520). The semi-finalists take home US$20,300 (RM85,898).
