Pearly Tan and M.Thinaah, Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair are set for a challenging campaign at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi from 17th August to 23rd August as they aim to repeat last year’s historic success.
The world No.5 pair face a challenge in the quarter-final against South Korea’s world No.3 duo Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee. A victory over the Koreans would secure Pearly-Thinaah a place on the podium.
Baek and Lee currently holds a 4-3 head-to-head advantage over the Malaysians and also defeated them in the All England semi-finals in march
Pearly and Thinaah made history in last year’s game by becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to win a silver medal at the World Championships in Paris. However, their form has been affected this season after Pearly had a back injury in April, forcing the pair to miss a few tournaments.
They were part of the World Championships after finishing runners-up at the Taiwan Open on Sunday, where they lost to Japan’s world No.47 pair Sumire Nakade and Miyu Takahashi in the finals.
Pearly admitted that she is still not at her best physically and said the pair needs to improve more if they hope to challenge for the title in New Delhi. As one of the seeded pairs, Pearly and Thinaah will begin their campaign in th second round against Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari.
Malaysia’s other women’s doubles representatives, Carmen Ting and Ong Xin Yee will also start in the second round, where they are set to meet Indonesia’s Rachel Rose and Febo Setianingrum.
In the mixed doubles, Chen Tan Jie and Toh Ee Wei will not compete after Ee Wei went through a ACL Surgery. Malaysia’s hopes in the event will be on world No.11 pair Goh Soon Huat & Shevon Lai, as well as Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien.
Sources: NST
