11 hours ago
Pearly-Thinaah find 'strength, belief and heart' after fiery four-week run
KUALA LUMPUR: Women's doubles player Pearly Tan took to social media to reflect on how she and M. Thinaah had coped with expectations and criticism to complete a highly satisfying four-week outing on the World Tour.
The world No. 4 women's doubles pair wrapped up their hectic schedule with a runners-up finish at the Super 1000 Indonesia Open on Sunday, pushing China's world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning to the limit before narrowly going down 23-25, 21-12, 21-19.
Prior to that, Pearly-Thinaah captured the Thailand Open title , reached the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters and made the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open.
Taking to Instagram, Pearly reflected on the emotional and physical toll of their packed schedule.
"Finally wrapped up all four tournaments in four weeks. It's been a crazy rollercoaster ride for both of us - testing our minds, staying calm through the chaos, and pushing through even when we were tired," she wrote.
"We walked into this journey with the weight of expectations and the noise of criticism during tournaments.
"Not everything that was said about us was true, but we chose not to respond with words. Instead, we responded with hard work, resilience and unity.
"It wasn't easy, but we stood our ground, held on to each other and gave it everything we had.
"We didn't win the title, but we found something even more powerful - strength, belief and heart."
While Pearly didn't name specifics, the ongoing contract wrangle with the BA of Malaysia (BAM) had likely added to the pressure.
The pair have yet to sign a new deal amid speculation they could go independent.
Pearly-Thinaah have kept a dignified silence on the issue, choosing instead to stay focused on court.
Their performance in Jakarta, nearly toppling the world No. 1 pair, was arguably their finest to date.
Pearly also paid tribute to the support team that travelled with them, crediting them for keeping the pair fit and injury-free during the gruelling schedule.
"Honestly, we couldn't have done it without the amazing support team behind us, who were there for us every step of the way.
"They helped us recover, stay strong and keep going on the court. Without all of you, truly, we couldn't have done it.
"Thank you to those who stood by us. We'll keep this spirit going and see you on the next tour."
Their efforts will be officially recognised on Tuesday, when they are expected to climb to a career-high world No. 3 in the world rankings.
Pearly-Thinaah are expected to meet BAM officials this week to finally decide whether they will stay with the national setup or branch out on their own.
