KUCHING: National women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah made quick work in booking their place in the semi-finals of the India Open, dispatching Taiwan’s Hsieh Pei Shan-Hung En Tzu in straight sets at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi yesterday.
The world No. 2 combination needed just 33 minutes to seal a convincing 21-16, 21-10 victory, underlining their growing authority on the international stage.
The opening set saw a measured start from Pearly-Thinaah, with both pairs trading points in the early exchanges. Once the Malaysian duo found their rhythm, however, they tightened control and closed out the set with composure.
They returned with greater intensity in the second set, raising the tempo and piling on relentless pressure.
The Malaysian pair dictated the play with pace and precision, leaving the Taiwanese pair struggling for answers as the gap widened rapidly.
A commanding display proved decisive, with Hsieh-Hung eventually succumbing to the Malaysians’ aggressive rhythm and consistency.
Earlier, in mixed doubles pair news, Goh Soon Huat–Shevon Lai put up a spirited fight before bowing out to world No. 1 Feng Yan Zhe–Huang Dong Ping.
The Malaysians pushed the top seeds hard but fell 19-21, 21-19, 18-21 in a closely contested encounter.
