PETALING JAYA: Women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah could face a quick rematch against home favourites Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning in the China Open which starts today in Changzhou.
Pearly-Thinaah had stunned the world No. 3 pair to capture their first title in two years in the Hong Kong Open in Kowloon on Sunday.
The world No. 8 are now looking forward to continuing their good form in the World Tour Super 1000 China tourney where they have been placed in the lower half of the draw along with Shengshu-Tan Ning and both pairs are likely to cross swords in the quarter-finals.
Both pairs have received a first-round bye and Pearly-Thinaah will play either another home pair, Li Yijing-Luo Xumin or Thailand’s Laksika Kanlaha-Phataimas Muenwong in the second round.
Shengshu-Tan Ning will meet the winner of the match between Taiwan’s Hsu Yin-hui-Lin Jhih-yun and Hong Kong’s Yeung Nga Ting-Yeung Pui Lam in the second round.
If Pearly-Thinaah, who are Malaysia’s sole representatives in the women’s doubles in the tournament, clear their second round hurdle and then pull off another upset win over Shengshu-Tan Ning, they could face another stern test in the last four against either Japan’s world No. 4 Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida or South Korea’s world No. 13 Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye-jeong.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s best hope in the mixed doubles are Korean Open champions and world No. 9 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, though, have to be on their toes from the start as they have a tricky first round match against Thailand’s world No. 23 Supak Jomkoh-Supissara Paewsampran.
A win will likely see the former face a tough task against Japan’s world No. 5 Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino in the second round.
The other Malaysian mixed doubles pairs in the fray are Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin, Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow and independent pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing.
