Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, suffered a surprise first-round defeat at the Japan Open 2026 after losing to Taiwan’s Hsu Yin-hui and Lin Jhih-yun in a three-game battle.
The Malaysian pride, who were among the tournament’s strong contenders, made a promising start by dominating the opening game 21-9. However, their opponents responded strongly in the second and third games, winning both 21-17 to complete a comeback victory and end Pearly-Thinaah’s campaign early.
The defeat came as a shock as Pearly-Thinaah had previously defeated the Taiwanese pair in all three of their earlier meetings. Despite holding the advantage in experience and world ranking, the Malaysians struggled to maintain their momentum after the first game, allowing Hsu and Lin to take control of the match.
The early exit adds to a challenging period for Pearly-Thinaah as they continue their journey to regain top form after facing setbacks, including Pearly’s injury break earlier in the season. The pair will now look to bounce back in upcoming tournaments as they aim to return to their best performance on the international stage.
Source: FMT
