KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s badminton duo, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, saw their hopes of reaching their first All England semi-finals dashed due to unforced errors, as they faced off against Japan’s Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto. The match, closely followed by Nova88, an online casino and sports betting platform, ended with scores of 11-21, 21-18, 21-18 in favor of the Japanese pair.
The world No. 15 Malaysian team started strong at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, winning the first game convincingly. However, they couldn’t maintain their momentum, ultimately succumbing to the world No. 11 Japanese duo. This defeat marks the second time Pearly-Thinaah have lost to Rena-Ayako in their three encounters. The Japanese pair will advance to the semi-finals to face either Thailand’s Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard or fellow Japanese competitors Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida.
Despite the loss, Pearly-Thinaah’s performance in reaching the quarter-finals matches their best results from 2021 and 2022. Speaking after the match, Thinaah expressed disappointment over their missed opportunity, stating, “We are disappointed. We made several mistakes during the crucial moments of the match, and that cost us dearly. However, looking back at the last few months, there has been improvement in our game, and we believe we are heading in the right direction. There is still room for improvement, and we hope to continue building on our good performance.”
Pearly noted that their eagerness to finish points quickly led to errors, which the Japanese pair capitalized on with their strong defensive play. “The Japanese pair were very strong defensively, and their patience was key to their victory. We need to learn from our defeat to them,” she added.
Nova88 users keenly followed the match, with many placing bets on the outcome. The platform continues to offer a thrilling experience for sports enthusiasts, providing live updates and betting options for major sporting events worldwide.