KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) – Malaysia's top women's doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, cruised into the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters after defeating Taiwan's Jheng Yu Chieh-Hu Ling Fang today.
The world number seven pair needed just 34 minutes to secure a straight-set victory, 21-19, 21-16, in their match at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
Pearly-Thinaah will next face the winners of another second-round match today, featuring Japan's Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsutomo against Taiwan's Yin Hui Hsu-Jhih Yun Lin, as they aim for a semifinal berth.
Meanwhile, in the men's doubles category, Malaysia's Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Taiwan’s sibling duo Fang Chih Lee-Fang Jen Lee, 23-21, 21-13.
Wei Chong-Kai Wun are set to meet either the home favourites, veteran duo Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan, or fellow Malaysians Wan Arif Shaharuddin Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King, in a match scheduled for later this evening.
Also advancing are Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, who secured a 21-16, 21-16 win over Taiwan’s Lu Ming Che-Tang Kai Wei. They will next face South Korea's Kang Min Hyuk-Kim Won Ho, who ousted Indonesian pair Muhammad Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin, 21-19, 21-19.
In the mixed doubles category, Malaysia will have three representatives in the quarterfinals, with Cheng Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin all triumphing over their opponents today.
Meanwhile, Malaysia are assured of a representative in the semi-finals of the men’s doubles event after Wan Arif-Roy King defeated Ahsan-Setiawan in straight sets, 21-13, 21-14. They will face Wei Chong-Kai Wun in the quarter-finals tomorrow.
In a similar development, rising women’s doubles pair Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing followed in the footsteps of Pearly-Thinaah to advance to the quarter-finals after defeating India’s Tanisha Crasto-Ashwini Ponnappa in a rubber set battle, 13-21, 24-22, 21-18.
However, a challenging task awaits Pei Kee-Mei Xing, as they are set to face the world’s fourth-ranked pair, Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian, who advanced after defeating their compatriots Li Yi Jing-Luo Xu Min, 21-11, 21-19.
-- BERNAMA