KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah may have lost the battle for gold, but they won the hearts of Malaysians by claiming a historic silver medal at the World Championships in Paris today.
The world No. 2 went down 21-14, 20-22, 21-17 to top seeds Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning of China in the women’s doubles final at the Adidas Arena, but still walked away as trailblazers — the first Malaysian women’s pair ever to stand on the world meet podium.
After being outclassed in the opening game, Pearly-Thinaah did what they do best always — bouncing back in style.
They fought with great determination in a tightly-contested second to force a decider and raise hopes of a famous comeback. But it was the Chinese who had the last laugh, showing their pedigree to close out the contest.
It was always going to be an arduous task, not only against opponents who held a commanding 9-3 head-to-head record, but also a pair who have been almost untouchable of late.
Sheng Shu-Tan Ning entered the final on a 19-match unbeaten streak, including back-to-back wins over the Malaysians in the finals of the Indonesia Open and Japan Open.
Still, Pearly-Thinaah’s courageous run in Paris captured the imagination of fans back home, who watched them defy the odds and etch a new chapter for the sport in a campaign that fittingly coincided with the Merdeka week.
The silver medal is the latest milestone in their remarkable journey since being paired in 2019 — from finishing fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, to breaking into the world’s top two this year, to now setting the benchmark at the world meet.
Together with teammates Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei’s historic mixed doubles triumph earlier in the day, Pearly-Thinaah ensured Malaysia celebrated its National Day with its best-ever haul at the World Championships — one gold and one silver.
The victory also ensured China‘s continued stranglehold on the women’s doubles, marking a fourth successive title following the hat-trick triumphs of Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
