KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — National top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan continued their impressive run in the French Open yesterday by sweeping aside Bulgaria’s eighth seeds Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva 21-12, 21-15 in just 39 minutes.
The second seeds, fresh from their Denmark Open triumph last week, will face third seeds Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi for a place in the Super 750 tournament final at Arena Grand Paris.
The Japanese pair booked their semi-final spot after surviving a rubber match against compatriots Ririna Hiramoto-Chiharu Shida 21-18, 16-21, 21-15.
Meanwhile, professional men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani upset defending champions Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae of South Korea in the French Open quarter-finals.
The fifth seeds needed just 36 minutes to send the top seeds packing 21-15, 21-18.
In the semi-finals, Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin, currently world No.5, will face Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin.
Another Malaysian men’s doubles pair, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, also made the last four after their compatriots Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik retired with the former leading 5-0, barely two minutes into the game.
The world No.11 pair will next take on Indonesia’s Raymond Indra-Nikolaus Joaquin, who edged China’s Hu Ke Yuan-Lin Xiang Yi 23-21, 21-18.
National mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Lai Pei Jing also advanced to the semi-finals after battling hard to overcome Germany’s Marvin Seidel-Thuc Phuong Nguyen yesterday.
In the 57-minute quarter-final at the Grand Paris Arena, the Malaysian pair were pushed to a deciding game before securing a 21-17, 20-22, 21-18 victory.
It is the third time Pang Ron-Pei Jing have reached the semi-finals of a Super 750 tournament this year, having done so at the Denmark Open and China Masters.
Awaiting them in the semi-finals are sixth seeds Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui of China, who advanced after defeating third seeds Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Bøje of Denmark 12-21, 21-9, 21-9.
The semi-final clash will be the first meeting between the two pairs.
