Badminton

Pearly-Thinaah hope to avoid China juggernauts in Hangzhou

KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 6 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah are confident they can beat any top women's doubles pair, except for China's Tang Ning-Liu Sheng Shu.

The Malaysian duo are seeking solutions ahead of a likely clash with the world No. 1 Chinese pair at the World Tour Finals (WTF) in Hangzhou from Dec 11-15.

National coach Rosman Razak admitted Tang Ning-Sheng Shu have been unbeatable on the World Tour since the Paris Olympics.

Tang Ning-Sheng Shu, who won six World Tour titles this year, were silver medallists in Paris.

"Not just Pearly-Thinaah, but all other pairs are struggling to beat Tang Ning-Sheng Shu. They're the best in the world right now," said Rosman.

"Pearly-Thinaah need a different approach to overcome them, and it's crucial they remain fresh and injury-free throughout the tournament."

Pearly-Thinaah, who trail 6-3 in their head-to-head record with the Chinese pair, also lost their most recent encounter at the China Masters quarter-finals two weeks ago.

The tournament draw, set to be conducted tomorrow, will determine whether Pearly-Thinaah will face Tang Ning-Sheng Shu in the group stage.

Rosman, however, remains optimistic about his charges' chances in Hangzhou.

"The girls are confident they can perform well, and a favourable draw could see them reach the semi-finals of this prestigious season-ending tournament," he added.

Most Popular
Related Article
Says Stories