TAN and THINNAH ready to write Malaysian badminton history

Pearly TAN and THINAAH Muralitharan have further placed Malaysia on the badminton world map. For the first time in history, a Malaysian women's pair has reached the final of a World Championship. Although ranked second in the world rankings, the Malaysian pair may not have been the favorites, on paper, against Nami MATSUYAMA and Chiharu SHIDA. Indeed, in the history of confrontations, the Japanese have already won 13 out of 15 times. Including the third place final at the 2024 Olympic Games, in this same adidas arena. 

But after creating a bit of a stir a month and a half ago in Tokyo at the Japan Open, TAN and THINAAH found the answers again at this same stage of the competition. It took them three sets to overcome the world number 3s, who were playing the last tournament of their careers together after 11 years of collaboration. 

In close contact until the break (11/10), the Malaysians gradually gave in to the magnificent Japanese defenses and their formidable efficiency each time they went to the net (14/11 19/14 21/14). But the TAN / THINAAH duo, who had already made Malaysian badminton history by winning the first ever Olympic medal in women's doubles, recovered. In this style of opposition - the Japanese more defensive, the Malaysians more offensive - TAN / THINAAH displayed their firepower (8/11) until they pulled away (9/17). Without faltering, they concluded the set perfectly to secure a decisive set (13/21). 

Impressive rallies followed one after the other between the two teams. And very often, it was TAN and THINAAH who won this little game. So much so that Nami MATSUYAMA took a long time to recover from a long rally at 7/6. A physical decline that was felt. Less sharp, the Japanese seemed to be taking the hit. Although they were still in the game at 9/9, they bore the full brunt of their opponents' physical impact (9/16). The Japanese duo would never recover (12/21). The end of an 11 years duo, so touching, that had left its mark on the world badminton scene. And perhaps a transfer of power for the Malaysian duo, ready to write their own history.