PETALING JAYA: Pearly Tan-M Thinaah became the third Malaysian doubles pair to enter the semi-finals of the India Open after defeating Japan’s Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto in straight games.
The women’s doubles shuttlers, who are world No 7, had a sluggish start but picked up the pace to defeat their much lower ranked Japanese opponents 21-18, 21-19.
Pearly-Thinaah took 56 minutes to overcome the spirited Japanese pair, who won the Malaysia Open title last week.
The Malaysians have won both their encounters with Yuki-Mayu so far.
In the semi-finals tomorrow, Pearly-Thinaah will face South Korea’s Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong, who defeated compatriots Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee.
Earlier, mixed doubles pairs Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei stormed into the semi-finals after winning their respective ties in straight games.