KUALA LUMPUR – Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah delivered themselves and the nation the perfect Malaysia Day gift after storming into the final of the Hong Kong Open today.
The national women’s doubles pair swiftly defeated Thai sisters Benyapa and Nuntakarn Aimsaard 21-13, 21-18, in the semi-finals at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon.
After the win, both players said they are proud to be Malaysians with the harmonious coexistence of diverse cultures within the nation.
“We are very happy with the win, and hopefully, Malaysia is too,” said Thinaah, while Pearly added: “Malaysia means a lot to me, I’m really proud and happy to represent the country.”
Commenting on the match, Klang-born Thinaah said the pair wanted to focus on their own game, acknowledging their recent inconsistency.
While the win marked a significant breakthrough for the 10th-ranked duo, they hope to maintain the momentum for tomorrow’s showpiece.
They also expressed their desire to secure the Hong Kong Open title but were cautious not to become overconfident.
“We don’t want to get over-excited for now, just rest well and prepare for tomorrow,” said Thinaah.
In the final, they will face the seventh-seeded Indonesian duo, Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, who secured their spot by defeating the Danish pair Maiken Fruergaard-Sara Thygesen, 21-16, 23-21. — September 16, 2023