KUALA LUMPUR — Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah kicked off Malaysia Day celebrations early, dedicating their historic Hong Kong Open triumph to the nation.
The women’s doubles pair wished everyone a Happy Malaysia Day, noting that their victory was especially fitting as the country gears up to celebrate the special occasion tomorrow.
“Happy Malaysia Day and thank you to all the fans who supported us back home.
“We didn’t really expect this. We’re thrilled with today’s win, and it will definitely boost our confidence. Being here today in front of the Hong Kong crowd, we’re at a loss for words,” said Thinaah in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Their 21-14, 21-14 victory over China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning not only ended a two-year title drought but also made them the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to win the Hong Kong Open since its inception in 1982.
Just last week, Pearly and Thinaah reached the Korea Open final, which was celebrated by Malaysians as part of Independence Day festivities. However, they fell short, losing to Korea’s Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong in the final.
Ironically, their last title came at the 2022 French Open, where they also made history as the first Malaysian women’s pair to win that tournament.
“At the Korea Open, we made headlines by reaching the final but couldn’t secure the title.
“We’re grateful that God gave us another opportunity, and we’re really happy to have won and given Malaysia another reason to celebrate,” Thinaah added.
Despite the triumph, Thinaah acknowledged some tactical errors in their approach, particularly rushing through points.
“I think we had the same mindset during the match, which is why we made some mistakes we shouldn’t have. We’ll take note of this and try to be more cautious next time,” she said.
Pearly, on the other hand, hopes that this victory will lead to greater consistency in their future performances.
“Actually, we communicated more today, and this really helped us in the match. It’s the most important thing for both of us.
“We just want to be more consistent as usual and hope to keep this momentum going,” said Pearly.
This Hong Kong Open win marks Pearly and Thinaah’s third title on the BWF World Tour, following their previous successes at the 2022 French Open and the 2021 Swiss Open.
As they continue their BWF World Tour campaign, Pearly and Thinaah are set to compete in the China Open next week in Changzhou. — September 15, 2024