KUALA LUMPUR – National women’s double shuttlers Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah journey at the Indonesia Masters ended today after failing to overcome Chinese pair Liu Shengshu and Tang Ning at the Isotra Senayan Indoor Stadium in Jakarta.
Having started the first two tournaments of the season with early round exits at the Malaysia and India Open, this quarterfinal appearance is a marked improvement for Malaysia’s world number 12 pair.
Their journey, however, came to an end as Shengshu-Ning, who had sent Pearly-Thinaah packing in the Malaysia Open earlier this month, once again emerged victorious.
The Chinese pair secured a convincing win in straight sets, 21-16, 21-9, in a 40-minute encounter.
The defeat highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Pearly-Thinaah, including injuries and off-court issues, signalling that they still have ground to cover to break into the world’s top 10 pairs.
Nevertheless, positive signs are emerging from their camp, with the duo’s dedicated fitness regime appearing to bear fruit with this quarterfinal appearance.
In the mixed doubles category, the independent pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing did well to win the first set against another Chinese pair Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong.
However, the top-ranked opponents pair rallied in the subsequent sets, ultimately winning the match 18-21, 21-18, 21-13.
This quarterfinal appearance marks a significant achievement for the 25th-ranked Malaysians, who had faced early-round defeats at the Malaysia and India Opens earlier in the season. – January 26, 2024