KUCHING: Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah made history today by becoming the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to win the Thailand Open since the tournament began in 1984.
The national shuttlers defeated South Korea’s Jeong Na Eun and Lee Yeon Woo in straight sets, 21-16, 21-17, after a tight 57-minute contest at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.
The win is their second title of the 2025 season and their fourth overall, adding to earlier victories at the Swiss Open (2021), French Open (2022) and Hong Kong Open (2024).
They received a mock cheque for $37,525 (about RM161,207.31), along with the trophy and medals.
The match was a tense affair, with both sides trading long rallies early on.
The Koreans pushed hard in the first set, forcing the Malaysians onto the back foot, but Pearly-Thinaah responded with calm heads and quick adjustments, pulling ahead to take the opener 21-16.
The second set proved trickier.
The Korean pair changed tactics, briefly gaining the upper hand, but after the mid-game interval, the Malaysians found their rhythm again.
They held their nerve to close out the match and seal a long-awaited title for Malaysia.
This breakthrough strengthens Malaysia’s position on the world stage in women’s doubles – a category in which major success has long been elusive.
