Hong Kong – Malaysia’s World No. 2 women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan delivered a dominant performance to seal their spot in the 2025 Hong Kong Open semifinals, defeating teammates Go Pei Kee and Teoh Mei Xing 21-12, 21-15 in an all-Malaysian quarter-final.
The match showcased Tan/Thinaah’s superior net play and tactical precision as they took control from the opening rally. The victory sets up a mouthwatering semi-final clash with China’s formidable World No. 4 duo Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian.
📺 Watch Highlights of Tan/Thinaah vs. Go/Teoh:
Leong Jun Hao Narrowly Misses Semis After Epic Battle
In the men’s singles quarter-final, Leong Jun Hao gave it everything he had but came up just short against China’s Li Shifeng, ranked World No. 4. After a 78-minute thriller, Jun Hao lost 20-22, 21-14, 20-22 despite holding match point in the final game.
“I stuck to my game plan and gave it my all. It was just a couple of points that made the difference,” Leong Jun Hao told BWF.
Although visibly disappointed, Jun Hao took the loss in stride and is now focused on recovery ahead of the upcoming China Masters, where he hopes to bounce back stronger.
Wan Arif/Roy King Outlasted by India’s Top Pair
Malaysia’s rising men’s doubles team Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and Yap Roy King also saw their Hong Kong Open journey end in the quarters after falling to India’s top-ranked pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in three sets: 14-21, 22-20, 16-21.
Despite leveling the match by taking the second set, the Malaysians couldn’t sustain the pressure in the third.
“Our shots were inconsistent and lacked sting at times, which gave them opportunities,” Wan Arif admitted after the match.
