PETALING JAYA: Women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah powered into the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open, showcasing their quality despite ongoing uncertainty over their future with the national team.
The world No. 4 duo battled past the tricky Indonesian pair Siti Fadia Ramadhanti-Lanny Tria Mayasari 21-17, 10-21, 21-15 in a 56-minute clash at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok on Thursday (May 15), avenging their earlier loss to the same opponents in the first round of the Malaysian Open in January.
Top seeds Pearly and Thinaah are due to hold final discussions with the Badminton Association of Malaysia about their contracts after the tournament but remained focused to deliver a strong performance on court.
They now await the winners of the match between China’s Chen Qingchen-Wang Ting Ge and Thai sisters Benyapa and Nuntakarn Aimsaard for a place in the semi-finals.
Speaking to the Badminton World Federation, Thinaah welcomed the win but acknowledged areas for improvement.
"There’s still room for improvement for both of us, but we’re happy that we managed to win today.
"We just want to keep our focus and prepare well for the next match," she said.
