Malaysian badminton duo Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan have ended their nearly two-year international title drought after a stunning victory at the Hong Kong Open today.
The pair defeated China’s second-seeded duo, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, in straight sets 21-14, 21-14 to secure their first championship of the year.
Pearly and Thinaah, seeded third in the tournament, showed resilience and determination in the finals after a series of near misses this year.
Their win today marks their second title as a team, their first since their triumph at the French Open in October 2022.
The Malaysian pair started strong in the opening game, coming back from an 8-10 deficit with a six-point streak to take the lead at 14-10.
From there, they maintained control to close out the set 21-14. In the second game, they quickly turned a 1-2 deficit into a commanding 7-2 lead, continuing to dominate their Chinese opponents.
Despite a late effort by Liu and Tan to recover, saving five match points, Pearly and Thinaah wrapped up the game 21-14, sealing their well-deserved victory.
This victory also marked an end to their four-match losing streak against the Chinese duo, improving their head-to-head record to 3 wins and 4 losses.
“We’ve been working hard to overcome those tough moments, and today it all came together. This win means a lot to us,” said Tan after the match.
Pearly and Thinaah had come close to victory earlier this year, reaching the finals at the Korea Open just two weeks ago but falling short against South Korea’s Jeong Na-eun and Kim Hye-jeong.
Today’s win not only redeemed them but also underscored their determination to remain among the top contenders on the international stage.
The duo also reached the finals at last year’s Hong Kong Open, where they narrowly lost to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti after winning the first set.
This win breaks the pair’s title drought and reaffirms their position as one of the top women’s doubles teams in the world, offering hope for continued success in future tournaments.
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