Coach praises Pearly-Thinaah for gritty display

KUALA LUMPUR - National women’s doubles coach Hoon Thien How was impressed by the staying power of Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah in the Malaysia Masters 2023, where they endured four marathon matches lasting five hours and 54 minutes in total.

It was amazing that the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games champions were on court for at least one hour for each of the four matches from the second round until yesterday’s final although Pearly had just recovered from influenza last month.

"Before this tournment, we had never seen them play for one hour and 51 minutes in a match. I was pleasantly surprised that Pearly could last the pace despite having just recovered from flu.

"In fact, they had to withdraw from the Badminton Asia Championships in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and trained for only five days before going for the Sudirman Cup (in China). And then they played well at the Malaysia Masters,” he told reporters after the pair went down fighting in the final at Axiata Arena here.

At the Malaysia Masters, Pearly-Thinaah created a record of sorts by playing a 211-shot rally when they beat Japan’s Rena Miyaura-Ayako Sakuramoto 21-18, 8-21, 21-19 in one hour and 51 minutes in the quarter-finals.

Pearly-Thinaah, the 2022 French Open champions, then subdued South Korea’s Jeong Na Eun-Kim Hye Jeong 21-19, 23-21 in their semi-final match which lasted one hour and 33 minutes.

In the final, the pair came narrowly close to lifting their first title on home turf but lost to South Korea’s Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee 20-22, 21-8, 17-21 in one hour and 41 minutes.

Thien How said they would be working on strengthening Pearly-Thinaah’s attack by getting them to spar with national men’s doubles players in preparation for next month’s Singapore Open.

"In terms of fitness, we can just maintain their level this week and cannot afford to push them because there are only four days of training left. They must be tired too,” he said. - BERNAMA