PETALING JAYA: French Open champions Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah’s hopes of flourishing in the season finale did not get off to a brilliant start as they were outplayed by Indonesia’s world No. 14 Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti at the World Tour Finals in Bangkok yesterday.
Pearly-Thinaah, the world No. 8, were unable to produce their best as Apriyani-Fadia carved out a 21-23, 19-21 in Group B.
Pearly-Thinaah held game point at 20-19 in the first game but the Indonesians showed better composure to secure a crucial 23-21 win and also nailed another close second game to give themselves a shot at the semi-finals.
Thinaah was disappointed that they were unable to put up a stellar performance but has vowed to give their best in the remaining two matches.
“Today it didn’t go as planned as I wasn’t confident playing some of my shots and it affected the game,” said Thinaah.
“But it is already in the past and I want to focus more on the next match.”
It will be an uphill task in the next match for Pearly-Thinaah who will meet world champions Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan of China today.
Qingchen-Yifan overcame their compatriots Zhang Shuxian-Zheng Yu 21-18, 14-21, 21-17 yesterday.
Pearly is also looking forward to a better performance and is looking forward to a better performance in against the World No. 1 from China.
“We didn’t do well and we have to go back and analyse our game and overcome the mistakes we did today (yesterday) in the coming matches.
“What is important is our combination and we need to be confident with each other.”
In Group A, independent combination Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien suffered a 21-18, 21-13 defeat to Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye Jeong of South Korea yesterday.
They will meet Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard of Thailand next.
In the men’s doubles, independent pair Ing Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi also fell flat as they suffered a 21-19, 21-16 defeat to former world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi of Japan in Group A.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi can keep their hopes alive if they can overcome South Koreans Choi Sol-gyu-Kim Won-ho, who lost 23-21, 21-17 to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto, today.
In the men’s singles, Viktor Axelsen got off to a rousing start when he easily dispatched off Lu Guangzu of China 21-13, 21-11 begin his quest to win a record eighth title of the year.
The world No. 1 is expected to be tested by Japan’s rising star Kodai Naraoka, who overcame H.S. Prannoy of India 21-12, 9-21, 21-17, in his second group tie with victory should assure his spot in the semi-finals.
Axelsen’s Singapore rival Loh Kean Yew, the world No. 3, also made a promising start as he secured a convincing 21-15, 21-17 win over Taiwan veteran Chou Tien-chen in Group B.
Kean Yew, the only player with an outside chance of denying Axelsen the crown in Bangkok, will meet Indonesian Jonatan Christie today.
RESULTS
Malaysians unless stated
Men’s singles
Group A: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-13, 21-11; Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) bt H.S. Prannoy (Ind) 21-12, 9-21, 21-17.
Group B: Loh Kean Yew (Sin) bt Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) 21-15, 21-17; Anthony Ginting (Ina) bt Jonatan Christie (Ina) 6-21, 21-10, 21-9.
Men’s doubles
Group A: Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina) bt Choi Sol-gyu-Kim Won-ho (Kor) 23-21, 21-17; Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi 21-19, 21-16.
Group B: Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) 21-12, 21-15; Liu Yuchen-Ou Xuanyi (Chn) bt Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) 21-11, 21-19.
Women’s singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt An Se-young (Kor) 21-18, 21-16; Gregoria Mariska (Ina) bt Chen Yufei (Chn) 21-9, 14-21, 21-16.
Group B: Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Busanan Ongbumrungphan (Tha) 21-15, 21-13; He Bingjiao (Chn) bt Tai Szu-ying (Tpe) 21-19, 21-19.
Women’s doubles
Group A: Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye Jeong (Kor) bt Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien 21-18, 21-13; Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard (Tha) bt Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai 21-19, 10-21, 21-12.
Group B: Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti (Ina) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah 23-21, 21-19; Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan (Chn) bt Zhang Shuxian-Zheng Yu 21-18, 14-21, 21-17.
Mixed doubles
Group A: Rinov Rivaldi-Pitha Haningtyas (Ina) bt Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie 21-12, 21-15.
Group B: Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing bt Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping (Chn) 23-21, 14-21, 21-16; Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) bt Supak Jomkoh-Suppissara Paewsampran (Tha) 21-6, 25-23.
