Pearly-Thinaah take positives from painful loss in Tokyo final
After a sensational semi-final win over their long-time nemeses, Japan's world No. 2 Chiharu Shida-Nami Matsuyama, hopes were high that Pearly-Thinaah would become the first Malaysians to lift the women's doubles title in Tokyo.
But China's Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning had other ideas.
The Chinese pair were simply unstoppable, dismantling the Malaysians 21-15, 21-14 in just 45 minutes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, handing Pearly-Thinaah a ruthless reminder of the work still to be done.
"Our game plan didn't work. They read us very well," said Pearly.
"We couldn't adapt, and we need to learn from this."
"We always support each other — win or lose — and we want to carry this spirit into the upcoming tournaments."
The performance was in stark contrast to their epic battle in last month's Indonesia Open final, where Pearly-Thinaah pushed the Chinese pair to the limit before narrowly losing 23-25, 21-12, 21-19.
But in Tokyo, Sheng Shu-Tan Ning, who now lead their head-to-head 9-3, executed a flawless game plan from start to finish, never allowing the Malaysians to find their rhythm.
Thinaah admitted that their confidence took a hit.
"We knew what we had to do, but just couldn't pull it off today," she said.
"Their pace and precision really put us under pressure.
"What's important now is to stay confident, no matter the scoreline. We'll learn from this and prepare for next week."
National coach Rosman Razak gave credit where it was due.
"We lost to a better pair today. Pearly-Thinaah tried to vary their shots, but made too many unforced errors," he said.
"The opponents' defence and attack were very consistent."
Still, Rosman believes there were plenty of positives, especially in the pair's semi-final breakthrough over Shida-Matsuyama — only their second win in 15 meetings.
"They played well throughout the week. Progress is ongoing, and they're staying positive ahead of the China Open.
"The key now is recovery. There's still a long season ahead."
Pearly-Thinaah now turn their attention to the Super 1000 China Open, which begins Tuesday, armed with renewed focus and a fresh reminder of what it takes to beat the very best.
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