PETALING JAYA: Women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah have set up a semi-final clash against bogey pair and home favourites Nami Matsuyama–Chiharu Shida in the Japan Open.
In the last eight on Friday (July 18), Pearly-Thinaah stayed steady to beat South Korea’s Jeong Na-eun-Lee Yeon-woo 21-15, 21-19 in 55 minutes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The world No. 3 pair next face a formidable task against world No. 2 Matsuyama-Shida, who came from behind to overcome another Korean duo, Kim Hye-jeong–Kong Hee-yong 19-21, 21-19, 21-18 to book their spot in the last four.
Pearly-Thinaah have found the Japanese pair tough to break down, only managing to win once against the latter in their past 14 meetings.
The pair’s sole victory over Matsuyama-Shida so far came in the 2022 French Open in Paris, where they went on to win the title.
