Pearly Tan-Thinaah win Denmark Open, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik beaten by Fajar-Fikri in final
Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah ended Malaysia's 18-year wait for the Denmark Open women's doubles title, while Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik settled for runners-up.
Malaysia came away from Sunday's Denmark Open finals in Odense with one title and one runners-up finish. Women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah beat Japan's Hinata Suzuki and Nao Yamakita 21-18, 21-11 in 36 minutes to give Malaysia its first women's doubles crown at the event since 2008. A few hours later, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik lost the men's doubles final 8-21, 11-21 to Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in only 31 minutes.
Pearly-Thinaah end an 18-year drought
The world No. 5 pair were in control for most of the final. The first game stayed close, but the Malaysians closed it out at 21-18. They then pulled clear in the second to win it 21-11.
Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty were the last Malaysian pair to win the Denmark Open women's doubles title, back in 2008. Tan and Thinaah's win in Odense is their second title of 2026, after the Indonesia Masters earlier in the year.
Their run to the final included a 21-16, 21-14 semi-final win over China's Bao Li Jing and Cao Zi Han. The Denmark Open is a Super 750 event, one level below the World Tour's Super 1000 tournaments. That makes this one of the biggest titles the pair have won together.
A one-sided men's doubles final
Aaron and Wooi Yik had beaten South Korea's world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae 21-14, 21-18 on Saturday. They could not repeat that level against Fajar and Fikri. The Indonesians took the first game 21-8 and never let the Malaysians settle in the second, winning it 21-11.
The result extends the Indonesian pair's recent edge in the matchup: they have now won three of their last five meetings with the Malaysians. Aaron and Wooi Yik won the Denmark Open in 2023, but they will leave Odense as runners-up this time. Still, reaching a Super 750 final is a solid week for the 2022 world champions.
Who else won in Odense
France's Alex Lanier won the men's singles title, beating home favourite Anders Antonsen 21-15, 13-21, 21-13. In the women's singles, South Korea's An Se Young added another title to a hugely successful season. China's Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin won the mixed doubles.
Malaysia's one title and one runners-up place made it one of the more productive weeks of the season for the national doubles squads. The tournament, the 75th edition of the Denmark Open, offered total prize money of US$950,000.
Next stop: Paris
The players have little time to recover. The French Open, another Super 750 event, runs from Tuesday 20 October to Sunday 25 October at the Arena Grand Paris in Tremblay-en-France. Early-round sessions are expected to start at about 4pm Malaysia time, and Sunday's finals at about 6pm Malaysia time. The exact order of play is published by the BWF the day before each session.
Both Malaysian finalists from Odense are expected to be in action in Paris. Pearly-Thinaah will try to keep their momentum going, and Aaron-Wooi Yik will try to turn a final into a title.
Key takeaways
- Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah won the Denmark Open women's doubles 21-18, 21-11 against Japan's Hinata Suzuki-Nao Yamakita.
- It is Malaysia's first Denmark Open women's doubles title since Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty in 2008.
- Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik lost the men's doubles final 8-21, 11-21 to Indonesia's Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.
- The French Open in Paris follows immediately, from 20 to 25 October.
FAQ
When did Malaysia last win the Denmark Open women's doubles? Before Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah's win on 18 October 2026, the last Malaysian winners were Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty in 2008.
Who beat Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the Denmark Open final? Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri won 21-8, 21-11 in 31 minutes.
What is the next tournament for Malaysia's top doubles pairs? The French Open, a Super 750 event at the Arena Grand Paris, runs from 20 to 25 October 2026. Early sessions begin around 4pm Malaysia time.
Sources: Bernama, The Star, Malay Mail, Media Selangor, Badminton Europe, Wikipedia, Spike Today