Pearly-Thinaah overcome fatigue and controversies to advance

Real fighters: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah in action against Japan’s Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota during the quarter-final match. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

EVEN fatigue and some controversies with the umpire could not stop Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah from staying focused and fighting until the end to march into the semi-finals of the Malaysian Masters.

In the quarter-finals yesterday, the world No. 11 survived another gruelling match against Japan’s world No. 9 Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota before prevailing 13-21, 21-19, 21-16 at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday.