KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian tennis history was made today when Jawairiah Noordin-S.Theiviya reached the semi-finals of the Sea Games women's doubles event at National Tennis Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Jawairiah-Theiviya are assured a bronze medal, which will mark Malaysia's first ever podium finish in a non-team tennis event since Si Yew Meng-Khoo Chin Bee took third in mixed doubles at the 2003 Vietnam Sea Games.
The Malaysians battled past Vietnam's Nguyen Tu Kim Ngan-Ngoc Si Boi 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 10-7 in the quarter-finals and will play Thailand's top seeds Nicha Lertpitaksinchai-Peangtarn Plipuech for a spot in the final tomorrow.
"It is great to create a small history for Malaysia but the mission is not over yet. We are playing the top seeds tomorrow...we will try our best to achieve something," said Theiviya.
"We need a game plan as the Thais are ranked very high on the ATP Tour."
Malaysia's challenge in the women's singles came to an end in the quarter-finals when Aslina Chua lost 6-0,6-3 to fourth seed Andrea Ka of Cambodia in the quarter-finals.