Best Merdeka Day Gift In The Offing Can Pearly Thinaah Tang Jie Ee Wei Deliver World Titles From Paris

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ON paper, the odds are seemingly stacked against them.
City of romance aside, Paris maybe a good hunting ground for top national women’s double pair of Pearly Tan-Thinaah  Muralitharan for in October 2022, the duo became the first ever Malaysian women’s doubles pair to clinch the French Open title.
But having come back from a game down to topple top Japanese pair of Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida 14-21, 21-13, 21-12 in the World Championships’ semi-finals at the Adidas Arena in Port de la Chapelle, Paris yesterday (Aug 30), they may find the odds stack against them.
The battle between the world #2 and #3 which stretched to 68 minutes could be a little draining to the Malaysians’ liking considering that they have to square off with China’s ‘invisible’ pair of Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning in the battle of world #1 and #2 today (Aug 31).

After all, not only is the 9-3 head-to-head track record in favour of the Chinese, Liu-Tan had a rather easier passage enroute today’s finals (starting at 8pm Malaysian time) with a straight set victory against their World’s #9 Japanese opponent Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi 21-15-21-4 in just 41 minutes.
However, badminton fans at home are banking on the Merdeka Day spirit to fuel the grit of Pearly-Thinaah so as to add some glitter to the 68th national day celebrations.
The same principle certainly applies to ‘re-united’ national top-ranked mixed doubles pair of Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei who cross path with their world #2 Chinese opponents Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin in today’s final.
The world #4 Malaysians were in their element on the eve of Merdeka Day as they sent home favourites and world #8 Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue packing in straight set 21-18, 21-16 in 53 minutes.

In contrast, Jiang-Wei had to battle for 68 minutes to eliminate their world #7 compatriots Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui in a rubber set 11-21, 23-21, 21-18 that stretched to 68 minutes.
In the absence of the men doubles forces of world #2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, world #3 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and world #7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun – all of whom failed to make the cut in the tournament – Malaysians are banking on Pearly-Thinaah and Tang Jie-Ee Wei to deliver the glory.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh summed up best in  her congratulatory Facebook message to both national pairings:
Congratulations to Pearly-Thinaah & Tang Jie-Ee Wei for making it to the World Championships women’s doubles and mixed doubles final in Paris!
What a Merdeka Day gift it would be to have two world titles tomorrow!” 

 - Focus Malaysia

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