It was different paths for three Malaysian pairs who qualified for the main draw in the women’s doubles in the USD400,000 Perodua Malaysia Masters at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil on Wednesday.
Only Pearly Tan Koong Le-M. Thinaah made it to the second round – needing only 24 minutes – to down teammates Anna Cheong Yik Ching-Lim Chiew Sien 21-15, 21-10. Both pairs came through the qualifying rounds.
Another pair that also came through the qualifiers – Teoh Mei Xing-Yap Ling – also fell at the first hurdle – blown away by Japan’s Nami Matsuyama-Chihara Shida 19-21, 14-21.
Pearly-Thinaah faces an uphill task in the second round when they take on Indonesian eighth seeds Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu for a place in the last eight. The Indonesians edged Koreans Baek Ha Na-Jung Kyung Eu 21-17, 20-22, 23-21.
The newly minted Malaysian pair had a highly successful run in the lower tier tournaments after winning the Victor Malaysia International in June, runners-up in the Sydney International in September followed by winning the India International Challenge and the Bangladesh International Challenge in November and December respectively.
“Reaching the second round (in the Malaysia Masters) is encouraging. It has given us confidence. But we will take one match at a time and we are focused on our next match,” said Pearly.
Pearly and Thinaah is the only women’s doubles pair left in the tournament
after Vivian Hoo-Yap Cheng Wen and Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean were bundled out in the first round on Tuesday.- BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
