BANGKOK, Thailand: Malaysia’s women’s badminton team advanced to the semi-final with a 3-1 win over Vietnam, led by Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan’s commanding 21-12, 21-8 victory.
Despite an opening loss by Karupathevan Letshanaa, Malaysia bounced back with key wins from Wong Ling Ching and Siti Zulaikha to seal the victory.
The tournament kicked off at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani, with a thrilling first match where Karupathevan Letshanaa fought hard but narrowly lost 21-15, 10-21, 21-23 to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh.
The match was a rollercoaster, showcasing the high level of competition in the SEA Games.
In the second match, Wong Ling Ching provided a crucial point for Malaysia by defeating Vietnam’s Vu Thi Trang in a tough three-set battle, 21-14, 20-22, 21-14.
Wong battled through physical discomfort but showed great resilience to keep Malaysia in the hunt.
The highlight came in the third match as the World Number Two pair, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, dominated their Vietnamese opponents, Pham Thi Dieu Ly and Pham Thi Khanh, with a commanding 21-12, 21-8 victory.
The duo told reporters after the match about the importance of staying focused despite the pressure of being favourites.
“Since it’s our first match in the tournament, we just wanted to focus on ourselves and give our best.
“The opponents pressured us in parts, but we will take note of that and stay focused for the next match,” said Thinaah.
Her partner Pearly pointed out the value of leaving everything on the court without regrets.
“As long as we don’t leave any regrets, that’s a good result for us,” she said.
Thinaah then added that they will keep supporting their teammates and give their best for the team.
Closing out the tie, Siti Zulaikha won in straight sets 21-19, 21-19 over Vietnam’s Bui Bich Phuong, securing Malaysia’s 3-1 victory.
The win marks a promising start for the Malaysian women’s badminton team as they aim to return to the podium after nearly a decade.
Next, they face Indonesia in the semi-finals, on Monday (December 8).
