World Championships: Pearly-Thinaah one step closer to country's first ever women's doubles gold

KUALA LUMPUR - The country’s top women's doubles pair, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, cruised into the semifinals of the 2025 Badminton World Championships in Paris today, taking them one step closer to making history by winning a first-ever medal for Malaysia in the women's doubles event at the prestigious tournament.

In the quarterfinal match played at the Adidas Arena, the world number two pair secured at least a bronze medal after easily overcoming the challenge from the Bulgarian sisters, Gabriela Stoeva-Stefani Stoeva.

Pearly-Thinaah won the first set 21-15 before continuing their momentum to complete a 21-10 victory in the second set.

This result also erased the disappointment from the 2023 edition in Copenhagen, Denmark, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Awaiting them in the semifinals are Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida from Japan, who advanced after defeating Kim Hye Jeong-Kong Hee Yong from South Korea 21-17, 21-14. - BERNAMA