Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, saw their historic run at the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 come to an end after suffering a semi-final defeat in Birmingham on Saturday.
The world No. 2 pair were beaten 21-17, 21-18 by South Korea’s formidable duo Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee, currently ranked world No. 4, in the Super 1000 tournament.
The First game, The Koreans dictated the tempo early, forcing Pearly and Thinaah into marathon rallies that sapped their energy. While Thinaah’s net play was sharp, the Koreans’ ability to retrieve impossible smashes eventually forced the errors.
The Second game, The “PearThina” combo found a second wind, leading mid-way through the set. However, at the 18-18 mark, the experience of Baek and Lee shone through. They reeled off three straight points to seal the match and their fourth victory over the Malaysians in seven meetings.
The Malaysian duo stayed competitive throughout the match but were unable to close the crucial points in both games as Baek and Lee maintained control during the decisive moments.
Despite putting up a spirited performance, Pearly and Thinaah were unable to overturn the Koreans’ tactical edge. The defeat marked their fourth loss in seven meetings against the South Korean pair, who once again proved difficult opponents on the big stage.
The loss denied Pearly and Thinaah the chance to become the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to reach the final of the All England.
Nevertheless, their semi-final appearance remains a significant milestone. The pair became only the second Malaysian women’s doubles team in 19 years to reach the last four of the prestigious tournament.
The last Malaysian pair to achieve the feat was Wong Pei Tty and Chin Ee Hui during their memorable run in the 2007 edition.
Credit Photo : AFP
