NATIONAL doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah opened their Japan Open campaign in superb style by edging South Korea’s Lee Soo-hee-Shin Seung-chan, the world no. 2, in a match that went the distance at the Maruzen Intec Arena in Osaka, Japan.

Pearly-Thinaah, who lost to Japan’s fifth seeds in the third round of the World Championships in Tokyo, last week, beat the South Koreans 16-21, 21-14 and 21-18 in three sets.

The Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning pair, now ranked 11th in the world, moved into the second round of the competition with the win.

Another Malaysian pair Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien also progressed into the second round after beating Germany’s Linda Efler-Isabel Lohau 21-17, 23-21.

In the mixed doubles competition, Cheng Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei lost to Hoo Pang Ron-Toh Ee Wei 21-23, 24-22 and 21-17 in an all-Malaysian encounter.

Two other pairs were also shown the exit in the men’s doubles and women’s doubles competition, with Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani losing their men’s doubles match to Muhammad Shohibul-Bagas Maulana 17-21, 21-18, 19-21 in three sets, and Anna Ching Yik Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing beaten by China’s Liu Xuan Xuan-Xia Yu Ting 21-9, 21-14 in the women’s doubles. – Bernama, August 30, 2022.