KUALA LUMPUR: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky hailed women’s doubles Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei for keeping Malaysia’s title hopes alive at the World Championships in Paris.
World No. 2 Pearly-Thinaah produced a stirring fightback to beat Japan’s world No. 3 Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida 14-21, 21-13, 21-12, while world No. 4 Tang Jie-Ee Wei silenced the French crowd with a 21-18, 21-16 victory over home favourites Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue in Saturday’s semi-finals.
“It’s God’s blessing and a reward for all the hard work the players have put in during training. Both pairs were excellent today,” said Rexy.
On Pearly-Thinaah’s performance, he added: “They started quite slow and followed Matsuyama-Shida’s rhythm in the first game, but after that they became very deceptive, applied the pressure, and managed to gain their rhythm and momentum for a fine win.”
Rexy also praised Tang Jie-Ee Wei: “They were exceptional today. They supported each other very well and their communication on court was very positive.”
The Indonesian legend urged both pairs to carry their form into Sunday’s finals.
“We are just hoping they continue their momentum and go all out in their title fight tomorrow.”
Pearly-Thinaah will face either China‘s world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning or Japan’s world No. 9 Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi, while Tang Jie-Ee Wei take on China‘s world No. 2 Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
