KUALA LUMPUR — National women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah made history by becoming the first Malaysian pair to win the Hong Kong Open since its inception in 1982.
The duo claimed the title with a commanding 21-14, 21-14 victory over China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in just 37 minutes.
This win marked a significant breakthrough for Pearly and Thinaah, who had endured four tough encounters against the world number three pair this year, starting from the Malaysia Open.
Last year, they also reached the Hong Kong Open final but lost to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Ramadhanti.
Their victory ended a two-year title drought, with their last win coming at the 2022 French Open.
After finishing as runners-up at the Korea Open last week, the Malaysian pair bounced back with renewed determination, capping off an impressive week with a victory that will be remembered for years.
Next, Pearly and Thinaah will continue their BWF World Tour campaign at the China Open in Changzhou next week. — September 15, 2024