KUALA LUMPUR – In the realm of women’s national badminton, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah have demonstrated that the phrase “come back stronger”, frequently championed by badminton enthusiasts, is more than just a catchphrase.
Today, they delivered an impressive comeback to overcome the two-time world champions, Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, in their Group A match at the Paris Olympics.
At the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris, Pearly-Thinaah, ranked 13th in the world and the lowest ranked among their Group A opponents, were desperate for a win after losing to the world number one pair, Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan, in their opening match yesterday.
Pearly-Thinaah started strong in the first set but were unable to maintain their momentum, allowing Matsumoto-Nagahara to take the lead.
However, after battling for 73 minutes, Pearly-Thinaah eventually secured the victory with scores of 18-21, 21-15, 21-16.
For Pearly, the defeat at the hands of the Chinese pair yesterday opened their eyes to focus on their own strengths, which was reflected on the court against Matsumoto and Nagahara today.
“Of course, we’re thrilled to win our first match on such a big stage, but we have one more match to go, and we want to stay grounded and focus on that,” Pearly said in an interview with the BWF.
“There was a lot of positive feedback from our first match. We really supported each other, just like we did yesterday.
“Even when one of us was down, the other was always there to provide support. I think that really helped us in the game, and it’s a great thing we carried over from yesterday’s match.”
The victory was met with enthusiastic celebration from the entire audience at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, with some spectators giving a standing ovation for Pearly and Thinaah’s achievement.
This win is significant as it revitalises Pearly-Thinaah’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals and keeps the competition in Group A open.
“I think starting with the loss yesterday, we focused on taking all the positives and giving our best.
“We didn’t want to dwell on yesterday’s match; we played as if we had nothing to lose, and that’s why we enjoyed every point we played. I think that really helped us in today’s match.
“I’m happy, definitely happy, but there’s still room for improvement for the next game. For now, let’s rest well and focus on the next match,” said Thinaah.
Pearly-Thinaah will have their final showdown against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu – the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist – and her new partner Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti on Tuesday.
A victory would secure their place in the quarter-finals, a stage last reached by a Malaysian women’s pair through Woon Khe Wei and Vivian Hoo at Rio 2016. – July 28, 2024