Too little too late

Badminton News

PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao came agonisingly close to a breakthrough win but fell just short, bowing out of the Hong Kong Open after a heart-stopping battle against China’s Li Shifeng in the quarter-finals.

Jun Hao held match point at 20-19 in the decider but could not deliver the final blow, eventually going down 20-22, 21-14, 20-22 in a gruelling 78-minute clash at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon yesterday.

It was the world No. 23’s sixth defeat in seven meetings against the fourth-ranked Shifeng.

Despite the defeat, the 26-year-old can hold his head high after pushing the Chinese ace hard until the end.

It was also Jun Hao’s second quarter-final finish of the year after reaching the same stage in the Singapore Open in June.

“My strategy worked in the match but it was not good enough to win in the end,” said a disappointed Jun Hao in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).Leong Jun Hao. — Reuters“I tried everything I could. Perhaps luck was not on my side. I will try to recover from this and I hope to return stronger.”

With the defeat, he will not join Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah into the semi-final action in the Open today.

Yesterday, Pearly-Thinaah booked their spot in the semi-finals with a convincing 21-12, 21-15 win over world No. 20 teammates Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee.

While China’s world No. 1 women’s doubles shuttlers Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning have exited the Hong Kong Open, Pearly-Thinaah’s path to the title is still not clear as they face a tough challenge against another dangerous Chinese duo, Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian in the last four today.

Shengshu-Tan Ning suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Japan’s Rui Hirokami-Sayaka Hobara in the second round on Thursday.

Pearly-Thinaah though know that their main rivals’ defeat will not make it any easier for them as they have a poor record against Yifan-Shuxian.

The World Championships silver medallists have lost their last four encounters against the world No. 4 pair.

Pearly-Thinaah’s sole win over Yifan-Shuxian came in the Indian Open second round in January where the latter were forced to retire while trailing 4-14 due to injury.

“We don’t want to think much about other matches. We just want to focus on ourselves and our strategy for our next match,” Thinaah told BWF.

“There are still things we need to improve, especially we need to cut down simple errors.

“We have to remain consistent. We have to remind each other on staying focused in every rally.”

Pearly-Thinaah are eyeing their third consecutive final in the competition.

The duo finished runners-up to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti in 2023 before capturing the title by beating Shengsu-Tan Ning last year.

Pearly-Thinaah are also keen to continue their fine form after reaching five finals so far this year.

The pair claimed the Thailand Open crown and finished second in the Indonesian Open, Japan Open and Indonesian Masters to add to their impressive runners-up finish in the world meet in Paris.

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Pearly-Thinaah’s Hong Kong Open title defence faces hard Chinese test

Badminton News

PETALING JAYA: Women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah face a tough task to maintain their fine recent record in the Hong Kong Open.

The Malaysian duo memorably toppled China’s world No. 1 Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning to win the crown last year.

In 2023, Pearly-Thinaah reached the final before losing in three games to Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti.

This time, they will likely need to overcome one of the pairs they have struggled against – China’s world No. 4 Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian – in the last four if they hope to make it into their third consecutive final in the tourney.

The world No. 2 pair have only beaten the Chinese duo once in their past five meetings.

Pearly-Thinaah also don’t have much time to rest before the competition which starts on Tuesday in Kowloon after capturing a historic silver in the World Championships just a week ago in Paris.

Women’s doubles coach Rosman Razak confirmed that Pearly-Thinaah were back in training and will compete in Hong Kong.

“Pearly-Thinaah will play in the Hong Kong Open,” said Rosman.

“They have already started training and will try their best next week.”

Rosman knows Pearly-Thinaah will be tested mentally and physically as the pair attempt to continue their fine form this year.

The duo have already reached five finals this year, capturing the Thailand Open and finishing second in the Indonesian Open, Japan Open and Indonesian Masters to go with their silver in the world meet.

In Hong Kong, Pearly-Thinaah will open their campaign against Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui-Yang Ching-tun.

A win will see the Malaysians play either China’s Chen Qingchen-Keng Shuliang or Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji-Meilysa Trias in the second round.

If Pearly-Thinaah progress to the last eight, teammates Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee or home pair Yeung Nga Ting-Yeung Pui Lam could await.

World No. 20 Mei Xing-Pei Kee first need to get past another home duo, world No. 47 Fan Ka Yan-Yau Mau Ying in the opening round.

For Pearly-Thinaah, a semi-final showdown against Yifan-Shuxian is on the cards and if the former can pull off a win over the latter this time, they could battle Shengshu-Tan Ning for the title again.

The world No. 1 pair have not lost to Pearly-Thinaah since the final in Kowloon last year, denying them the world title as well as the Japan and Indonesian Opens.

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Olympic Badminton history: Records, past winners, best moments, year-by …

Badminton News

Tokyo, 2020

China ultimately finished with the biggest haul, but it wasn’t the golden sweep that the rankings foreshadowed. 

Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen‘s play was perfect as he managed to win every game en route to the finals. He ultimately dethroned 2016 Olympic champion Chen Long in the men’s singles division. 

In women’s singles, China’s Chen Yufei defeated Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu-Ying in a close three-game match. Tai’s medal was the first-ever Olympic silver in badminton for Chinese Taipei.

The doubles events saw the greatest badminton upsets in Tokyo. Chinese Taipei’s Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin took home the gold against China in a swift 34 minutes in men’s doubles. Indonesia won its first gold medal at the Tokyo Games when Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu defeated China in women’s doubles.

The mixed doubles event was a China vs. China match, and Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping took home the gold. 

Rio, 2016

China missed the women’s singles podium for the first time since 1996 after Li Xuerui, the London Olympic champion, lost against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the bronze-medal match. Reigning world champion Carolina Marin won Spain its first Olympic badminton medal, a gold, beating India’s P.V. Sindhu.

In the men’s singles, reigning world champion Chen Long of China defeated Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, giving Wei his third consecutive Olympic silver.

China’s Fu Haifeng defended his gold in the men’s doubles alongside Zhang Nan, who won gold in the mixed doubles at the London Games. Zhang brought home a bronze medal as well in the mixed doubles with Zhao Yunlei, the 2012 Olympic champion in the event.

Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan took gold in the women’s doubles.

London, 2012

Unfortunately, badminton at the 2012 Games was marred by controversy: women’s doubles teams from China, South Korea and Indonesia were disqualified for blatantly throwing matches in order to manipulate the round-robin draw. Regardless, China once again ended up in the top spot, winning gold in each of the five major categories. 

For the second time, badminton legends Lin “Super” Dan and Lee Chong Wei met in a dramatic men’s singles final. Despite early signs that Lee could overcome his rival, Lin ultimately won  after a tense 19-19 score in the third game.

Beijing, 2008

Appropriately, China won big with eight total medals when the country’s second-largest city hosted the Games (three gold, two silver and three bronze). Lin “Super” Dan earned the top spot over Malaysian rival Lee Chong Wei in their first Olympic final match-up, while Zhang Ning took home her second gold in women’s singles.

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Pearly-Thinaah out to settle score with their home heartbreakers

Badminton News

PETALING JAYA: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah will be looking to turn past pain into motivation when they take on Indonesia’s Lanny Tria Mayasari-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti in the second round of the Thailand Open today.

The last time the two pairs met was during the Malaysian Open in January at the Axiata Arena, a match that turned into a nightmare for the Malaysian duo.

Pearly-Thinaah had gone into the Super 1000 home tournament as one of Malaysia’s brightest hopes, especially with it being the season-opener on the BWF World Tour calendar.

Their opponents were a newly-formed pair, with Siti Fadia having just been partnered with Lanny after her previous stint with Apriyani Rahayu.

But it was the Indonesians who pulled off a shock upset, knocking out the Malaysians in the opening round. The early exit drew a wave of criticism, with questions raised about Pearly-Thinaah’s match fitness and readiness for the season.

Five months on, much has changed for both pairs. But Pearly-Thinaah are still carrying the weight of expectation, particularly as the uncertainty surrounding their contract situation with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) continues to loom large.

They got their campaign in Bangkok off to a strong start, sweeping past India’s Rashmi Ganesh-Sania Sikkandar 21-11, 21-5 in just 24 minutes on Wednesday.

For the record, Pearly-Thinaah reached the semi-finals of the tournament in 2022 but opted to skip the next two editions.

If they live up to their billing as the top seeds in this year’s tournament, Pearly-Thinaah will make history, as no Malaysian women’s doubles pair has ever won the title since the event’s inception in 1984.

Meanwhile, fellow compatriots Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee also advanced to the second round after a hard-fought battle in their opening match.

The eighth seeds were pushed to the limit by Taiwan’s Chen Su-yu-Hsieh Yi-en but eventually triumphed 21-15, 18-21, 21-15 in 48 minutes.

Like Pearly-Thinaah, Mei Xing-Pei Kee will also face another Indonesian pair, Meilysa Puspitasari-Rachel Rose, in the second round today.

Mei Xing-Pei Kee could carry a psychological advantage into the match, having defeated the world No. 25 pair in the second round of the Orleans Masters last March.

It was a disappointing day for the young women’s doubles pair, Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting, who were ousted by India’s third-seeded duo, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Pullela Gopichand, 15-21, 13-21.

The national team also suffered setbacks in the mixed doubles category, with two pairs exiting in the first round.

Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin, ranked 14th in the world and seeded seventh, were defeated by the Thai pair, Supak Jomkoh-Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn, 21-15, 18-21, 17-21.

Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow also saw their campaign cut short, losing to South Korea’s Ki Dong Ju-Jeong Na Eun 18-21, 17-21.

The men’s doubles team of Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong couldn’t advance either, as they were beaten by top seeds Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto 11-21, 17-21.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Malaysians only

Men’s singles: Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin bt Wang Zhengxing (Chn) 21-12, 19-21, 21-18.

Men’s doubles: Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (Ina) bt Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 21-11, 21-17.

Women’s doubles: Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing bt Chen Su-yu-Hsieh Yi-en (Tpe) 21-15, 18-21, 21-15 Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah bt Rashmi Ganesh-Sania Sikkandar (Ind) 21-11, 21-5; Treesa Jolly-Pullela Gopichand (Ind) bt Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting 15-21, 13-21.

Mixed doubles: Ki Dong-ju-Jeong Na-eun (Kor) bt Yap Roy King-Valeree Siow (Mas) 21-18, 21-18; Supak Jomkoh-Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn (Tha) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 18-21, 21-18, 21-17.

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Tze Yong’s gritty display in early exit a positive sign

Badminton News

PETALING JAYA: There was no shame and certainly no reason for tears for national men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong despite his early exit from the Taiwan Open.

The 24-year-old’s first-round defeat to home player Wang Po-wei came as little surprise, given it was only his second tournament of the year.

While Po-wei has been competing consistently since early January and even won the Phuket International Series in April, Tze Yong only recently returned to action after a lengthy layoff due to a serious back injury, making this a major test of his match fitness.

Still, there were encouraging signs from Tze Yong, who put up a gritty fight before going down 21-18, 18-21, 17-21 in an 87-minute battle.

Malaysia had something to cheer about in the men’s singles though, as rising star Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin progressed to the second round after overcoming compatriot Tan Jia Jie.

Aidil, however, had to dig deep for the win, eventually prevailing 21-13, 11-21, 21-8.

He now faces a much tougher task today when he takes on top seed and four-time champion Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan in the second round.

In the mixed doubles, sixth seeds Toh Ee Wei-Loo Bing Kun had no trouble seeing off Vietnam’s Pham Van Hai and Than Van Anh 21-14, 21-10.

They will next face South Korea’s Ki Dong-ju and Jeong Na-eun in the second round.

Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong fell at the first hurdle after losing to Taiwanese pair Su Ching-heng and Wu Guan-xun 21-23, 21-14, 19-21 in a 63-minute duel.

There was more disappointment in the women’s doubles as Cheng Su Hui-Tan Zhing Yi were outclassed by Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Apriyani Rahayu and her new partner Febi Setianingrum, going down 16-21, 13-21 in just 49 minutes.

Fortunately, teammates Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee managed to stay in the fight after edging Taiwan’s Chung Chia-en-Huang Tzu-ling 21-19, 21-19.

The Malaysian pair will now take on eighth seeds Meilysa Puspitasari and Rachel Rose of Indonesia in the next round.

RESULTS

Malaysians only

Men’s singles: Wang Po-wei (Tpe) bt Ng Tze Yong 18-21, 21-18, 21-17; Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin bt Tan Jia Jie 21-13, 11-21, 21-8.

Men’s doubles: Su Ching-heng-Wu Guan-xun (Tpe) bt Low Hang Yee-Ng Eng Cheong 23-21, 14-21, 21-19; Takumi Nomura-Yuichi Shimogami bt Goh Boon Zhe-Loo Bing Kun 25-23, 21-12.

Women’s doubles: Apriyani Rahayu-Febi Setianingrum (Ina) bt Cheng Su Hui-Tan Zhing Yi 21-16, 21-13; Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee bt Chung Chia-en-Huang Tzu-ling (Tpe) 21-19, 21-19.

Mixed doubles: Toh Ee Wei-Loo Bing Kun bt Pham Van Hai-Than Van Anh (Vie) 21-14, 21-10.

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Pearly’s injury just minor and she could start training next week

Badminton News

KUALA LUMPUR: Should women’s doubles shuttler Pearly Tan take a longer time-out to recover from her injury or get back into action in another three weeks?

That is the dilemma now.

Pearly, who hurt her ankle during the All-England last week, is not at her best yet.

Pearly and her partner M. Thinaah have been entered for the Asian Badminton Championships in Ningbo, China, from April 8-13 but there is an option for her to skip it and focus on the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, from April 27-May 4.

Pearly will only start the court training next week as she focuses on rehabilitation under the supervision of the National Sports Institute (NSI).

Women’s doubles coach Rosman Razak has downplayed concerns over Pearly’s condition, saying that medical reports indicated that her injury was a minor issue.

“I’ve been informed by NSI that Pearly’s injury is not serious.

‘‘This week, she has been focusing on rehabilitation, and hopefully, she can return to the court for training next week,” said Rosman.

Rosman said he needed more time to assess Pearly’s condition before making a decision, as the team would rely heavily on her and Thinaah for the Sudirman Cup, set to begin on April 27.

“Withdrawing from the tournament is, of course, an option, as long term planning remains the priority,” he said.

“Pearly and Thinaah have been constantly providing feedback to me, but I will make the final decision on whether they compete or stay back to prepare for the Sudirman Cup,” said Rosman when met at the Academy Badminton Malaysia, Bukit Kiara on Friday.

Pearly had twisted her right ankle during the second round of the All England while facing Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia.

Despite the setback, the 25-year-old fought through the pain alongside Thinaah to secure victory and advanced to the quarter-finals.

If Pearly-Thinaah do not compete in this year’s Asian Championships, Malaysia will rely on Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing, along with two other pairs, Carmen Ting-Ong Xin Yee and Lee Zhi Qing-Tio Sue Xin, who will first go through the qualifying rounds.

As for the Sudirman Cup, Malaysia have been drawn in Group C with three-time runners-up Japan, as well as Australia and France.

Malaysia will field their strongest squad in a bid to redeem themselves after their disappointing campaign at the Asia Badminton Mixed Team Championships in Qingdao last February.

“Like it or not, I know the women’s doubles must deliver. In other words, Pearly-Thinaah need to contribute points. But as I’ve said, we are hoping Pearly will be 100% fit for this situation,” said Rosman.

“If we want to win at the Sudirman Cup, the women’s doubles must step up. On paper, it will definitely be tough against Japan, but we should be able to overcome Australia and France.”

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Khe Wei tells Tan to skip ABC to allow injured ankle to heal properly

Badminton News

KUALA LUMPUR: Former national women’s doubles shuttler Woon Khe Wei has advised Pearly Tan against taking unnecessary risks by competing in the Asian Badminton Championships in Ningbo, China, on April 8 if she has yet to fully recover from her injury.

Pearly is currently undergoing rehabilitation after twisting her right ankle during a second-round clash against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti at the All-England last week.

Khe Wei, who won a silver medal in the 2010 edition with Vivian Hoo, is concerned that Pearly might face long-term consequences in her career if she pushed herself too soon.

The 25-year-old has battled a string of injuries, including a hamstring tear in 2022 during the Japan Open that saw her stretchered off the court in a wheelchair. A year later, she suffered a back injury that forced her to withdraw from several international tournaments.

“If Pearly’s injury is serious, especially if it involves a torn ligament, it’s best not to take the risk. I’ve had an ankle ligament tear before, and it’s not something to take lightly,” said Khe Wei.

“At the time, I didn’t think much about it because I just wanted to compete. But I was constantly in pain, and the injury never fully healed.”

“If her situation is similar, I’d advise her to focus on rehabilitation first and only return when she is 100% fit. Otherwise, she risks long-term complications,” added Khe Wei, who also struggled with persistent injuries throughout her career.

In fact, her decision to retire in 2018 was largely due to prolonged knee issues.

“The Asian Championships take place every year, so there will always be another opportunity,” she said.

“In women’s doubles, fitness and endurance are crucial because matches can last over an hour. Pearly must ensure she has fully recovered before stepping back on court.”

If Pearly and her partner, M. Thinaah, decide to withdraw from this year’s edition, the responsibility in women’s doubles will fall on other Malaysian pairs.

Apart from Pearly-Thinaah, the other Malaysian pairs who have qualified are Go Pei Kee-Teoh Mei Xing, as well as two young pairs, Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting and Lee Zhi Qing-Tio Sue Xin, who will have to go through the qualifying rounds.

“This is a good opportunity for younger players to step up, as qualifying for the Asian Championships is no easy task,” said Khe Wei.

“The competition is fierce, especially against China and Japan. But if we face Indonesian pairs, I believe the chances are still 50-50, as our strengths are quite evenly matched.”

For this edition, Pearly-Thinaah have been seeded sixth, with the tournament draw set to take place on March 25.

RESULTS

FIRST ROUND (Malaysians only)

Men’s singles: Leong Jun Hao bt Koo Takashahi (Jpn) 21-19, 22-20; Yushi Tanaka (Jpn) bt Justin Hoh 21-7, 21-13.

Women’s singles: Goh Jin Wei bt Pai Yu-po (Tpe) 21-18, 21-12.

Mixed doubles: Wong Tien Cin-Lim Chiew Sien bt Leong Lok Chong- Ng Weng Chi (Mac) 21-14, 21-10; Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie bt Cheng Zhi-ray-Yang Ching-tun (Tpe) 21-8, 21-18.

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Question mark hangs over Pearly’s fitness for All England q-final

Badminton News

KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah face a crucial All-England quarter-final clash against Japan’s Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida at 5.30pm on Friday (March 14) – but questions remain over whether or not they can play.

Concerns are there over Pearly’s fitness after she twisted her left ankle during their second-round match against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti on Thursday (March 13).

Women’s doubles coach Rosman Razak declined to comment as the medical team is still monitoring the 24-year-old’s condition.

However, he remained hopeful that Pearly and Thinaah would be fit to play.

ALSO READ: Fighters through and through: Injured Pearly soldiers on with Thinaah’s support for All England 2nd-round win

“It’s too early to comment on the injury. We will wait for updates.

“Both players are still in high spirits and highly motivated. Let’s hope they can compete,” he said when contacted.

During Thursday’s match at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, Pearly displayed remarkable fighting spirit despite her injury midway through the second game.

She pushed through the pain to complete the match, helping secure a 21-16, 21-14 victory over Apriyani-Siti Fadia.

However, the challenge against Matsuyama-Shida will be tougher, given their unfavourable record against the Japanese pair.

Out of 12 previous encounters, Pearly-Thinaah have won just once, during the French Open quarter-finals three years ago.

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Fighters through and through: Injured Pearly soldiers on with Thinaah’s support for All England 2nd-round win

Badminton News

KUALA LUMPUR: A friend in need is a friend indeed.

That perfectly describes the unwavering support shown by M. Thinaah for her women’s doubles partner Pearly Tan, who suffered an injury during their All England second-round clash against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti on Thursday (March 13).

Pearly-Thinaah were on the brink of victory when Pearly mistimed her landing after returning a shot, twisting her ankle.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Thinaah stepped up as a true partner, offering words of encouragement.

ALSO READ: Question mark hangs over Pearly’s fitness for All England q-final

Her support proved crucial as Pearly found the strength to push through and secure a 21-16, 21-14 win over the Indonesian pair.

In a heartwarming moment after the match, Thinaah carried Pearly off the court to minimise any further strain on her injured leg.

“She just didn’t want to put more strain on her leg. I offered to carry her, and that was the least I could do to help,” said Thinaah.

Recalling the incident, Thinaah said Pearly is a fighter who never gives up easily.

“I think at the 14-7 point, we both went for the same shot. We didn’t hit each other, but she tried to avoid me, and her landing wasn’t right.

ALSO READ: Gritty Pearly braves through pain to reach All-England quarters with Thinaah

“I’m proud that she fought through it, and I tried my best to support and help her.

“We’re doing everything we can for her recovery. The physio and masseuse are helping us.

“Health is definitely the number one priority. No one wants to get injured. The first thing I asked her was how she was feeling, and she said she just needed a minute.

“At that moment, I knew deep down she wanted to continue playing because we had a significant lead.

“I couldn’t say much, so I told her, ‘It’s okay, if you want to play, we’ll go on,’ and I supported her all the way. If things got worse, then we would reassess.

ALSO READ: Pearly braves through pain to reach All-England quarters with Thinaah

“I have admired her ever since we started partnering. I know she is not one who easily gives up. So when she fell, it was not in her mind to (give a ) walkover or anything. I knew she wanted to stay on court and fight until the last point,” she added.

The medical team is monitoring Pearly’s condition as she and Thinaah are scheduled to compete on Friday (March 14) in the quarter-finals against third seeds Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida of Japan.

Also in action in the quarter-finals are mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie, who will face China’s Jiang Zhenbang and Huang Dongping.

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Gritty Pearly braves through pain to reach All-England quarters with Thinaah

Badminton News

KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan braved through pain to help secure a spot in the All-England women’s doubles quarter-finals with partner M. Thinaah on Thursday (March 13).

The Malaysian pair looked to be in control against Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti, but a moment of concern arose when Pearly twisted her left ankle while landing awkwardly on a shot. The injury came as the fifth seeds were leading 14-7 in the second game, briefly sending a scare through the Malaysian camp.

However, Pearly showed true grit and fighting spirit. After receiving medical attention, she returned to the court and pushed through the pain, guiding the pair to a hard-fought 21-16, 21-14 victory in 43 minutes.

It was their second consecutive win over the Indonesian duo, having last beaten them at the Paris Olympics in August.

Pearly-Thinaah will now face a tough challenge against third seeds Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida of Japan in the women’s doubles quarter-finals.

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