Rexy satisfied with performance of Pearly-Thinaah

KUALA LUMPUR: Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) coaching director Rexy Mainaky is satisfied with the performance of national women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah throughout the 2025 All England badminton championship in Birmingham even though they ended their challenge in the quarter-finals yesterday.

He said despite the injury sustained by Pearly in the second round, the two still fought well at the prestigious Super 1000 tournament.

"Considering the injury sustained by Pearly after playing the previous day, they were still able to give a pretty good match (up to the quarter-finals)," he said briefly when contacted.

In the second round on Thursday, Pearly-Thinaah started well in the first set when they won 21-16 and remained unstoppable in the second set while leading Indonesian pair, Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti 15-7.

However, Pearly suffered an ankle injury but refused to wave the white flag, instead deciding to continue playing and ignoring the pain before completing the game with a 21-14 victory to advance to the quarter-finals.

The challenge of the world's fifth-ranked doubles at the Birmingham Utilita Arena, however, ended in the quarter-finals, with Pearly-Thinaah losing to the Japanese pair, Chiharu Shida-Nami Matsuyama, in straight sets 17-21, 19-21 in a 41-minute battle.

With the defeat, Pearly-Thinaah were eliminated at the quarter-finals stage for the fourth time in five appearances at the prestigious tournament.

-- BERNAMA