KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s top women’s doubles duo, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, are one step away from becoming only the second Malaysian pair to clinch the Indonesia Masters title.
The world number seven pair booked their spot in the final with a confident 21-19, 21-16 victory over South Korea’s Lee Yeon-woo and Lee Yu-lim in the semi-finals at the Istora Senayan, Jakarta, today.
Since the tournament’s inception in 2010, Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei remain the only Malaysian women’s doubles pair to have won the prestigious title. Both shuttlers have since hung up their racquets.
Speaking to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Thinaah acknowledged the opportunity but emphasised the importance of staying composed.
“Surely, we want to win the title, but we don’t want to put ourselves under too much pressure. Right now, we want to focus on the positives and try to enjoy the match.”
Standing between Pearly and Thinaah and their first title of the season is another Korean pair, Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong.
The latter, who upset China’s Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian 21-17, 22-20 in the other semi-final, also eliminated Pearly and Thinaah in the semi-finals of the India Open last week.
Thinaah acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “We need to prepare well because the Koreans are not an easy pair to play against at the moment. We have to be solid in both our defence and attack and ride on the positive momentum.”
The Malaysian duo are seeking their first victory since triumphing at the 2024 Hong Kong Open in September.
Last year, they reached three World Tour finals, showcasing their consistency at the top level. — January 25, 2025