Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M.Thinaah endured heartbreak at the China Masters after falling to South Korea’s world No.7 duo Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee in a gruelling quarter-final clash yesterday.
The world No.2 Malaysians, fresh off their historic silver medal at the World Championships, fought for 87 minutes before going down 21-23, 21-19, 20-22 at the Shenzhen Arena. It was a bitter pill to swallow for Pearly and Thinaah after a semi-final exit at the Hong Kong Open.
The match saw them squander three match points in the deciding game as the determined Koreans clawed their way back to seal victory, leaving fans gripped until the very last minute.
Despite the heartbreak, Pearly and Thinaah’s relentless fight drew admiration across social media with many people praising the duo’s resilience and spirit. For their efforts, they will take home RM 17,021 (US$4062), in prize money.
The pair who have reached five finals this year and lifted the Thailand Open trophy in May, will now regroup as they continue their push towards consistency ahead of the year’s remaining tournaments.
Sources: FMT
