Pearly-Thinaah hold firm to reach Japan Masters final

PETALING JAYA: Top seeds Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah lived up to expectations by earning a spot in the Japan Masters final after overcoming home pair Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto in the semi-finals on Saturday (Nov 15). Pearly-Thinaah entered the match with a psychological advantage, having won four of their five previous encounters against the Japanese duo, but their clash at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium was a tight and hard-fought affair. The Malaysian pair needed 57 minutes before securing a 24-22, 23-21 win to advance to the final. This victory also made up for the disappointment of losing to Fukushima-Matsumoto in the first round of the same tournament last year. Awaiting them in the title match is another Japanese pair, Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi, who earlier shocked second seeds Kim Hye-jong and Kong Hee-yong 21-16, 21-11 in the other semi-final.

Pearly-Thinaah entered the match with a psychological advantage, having won four of their five previous encounters against the Japanese duo, but their clash at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium was a tight and hard-fought affair.

The Malaysian pair needed 57 minutes before securing a 24-22, 23-21 win to advance to the final.

This victory also made up for the disappointment of losing to Fukushima-Matsumoto in the first round of the same tournament last year.

Awaiting them in the title match is another Japanese pair, Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi, who earlier shocked second seeds Kim Hye-jong and Kong Hee-yong 21-16, 21-11 in the other semi-final.