KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia celebrated a landmark Merdeka Day in Paris as Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah became the nation’s first-ever women’s doubles finalists at the World Championships, clinching a proud silver medal shortly after Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei struck historic gold in mixed doubles.
World No. 2 Pearly and Thinaah fought valiantly before falling 21-14, 20-22, 21-17 to China’s top seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in a gripping final that lasted an hour and 23 minutes at the Adidas Arena.
Despite the defeat, the Malaysian pair walked away with their heads held high, breaking new ground in a discipline where no compatriots had previously gone beyond the semi-finals.
“Definitely, we’re a little bit disappointed that we couldn’t get the title, but credit to the opponents, they played very well,” Thinaah told the Badminton World Federation after the match.
“We didn’t want to give away easy points, and as long as the shuttle doesn’t hit the ground, we will always fight for every point.
“Towards the end, they did well in putting pressure on both of us. Still, there are many positives to take away from this tournament, and it motivates us to do even better in the future.”
The Malaysians had already made history at the Paris Olympics last year as semi-finalists, but today’s achievement on the sport’s grandest stage further cements their status among the elite.
The final capped a remarkable day for Malaysian badminton, with Tang Jie and Ee Wei delivering the country’s first-ever mixed doubles world title earlier, underscoring a new era of success on the international stage.
For Malaysia, the timing could not have been more symbolic – a Merdeka Day defined by grit, history, and the promise of greater triumphs to come. — August 31, 2025