KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah carved their names into Malaysian badminton history by becoming the nation’s first women’s doubles medallists at the World Championships in Paris on Friday.
The world No. 2 powered past Bulgaria’s Gabriela and Stefanie Stoeva 21-15, 21-10 in their quarter-final clash at the Adidas Arena to guarantee themselves at least a bronze medal.
It was their fourth win in five meetings against the Stoeva sisters, continuing their dominance after also beating them at the Japan Open last month.
The breakthrough comes in only their fourth appearance at the world meet, with their previous best outing was reaching the quarter-finals in 2023.
Pearly-Thinaah will next face Japan’s Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida, the world No. 5, who ended Korea’s world No. 3 Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong’s campaign with a 21-17, 21-14 victory.
The Japanese pair, playing their swansong before splitting, have long been Pearly-Thinaah’s nemeses — winning 13 of their 15 encounters.
But the Malaysians can take heart from their most recent clash, where they scored a breakthrough victory at the Japan Open in July.
With momentum on their side and history already made, Pearly-Thinaah will now look to push for an even bigger prize in Paris
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
