Malaysia came agonisingly close to a fairytale double on Merdeka Day, but Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah’s brave fight ended just short of glory at the World Championships in Paris.
The world No. 8 pair battled for 83 minutes in a pulsating women’s doubles final, only to be edged out 14-21, 22-20, 17-21 by China’s top-ranked Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning. It was their third straight loss to the Chinese duo after defeats in Indonesia and Japan — but this one stung the most, as it denied Malaysia its first-ever women’s doubles world crown.
The heartbreak came only hours after Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei delivered Malaysia’s historic first mixed doubles title. Instead of a golden double, Pearly-Thinaah had to settle for silver — yet their run still marked Malaysia’s best-ever performance at a World Championships.
Thinaah admitted the result was bittersweet. “Honestly, we’re really happy to reach the final, but of course we’re disappointed not to take the title. Credit to the opponents — they played well, stayed calm and kept up the pressure. For us, this has still been a great week, and we’ll definitely learn from it and come back stronger. As long as the shuttle hasn’t hit the ground, we’ll keep fighting for every point.”
Pearly revealed that a tactical switch helped them claw back the second game. “Thinaah tried some flick serves that broke their rhythm and made them rush a little, while we stayed calm. That strategy gave us the edge in the second game.”
Despite the painful loss, the pair remain upbeat about the future. “This is the biggest tournament after the Olympics, and getting silver here boosts our confidence,” said Thinaah. “It motivates us to aim higher in the next big events.”
Malaysia may have missed out on a dream Merdeka double, but with one gold and one silver, Paris 2025 will be remembered as the nation’s finest-ever World Championships — and proof that Malaysian badminton’s next golden chapter is only just beginning.
