Pearly-Thinaah maintain winning momentum, set up all-Malaysian clash

KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah capitalized on their Denmark Open victory by advancing to the French Open's second round on Wednesday, setting the stage for an all-Malaysian showdown with Ong Xin Yee-Carmen-Carmen Ting. The world No. 4 successfully overwhelmed their opponent in just 37 minutes, defeating Turkiye's Bengisu Ercetin-Nazlican Inci 21-11, 21-15 at Arena Grand Paris.

The second-seeded team showcased their momentum from last week's Super 750 triumph, their first title since January. Thinaah acknowledged there was room for improvement on court but expressed satisfaction with their opening performance and emphasized the need for rest and recovery ahead of Thursday's match. The team also noted that the shuttle speed was slightly slower at the new venue, but conditions were consistent for all players.

This victory marks a significant step for the Malaysians, who became the country's first women's doubles champions at the French Open in 2022, a milestone that helped solidify their status among the world's leading pairs. Their current success comes at an opportune time, as Sunday's Denmark Open triumph propelled them back into the world's top four.

Meanwhile, Xin Yee-Carmen also demonstrated their prowess in the opening round, defeating their French counterparts, Margot Lambert-Camille Pognante, 21-11, 21-12. This victory avenged their previous loss to the same French combination at last year's French Open.