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MALAYSIA’S leading women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, lived up to expectations as they stormed to the Kumamoto Masters title, defeating Japan’s Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi in a gripping final earlier today.
Competing at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium, the world number two duo once again delivered a performance marked by grit and remarkable resilience, winning 22-20, 21-19 in 54 minutes.
Though they started slowly in the opening game, Pearly and Thinaah repeated their dramatic comeback from Saturday’s semi-final. After trailing 17-20, they clawed back to level at 20-20 before sealing the next two crucial points to secure the first game.
In the second game, the Japanese pair opened more confidently, energised by home support. However, Pearly and Thinaah’s composure and experience enabled them to regain control, shutting down Iwanaga and Nakanishi’s attempted resurgence.
The final marked the pair’s second meeting in a championship match this year, following the Arctic Open, where the Malaysians cruised to a dominant 21-7, 21-9 victory.
Today’s win extends their head-to-head advantage to seven victories in nine encounters.
The Kumamoto triumph adds another accolade to their exceptional season, with Pearly and Thinaah having already captured the Thailand Open and the Arctic Open, alongside runner-up finishes at the Indonesia Masters, Indonesia Open and Japan Open. - November 16, 2025