Pearly and Thinaah reach Denmark Open final after 18-year wait

Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah reached the Denmark Open women’s doubles final on Saturday, ending Malaysia’s 18-year wait for a place in the event’s title match. The second seeds beat China’s Bao Li Jing and Cao Zi Han 21-16, 21-14 at the SJF Bank Arena in Odense.

The Malaysian pair completed the semi-final victory in 37 minutes. Their place in Sunday’s final is Malaysia’s best women’s doubles result at the tournament since Wong Pei Tty and Chin Eei Hui won the title in 2008.

Malaysia back in the women’s doubles final

Pearly and Thinaah took the opening game 21-16 before closing out the match 21-14 in the second. The straight-games result secured their place in the final.

Their final opponents will come from an all-Japanese semi-final between Hinata Suzuki and Nao Yamakita, and Sumire Nakade and Miyu Takahashi.

Men’s pair also advance

Malaysia will also have representatives in the men’s doubles final after Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik won their semi-final earlier on Saturday. They defeated South Korean world number ones Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae 21-14, 21-18 in 38 minutes.

Aaron and Wooi Yik were the first Malaysians to book a final place at this year’s tournament. Pearly and Thinaah’s win later added a second Malaysian pair to Sunday’s finals.

There was no final place for Malaysia in mixed doubles. Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing lost 13-21, 13-21 to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in their semi-final.

What happens on Sunday

Saturday’s victory ended the wait for another Malaysian women’s doubles appearance in the Denmark Open final.

Aaron and Wooi Yik will also contest a final after their straight-games win over Kim and Seo.