Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah got their BWF World Tour Finals campaign off to a perfect start with an impressive victory over China’s Jia Yifan–Zhang Shuxian in their opening Group A match earlier today.
Fresh from winning SEA Games gold in Thailand just three days ago, Pearly-Thinaah showed no signs of fatigue as they produced a commanding display to seal a straight-sets win, 21-17, 21-11.
The win was particularly significant as it ended a five-match losing streak against Jia–Zhang, providing a major confidence boost for the Malaysians on the elite world stage.
Pearly said the result was meaningful, stressing that the pair had fully focused their preparations on the prestigious season-ending event.
“Of course this win means a lot to us. We really prepared specifically for the World Tour Finals, and our main goal is simply to play without any regrets on court,” said Pearly.
Addressing their tight schedule following the SEA Games, Pearly added that recovery was prioritised upon arrival at the venue.
“We didn’t have much time, but we tried to rest as much as possible. After travelling, we made sure to get enough sleep, and I feel the recovery process went well,” she explained.
Thinaah highlighted that patience, trust and focusing on their own game were key factors behind the victory, especially during long rallies in the second set.
“We tried to stay calm, be more patient and focus on our own game. We also applied a new approach compared to our previous meetings, and it worked. We hope to keep this momentum going,” said Thinaah.
