[UPDATED] Pearly-Thinaah fall despite hard fight to S. Koreans in Masters final

KUALA LUMPUR – They fought hard and did not give up, but defeat was inevitable for national women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah as they lost to South Korea’s Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee 22-20, 8-21, 21-17 in the final today. 

The packed Axiata Arena saw Pearly-Thinaah come close to winning the first set, but the 12th seed South Koreans came from behind to force the deuce and draw was blood, winning the set in 34 minutes. 

However, 11th-ranked Pearly-Thinaah proved once again why they are a force to be reckoned with when the pair brushed the Koreans 21-8 in the second set to take the match to a third set. 

In the third set, both teams fought relentlessly, but the Koreans took the win with a 21-17 score. 

The last time a Malaysian women’s doubles pair won the Malaysia Masters was in 2012 when Chin-Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty clinched the title.

Having played multiple matches that dragged on past the one-and-a-half hour mark leading up to the finals, the fatigue was too much for the shuttlers, as Thinaah felt nauseous during the final point. 

However, both Thinaah and Pearly showed character when they kept pushing on even though they were running on fumes, as fans relentlessly cheered them on. 

“We were not fit enough today. We made some silly mistakes because we were exhausted by the end of it. 

“But we have much to take away from this experience. There have been a lot of ups and downs, but this tournament was good for us. We know we can do better,” said Pearly as Thinaah was unable to speak to the media post-match. 

In total, Pearly-Thinaah’s campaign at the 2023 Malaysia Masters amounted to 434 minutes of gameplay on court. 

“Before this, we have been in tournaments where the first few rounds end in long-duration matches, leaving us exhausted for the next day’s match. 

“This time, we really focused on keeping our mental strength tough and survived the whole week. 

“Lengthy matches are normal, but we need to go back and train harder to work on our fitness level,” she said. 

Skipping the Thailand Open on Tuesday, Pearly-Thinaah will get some well-earned rest before they prepare for the Singapore Open the following week. 

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai won the mixed-doubles event after defeating China’s Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping 21-16, 13-21, 18-21. 

The women’s singles title went to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. The two-time world champion made quick work of Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, winning 21-17, 21-7 in 43 minutes. – The Vibes, May 28, 2023