Malaysia’s dynamic badminton duo Pearly Tan and M.Thinaah have officially climbed to the World No.2 spot in the women’s doubles rankings, according to the latest update released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), a career best achievement and the highest ranking for any Malaysian women’s pair in more than 15 years.
This historic milestone comes after a string of strong performances in recent months, most notably their semi-final run at the China Open in Changzhou last week against Japan’s Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama.
The last time Malaysia celebrated such a feat in women’s doubles was back in 2009, when Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty reached the pinnacle of World No.1. While Chin and Wong dominated during their peak, the duo didn’t manage to clinch a medal at the World Championships, which Pearly and Thinaah have a real shot at.
The timing of this ranking boost couldn’t be more crucial. With the BWF World Championships set to take place in Paris from 25th August-31st August, Pearly and Thinaah are expected to earn the second seed. This significantly increases their chances of landing a favorable draw as they hunt for a historic podium finish.
Their recent surge in form has been nothing short of impressive. In June, they finished as runners-up at the prestigious Indonesia Open, followed by deep runs at both the Japan Open and China Open, solidifying their consistency on the world stage.
Still, the climb to the very top remains steep. Pearly and Thinaah trails current World No.1 pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China by around 22,000 points. To bridge that gap, title wins will be essential in the months to come.
As the World Championships in Paris draw closer, all eyes will be on Pearly and Thinaah to see if they can turn their incredible momentum into a historic finish and perhaps even rewrite what’s possible for Malaysian women’s badminton on the global stage.
Sources: NST
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