KUALA LUMPUR – Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah’s Hong Kong Open title defence came to an end today after the Malaysian women’s doubles pair crashed out in the semi-finals.
The world No. 2 duo, who reached the World Championships final last month, were undone by China’s third seeds Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shuxian, falling 21-14, 21-11 in just 35 minutes.
Thinaah admitted they struggled to cope with the Chinese pair’s sharp shot-making and attacking rhythm.
“Their arrangement of shots made it difficult for us to follow their pace. We ended up playing too defensively and that gave them the chance to attack more aggressively. It’s something we need to work on and be more alert about,” she said.
Pearly, meanwhile, pointed to lapses in focus at crucial moments.
“Mentally, we were a bit rushed. When we were leading, we wanted to push for more points but forgot about our own gameplay. Our focus dropped, we made simple mistakes, and we followed their pace instead of controlling the match,” she reflected.
Despite the defeat, Thinaah said competing in Hong Kong still felt special.
“It reminds me of home ground because of the strong support here. This is our third time playing in Hong Kong and we’ve built a lot of good memories. There are positives to take away despite today’s result,” she said.
The Malaysians will now turn their attention to the Super 750 China Masters, which begins on Tuesday.
“For now, we just need a good rest for a few days, continue our training, discuss what went wrong today and get ready for next week,” Pearly added.
Their exit also ends Malaysia’s campaign in the Super 500 event. – September 13, 2025