Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah saw their French Open title ambitions dissolve at the Arena Grand Paris on Sunday after falling to Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto following a decisive tactical adjustment from the Japanese pair. The world No. 4 Malaysian duo controlled the opening game before the Japanese combination altered their approach to secure the championship.
Aggressive Strategy Gives Fukushima and Matsumoto the Lead
The match turned dramatically after a close opening sequence in the second game. According to M. Thinaah, the contest remained level at 7-7 before Fukushima and Matsumoto changed their approach by playing an aggressive game that caught the Malaysians off guard.
“That strategy allowed them to pull ahead with a comfortable lead,” Thinaah said. “Towards the end of the second game, we tried to catch up, but I felt the early gap was already too wide. I think that advantage also boosted their confidence.”
Physical Superiority in the Deciding Game
Pearly Tan acknowledged that their opponents maintained a higher level of play as the match wore on, sustaining their speed well into the third game. The physical demands of the encounter proved decisive as the top seeds pressed their advantage.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy playing against them today,” Pearly said. “Physically, they were very strong and were still moving fast even in the third game.”
Fifth Straight Loss Halts Malaysian Pursuit of Third Title
Sunday’s result marked the fifth consecutive defeat for Pearly and Thinaah against Fukushima and Matsumoto. The loss also halted the Malaysian pair’s pursuit of their third title of the season, following victories at the Indonesia Masters in January and the Denmark Open two weeks prior.
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YONEX French Open 2026WD – Final 🇯🇵Yuki FUKUSHIMA🏅10 21 21 🇯🇵Mayu MATSUMOTO🏅 🇲🇾TAN Pearly21 17 16 🇲🇾THINAAH Muralitharan🕚 in 64 minutes
