Kumamoto, Japan — Malaysia’s dynamic duo Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan are on the brink of making badminton history after securing their spot in the 2025 Kumamoto Masters final with a nerve-wracking win over home favorites Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto on Saturday.
The world No. 2 pair — and top seeds in the tournament — fought through intense pressure to defeat the Japanese world No. 6 duo 24–22, 23–21 in an electrifying semi-final that lasted 57 minutes at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.
🎥 Highlights:
A Thrilling Battle in Kumamoto
In the opening game, Pearly and Thinaah looked in trouble after falling behind 18–20, but their composure and aggression turned the tide as they saved two game points before snatching the win 24–22.
The Malaysians carried their momentum into the second game, racing to a 20–13 lead, but Fukushima and Matsumoto mounted a furious comeback to level the score at 20–20, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Despite the late scare, Pearly and Thinaah held their nerve, closing out the match 23–21 to seal their fifth consecutive victory over the Japanese pair this season.
This marks the fifth straight win for Pearly and Thinaah against Fukushima and Matsumoto, adding to their victories at the India Open, Indonesia Masters, Singapore Open, and China Open earlier this year.
Chasing History for Malaysia
The triumph sends Pearly and Thinaah into their seventh final of the 2025 season, following their runner-up finish at the World Championships in Paris in August. They have already captured two BWF titles this year — the Thailand Open and the Arctic Open in Finland — alongside several near-misses at the Indonesia Masters, Indonesia Open, and Japan Open.
In the final on Sunday, the Malaysian pair will face another Japanese duo, Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi. Pearly and Thinaah hold a 6–2 head-to-head advantage and have won their last two encounters.
Victory in Kumamoto would not only hand them their third title of the season but also make them the first-ever Malaysian pair to win the Kumamoto Masters since the tournament’s inception in 2023.
Previously, Malaysia’s best result came from Leong Jun Hao, who finished as men’s singles runner-up in 2024.
Speaking after the match, Pearly expressed gratitude and determination:
“For tomorrow’s final, we’ll stay fully focused, stick to our strategy, and enjoy every moment on court.”
Thinaah added:
“We’re thankful for the incredible support from the fans here in Kumamoto. It really motivates us — one more match to go, and we’ll give it everything.”
Mixed Fortunes for Malaysia in Other Events
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s men’s doubles hopes came to an end after Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were defeated in the semi-finals by Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita. The world No. 4 pair fell 12–21, 17–21 in 38 minutes, ending their bid to qualify for the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou next month.
Currently ranked seventh in the World Tour standings, Goh and Izzuddin needed back-to-back titles at the Kumamoto Masters and Australia Open to overtake compatriots Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun. Their defeat means Man and Tee — ranked No. 3 — have officially secured their first-ever berth at the World Tour Finals, joining Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who qualified earlier.
Only the top eight pairs in the world tour rankings qualify for the Finals, with a maximum of two from each country.
Other Finals Line-Up at the 2025 Kumamoto Masters:
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Men’s Singles Final: Kodai Naraoka (Japan) vs. Kenta Nishimoto (Japan)
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Men’s Doubles Final: Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae (Korea) vs. Hiroki Midorikawa / Kyohei Yamashita (Japan)
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Women’s Singles Final: Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) vs. Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Indonesia)
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Mixed Doubles Final: Dechapol Puavaranukroh / Supissara Paewsampran (Thailand) vs. Thom Gicquel / Delphine Delrue (France)
With Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan carrying Malaysia’s last hopes, the 2025 Kumamoto Masters final promises to be a defining moment — not just for the pair’s remarkable season, but for Malaysian badminton history.
