KUALA LUMPUR – Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah are looking to sustain their newfound confidence and momentum for as long as possible.
The world number nine women’s doubles pair delivered a perfect Merdeka Day gift to Malaysia by smashing their way into the Korean Open final today.
They achieved this by upsetting the world number two pair, Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee, with a decisive 21-18, 21-13 victory in front of their home fans.
Pearly and Thinaah, who made history as the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to reach the Olympics semi-finals in Paris, will face another local duo, Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong, for the title tomorrow.
Thrilled to reach their first final of the season, Thinaah told SpoTV: “We prepared well, both physically and mentally, for this match because we know our opponents are not easy to play against. Going into the final tomorrow, we hope to keep this momentum going.”
Pearly added that despite facing several setbacks since winning the 2022 French Open title, they have recently rediscovered the essence of their partnership.
“Over the past few years, since we won the French Open, Thinaah and I have experienced many ups and downs.
“However, we have become better at supporting each other during tough times. This is a positive development for us, and I hope we can continue this momentum,” said Pearly.
For the record, the 2023 Hong Kong Open was the last time Pearly and Thinaah reached a World Tour final. – August 31, 2024