Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah continued their outstanding 2025 season after storming into the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2025 final in Kumamoto, moving within touching distance of their third World Tour title of the year.
Competing in the semi-finals of the BWF Super 500 Japan Masters at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium today, the world No. 2 pair delivered a gritty, composed performance to overcome Japan’s third seeds Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto.
Pearly–Thinaah edged the home favourites 24–22, 23–21 in an intense 57-minute thriller, showcasing their superior defensive resilience, counterattacking flair, and ability to rise in crucial moments.
The victory also extended their head-to-head dominance over Fukushima–Matsumoto to 5–1, reinforcing their status as one of the world’s most consistent and feared pairs.
This triumph marks Pearly–Thinaah’s seventh final of the season, as the Malaysian aces continue to build momentum ahead of next month’s BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, where they are currently the top-ranked qualifiers.
The Malaysians, already World Championships runners-up this year, won titles at the Thailand Open (May 2025), and Arctic Open (October 2025)
They now stand just one match away from lifting their third trophy of the season — and further strengthening their position as one of Malaysia’s brightest hopes on the world badminton stage.
Pearly–Thinaah will face another Japanese pair in tomorrow’s final — fourth seeds Rin Iwanaga–Kie Nakanishi, who earlier shocked South Korea’s second seeds Kim Hye Jeong–Kong Hee Yong with a commanding 21–16, 21–11 win.
On paper, Malaysia enters the final with a notable advantage, having won six of their eight past meetings against Iwanaga–Nakanishi.
With their form peaking and confidence soaring, Pearly–Thinaah will be strongly favoured to clinch yet another title in what has already been a stellar 2025 campaign.
Credit Photo : Malay Mail
