World No. 2 Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah admitted to mixed feelings after being awarded the Indonesia Masters women’s doubles title on Sunday, following a walkover from newly formed Japanese pair Arisa Igarashi and Miyu Takahashi.
“It is a bit of mixed feelings because it is not the win we wanted,” Pearly said. “We really hoped to play against them in the final, and it is a pity they could not.”
Thinaah shared her partner’s sentiment. “We were not too happy with the news. They are a really strong pair, and we would have loved to compete against them,” she said.
Source: TVS
Despite the anticlimactic ending, the victory marked the Malaysians’ seventh World Tour title and made them only the second Malaysian women’s doubles pair to win the Indonesia Masters, following Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei in 2011.
The duo also reflected on the challenge of competing in their 25th tournament over just 13 months. “The first day was not great, but we focused on improving and maintained our momentum,” Thinaah said. “It worked out in the second round and carried us through the tournament.”
Addressing their growing rivalry with Indonesian pairs, Pearly said: “It is normal for fans to support their athletes. We focus on ourselves and play our best.” Thinaah added, “We do not take social media comments too seriously. Our priority is always our performance.”
The pair earned $39,500 USD (RM158,242) for their victory. “Now it is time to rest, enjoy a good meal, and prepare for the journey back,” Thinaah said.
