KUALA LUMPUR: National coach Rosman Razak has several weeks to help world No. 6 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah rediscover their winning form before the new season begins, following their winless campaign at the World Tour Finals (WT) in Hangzhou.
Despite displaying their trademark fighting spirit, Pearly-Thinaah suffered their third consecutive defeat in Group A, falling 21-9, 18-21, 21-18 to world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning of China today.
Although already eliminated from contention, a victory against Sheng Shu-Tan Ning would have provided a morale-boosting consolation for the Malaysian pair ahead of the season-opening Malaysia Open on Jan 7-12.
After a subdued first game suggested a straightforward defeat was imminent, Pearly-Thinaah showed remarkable resilience.
Down 18-16 in the second game, they rallied to force a deciding third game.
The Malaysian duo appeared set for an upset when they led 14-11 in the final game.
However, Sheng Shu-Tan Ning, who have claimed three titles in their last four tournaments, demonstrated why they're currently badminton's hottest pair by fighting back to secure the 76-minute contest.
Rosman now faces the urgent task of ensuring Pearly-Thinaah's competitive spirit translates into victories on the court.
"Although we've been through many ups and downs throughout our three group stage matches, we've gained invaluable experiences," Pearly told Malaysian Chinese-language sports portal MyAllSports.
Despite losing in all their group matches in Hangzhou, Pearly-Thinaah earned US$17,500 (RM78,000) for their efforts of qualifying for the eight-pair WTF.