KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were among five Malaysian representatives who smashed their way into the last eight competition of the 2024 Japan Open held in Yokohama, today.
Pearly-Thinaah continued their fine momentum in the Super 750 tournament in Yokohama Arena as they needed just 34-minutes to brush aside the challenge from Julie Finne-Ipsen-Mai Surrow of Denmark, 21-11, 22-20.
Standing in their way of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semi-finalist tomorrow are the second seeds from China, Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning, who posted a 21-9, 21-18 straight sets victory over homesters Rui Hirokami-Yuna Kato.
Two Malaysian mixed doubles pair – Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing – also made it to the quarter-finals.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, seeded seventh, blew away Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch of Denmark, 21-13, 21-13 while Kian Meng-Pei Jing disposed Ruttanapak Oupthrong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat from Thailand, 21-12, 21-16.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will meet second seeds Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin after the Chinese pair dispatched Japanese pair, Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito, 21-10, 21-17.
Kian Meng-Pei Jing, on the other hand, will set up the last eight encounter against sixth seeds from Hong Kong, Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet, who saw off Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati, 17-21, 21-10, 21-12.
In an all-Malaysian men’s doubles clash, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun sent the professional pair of Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi packing with a 21-16, 21-19 win to set up a date with third seeds Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae, of South Korea, next.
The South Korean pair had earlier outplayed Andreas Sondergaard-Jesper Toft from Denmark, 21-8, 21-12.
Another Malaysia pair, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani secured a place in the quarter-finals when they held off Liu Kuang Heng-Yang Po Han of Taiwan, 21-14, 24-22.
The eighth seeds will be looking to redeem themselves on behalf of their compatriots Choong Hon Jian -Muhammad Haikal Nazri, who lost to their next opponents from Indonesia, Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto, 16-21, 21-8, 21-15.
Unfortunately, it was the end of the road for Malaysia’s sole men’s singles representative, Leong Jun Hao following a rubber set loss to home favourite and eighth seed Kodai Naraoka, 23-21, 10-21, 15-21.
