Tough route: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah’s first real test could come in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open against Indonesia’s newly crowned Taiwan Open champions Febriana Dwipuji-Amalia Cahaya.
PETALING JAYA: Women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah need to maintain their ranking in the top eight as they look to continue their impressive form.
Pearly-Thinaah returned to No. 8 in the world recently for the first time since April last year after finishing runners-up in the Korean Open.
The pair have been improving steadily, starting from the Paris Olympics last month where they created history by becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to reach the semi-finals.
In the Korean tourney, Pearly-Thinaah toppled home favourites and world No. 2 Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee en route to reaching their first final of the year.
The former now have to remain in the top eight which will give them a seeding in tournaments and an easier draw in the opening rounds, thus giving them better opportunities to progress into the later stages.
Pearly-Thinaah will next compete in the Hong Kong Open which starts today.
The duo reached the final in last year’s edition before coming second best to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti.
This time, Pearly-Thinaah have a good chance to go far again as they have been handed a favourable draw.
The pair’s first real test could come in the quarter-finals against Indonesia’s newly crowned Taiwan Open champions Febriana Dwipuji-Amalia Cahaya.
If Pearly-Thinaah can overcome the Indonesians, they could go up against Ha-na-So-hee again in the last four.
Meanwhile, Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee are the only other Malaysian pair in action in the women’s doubles and will face a tough task after being pitted against Febriani-Amalia in the first round.
In the mixed doubles, Korean Open champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei will lead the country’s charge in the tournament and will be joined by Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin and Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien.
