Pearly Tan-Thinaah Finish as Runners-Up at French Open 2026
Pearly Tan-Thinaah finished as runners-up in the women’s doubles at the YONEX French Open 2026 after losing to Japan’s Mayu Matsumoto and Yuki Fukushima in the final at Arena Grand Paris.
The world No. 4 Malaysian pair started strongly but were unable to maintain their momentum, eventually losing 21-10, 17-21, 16-21 to their world No. 3 opponents in a 63-minute match.
Pearly Tan-Thinaah Make a Strong Start
Pearly Tan-Thinaah began the final with confidence, taking the opening game 21-10 with an impressive performance. Their early dominance put pressure on the Japanese pair and gave Malaysian fans hope of seeing the duo lift another major title.
However, Matsumoto and Fukushima responded strongly in the second game. The Japanese combination improved their consistency and fought back to win 21-17, forcing the match into a deciding game.
Japan Completes the Comeback
The third game saw both pairs battle for control, but Matsumoto and Fukushima maintained their composure to secure a 21-16 victory. The result ended Pearly Tan-Thinaah’s hopes of claiming their second French Open women’s doubles crown.
Despite the defeat, reaching the final again underlined the Malaysians’ ability to compete against the world’s leading women’s doubles pairs. Their performance throughout the tournament provided another encouraging result for Malaysian badminton.
A Second French Open Final for Pearly Tan-Thinaah
Pearly Tan-Thinaah remain the only Malaysian women’s doubles pair to have reached the French Open final twice. Their previous appearance in 2022 ended in triumph, making the 2026 runner-up finish a different outcome for the Malaysian duo.
Although they missed out on the championship, their run to the final remains a significant achievement. Malaysian supporters will be looking forward to seeing the pair return to action and continue their pursuit of more international titles.
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