Malaysia’s women’s doubles hopes at the BWF World Tour Finals came to a halt as Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah were denied a place in the final, falling in straight games to Japan’s Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto on Saturday.
The world number two pair were edged out 21-19, 21-13 in a 61-minute semi-final showdown at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, extending their struggles against the Japanese duo to two losses in as many days.
Pearly-Thinaah showed admirable resilience in the opening game, recovering from a 15-19 deficit to draw level at 19-all, only for crucial points to slip away at the closing stages. The narrow loss proved costly, as momentum swung firmly in Japan’s favour.
The Malaysians opened the second set confidently and led 7-4, but unforced errors — particularly at the net — allowed Fukushima-Matsumoto to seize control. With Pearly increasingly targeted, the Japanese pair steadily pulled away before closing out the match.
Despite the disappointment, the semi-final finish represents a major step forward for Pearly-Thinaah. It was their best-ever showing at the prestigious season-ending event, having exited at the group stage in last year’s edition after three straight defeats.
Their ability to top Group A this year underlined their growth and consistency across the season, even if the elusive World Tour Finals crown remains out of reach for now.
While history will have to wait, Pearly-Thinaah leave Hangzhou with renewed belief — and clear evidence that they remain firmly among the world’s elite women’s doubles pairs heading into the next phase of the international calendar.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
