
Pearly Tan-Thinaah Fall to Liu-Tan in Indonesia Open Final
A major title continued to elude the country's top women's doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, as their maiden Super 1000 title hopes were dashed after falling to world number one pair, Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning from China, during the Indonesia Open 2025 final at Istora Senayan here, today.
In a fierce 87-minute match, the world number four seeded pair lost 25-23, 12-21, 19-21 in the tournament after putting up a strong fight, including winning the first set.
The unseeded pair managed to bounce back from an 8-14 deficit in the opening set to secure a 25-23 victory, but the opponents' dominance in the subsequent two sets saw Pearly-Thinaah fail to maintain their momentum.
Currently ranked fourth in the world by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Pearly-Thinaah tried to recover from deficits multiple times, but the Chinese pair managed to maintain their advantage until the end.
After the match, Pearly explained that there was still much to learn and improve to enhance their performance, especially their 'mindset,' despite playing with high spirits.
'We were actually in a good position, we should have been able to finish the match with an advantage. But towards the end, maybe we lost a little focus.
'Actually, from the beginning of the game we already felt tired, but we reminded each other to keep fighting, because this was the last match. We just wanted to give everything we had on the court,' Pearly added.
Meanwhile, Thinaah said they would use the time this month to fully rest and recover their energy as there are no major tournaments coming up soon.
This defeat sees Pearly-Thinaah once again become runners-up in Jakarta, after also reaching the final of the Indonesia Masters earlier this year.
However, their consistent performance strengthens their reputation as one of the main contenders in the women's doubles event at the world level.
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Subscribe to our FREE Sometimes losing feels a lot like winning, and Malaysia's badminton darlings Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah just proved exactly that at the Indonesia Open 2025. The dynamic duo fell short of their maiden Super 1000 title dream, succumbing to world number one Chinese pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in a nail-biting three-set thriller that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Final score: 25-23, 12-21, 19-21. But here's the thing about great defeats—they sometimes shine brighter than hollow victories. After bulldozing through Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min in the semifinals, the Thailand Open champions walked into Sunday's final carrying the hopes of a nation that hadn't seen a women's doubles champion at this tournament since Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty claimed glory back in 2009. The match was pure theatre. Pearly-Thinaah stumbled early in the first set, trailing 6-11 before clawing back to level at 16-16. What followed was badminton at its most brutal and beautiful—two pairs trading blows until Malaysia's finest edged ahead 25-23. The Heartbreak Set: When Dreams Meet Reality The second set belonged to the Chinese world beaters, who surged to a commanding 14-8 lead and never looked back, closing out 21-12 to force a decider. The final set was where legends are made and hearts are broken. Pearly-Thinaah found their rhythm again, leading 10-7, but sport has a cruel sense of timing. The scores locked at 15-15, and from there it became a test of nerves as much as skill. In the end, experience trumped ambition by the narrowest of margins—21-19 to the Chinese pair. When the Nation Speaks 'Malaysia is proud of both of you,' perfectly captured the national sentiment, while others emphasised the quality of the opposition. It's okay, Pearly/Thinaah, what's important is that you fought, and you weren't facing ordinary opponents. The drama had fans literally on the edge of cardiac arrest, with comments about 'almost having a heart attack watching' flooding the feeds. Some couldn't help but notice how hard-fought the victory was for the Chinese pair: 'The Chinese pair really had to sweat to win today.' The cruel timing wasn't lost on supporters either: 'Already leading 9-4 in the third set… just wasn't meant to be.' But the optimism shone through: 'Excellent, if they play like this, there's hope for an Olympic medal.' Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah share a heartwarming moment with fans during a meet-and-greet session by Etihad Airways at the Axiata Arena during the recent Perodua Malaysia Masters 2025. The duo's approachable nature and connection with supporters continue to endear them to badminton enthusiasts across the nation. (Pix: Fernando Fong) The Bigger Picture Sure, they didn't get the trophy. But the In a sport where margins are measured in millimetres and milliseconds, they proved they belong at the very top table. The fans' reaction says it all—this wasn't a defeat that deflated a nation, but a performance that elevated it. When your 'loss' generates more pride than most victories, you know you've achieved something remarkable. Sometimes the real victory isn't the hardware you take home—it's the hearts you win along the way. READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.


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