Latest news with #Tan-M.Thinaah
New Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Pearly-Thinaah scrape past Japanese in Singapore
KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah came through a stern test to reach the women's quarter-finals of the Singapore Open after overcoming Mayu Matsumoto-Yuki Fukushima on Thursday. The world No. 4 Malaysians edged the world No. 12 Japanese 25-23, 21-18 to mark their third successive win in four encounters. Pearly-Thinaah are now poised for a rematch against China's Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian, who are expected to overcome India's Treesa Jolly-G.P. Gayatri in their second-round tie. Yi Fan-Shu Xian had beaten Pearly-Thinaah in last week's Malaysia Masters semi-final.
New Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Pearly-Thinaah smash China pair to reach Thailand Open semis
KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah continued their sizzling run by dismantling China's Chen Qing Chen-Wang Ting Ge to storm into the semi-finals of the Thailand Masters on Friday. The world No. 4 needed just 34 minutes to wrap up a commanding 21-14, 21-11 win, finally breaking their quarter-final jinx in Bangkok after two previous failed attempts. Pearly-Thinaah will now look to reach their second final of the season, having finished runners-up at the Indonesia Masters in January.
New Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Heartbreak for Malaysia despite dream start against Japan
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers after falling 3-2 to Japan in their final Group C match at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, today — extending a painful 20-year wait for victory over the East Asian powerhouse. With a 2-0 lead and the momentum in their favour, Malaysia appeared on course to finally end their woeful record against Japan. But it all came crashing down. The tie reached a heartbreaking climax when Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah went down fighting 21-18, 18-21, 21-18 to nemeses Chiharu Shida-Nami Matsuyama in the deciding women's doubles rubber — their 13th defeat in 14 meetings against the Japanese duo. But the real turning point came earlier in the fourth match, when Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik let victory slip away against Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi. The world No. 4 blew two match points at 20-18 in the decider, eventually losing 12-21, 22-20, 23-21 — a defeat that proved costly. Aaron-Wooi Yik's selection ahead of Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin raised eyebrows, especially given their poor head-to-head record against Hoki-Kobayashi, having won just twice in 10 previous encounters. It was a crushing blow for Malaysia, who had started the tie brightly. Recently reunited world No. 4 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei delivered a strong opening performance, defeating scratch pair Hiroki Midorikawa-Arisa Higashino 21-19, 21-18 in the mixed doubles. Leong Jun Hao then raised hopes even higher by staging a gutsy 21-8, 13-21, 21-18 upset over world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka in the men's singles. However, Japan pulled one back through world No. 8 Tomoka Miyazaki, who beat Goh Jin Wei 21-14, 21-17 in the women's singles clash of former world junior champions — setting the stage for the late collapse. The painful defeat meant that Malaysia's miserable record against Japan at the Sudirman Cup continues — with their last win dating back to a 3-1 result in the 9th–10th classification playoff at the 2005 edition in Beijing. To make matters worse, finishing second in Group C could prove costly for Malaysia, who now face the likelihood of drawing a group winner in the quarter-finals. Tournament favourites China, Indonesia and South Korea topped Group A, B and D respectively — all posing major hurdles to Malaysia's hopes of a deep run. A fresh draw for the quarter-finals will be conducted later today.
