Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah showcased arguably one of their finest performances this year to win the Kumamoto Masters in Japan on Sunday.
Stadium Astro highlights three factors that were key to the national women's pair winning their third silverware of 2025.
Advertisement
Immense mental strength
The fact the Malaysians won the final in straight games was nothing short of miraculous. Tan-Thinaah endured a slow start against their Japanese rivals Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi and trailed 0-7 in the opening game.
They did well to close the gap after that, but their Japanese opponents looked set to have the advantage with a 20-17 lead.
The national pair refused to buckle and patiently worked their way to force deuce and snatch victory after scoring the next five points.
Even in the second game, the world number two pair trailed 3-8 before they found the composure needed to cross the line as champions with a 22-20, 21-19 win.
Tan-Thinaah’s resilience were evident in the first round itself, when they came from a game down to beat another Japanese pair.
Pearly shines through
This Super 500 title win is a collective effort of both Tan-Thinaah, but Tan particularly stood out in the final through her all-round display.
Marshalling the back court, the Alor-Setar born shuttler almost dictated the rallies single-handedly through her baseline excellence.
Tan has so much creativity in her game, she could set-up and finish off the rally either through a deceptive drop shot, or simply change the direction of her attacks to confuse the opponent.
Many of her winners came through her powerful smashes, which has now further enhanced her reputation as one of the most fearsome women’s doubles shuttler.
A standout moment of a wonderful display came midway through the first game when Tan returned a shot from around the back which ended with her securing the point.
The ability to win despite not being at 100%
National women’s doubles head coach Rosman Razak admitted Tan-Thinaah were not in their best shape in the tournament, but hailed their never-say-die attitude.
“It has been a week filled with various challenges. It wasn’t easy, both were not in their best condition, but their spirit to keep overcoming shortcomings in every match deserves praise. Their physical and mental strength became key to the victory,” he said.
Tan even looked to struggle with a back injury in the second game, but soldiered on to ensure the win.
The pair who have also won the Thailand Open and Arctic Open titles this year, will now skip the Australian Open for a well-deserved rest.
