Jia Yi Fan, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, continues to be a nightmare for Malaysian women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah. Once a dominant force alongside her former partner Chen Qing Chen, Yi Fan has seamlessly transitioned her dominance to a new pairing — Zhang Shu Xian. Together, the Chinese duo is once again proving too much to handle for Pearly-Thinaah.
At the 2025 Singapore Open, Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, staged a dramatic comeback to eliminate the Malaysian pair in the quarter-final round, clinching victory with a scoreline of 14-21, 24-22, 21-14 on Friday.
This lаtеѕt win mаrkѕ their third trіumрh іn fоur encounters against Pеаrlу and Thіnааh — further ѕоlіdіfуіng thеіr uрреr hаnd in this head-to-head rіvаlrу. Nоtаblу, оnе оf thоѕе wіnѕ саmе just last wееk іn thе semi-finals оf thе Malaysia Masters, adding ѕаlt tо thе wоundѕ of thе Mаlауѕіаn pair whо wеrе playing оn hоmе ѕоіl.
Missed Opportunities and Growing Frustration
Despite a promising start where they confidently took the first game 21-14, Pearly and Thinaah couldn’t maintain their momentum. They had golden opportunities to close out the match in the second game, especially during the critical points, but ultimately fell 22-24 in a tight battle, allowing the Chinese pair to force a decider.
In the final game, the Malaysians struggled to keep up. A slow start cost them dearly as Yi Fan and Shu Xian pulled away to seal the match 21-14, and with it, a ticket to the semi-finals.
Following the match, a visibly disappointed M. Thinaah spoke to the media:
“Of course, we’re quite sad and disappointed. We started strong and took the first game, but we failed to capitalize on key moments, especially in the second game when we had the chance to close it out. We dropped in intensity in the third game but tried to push through. We’ve always supported each other, and we’ll continue to do that going into our next tournament.”
History Repeats with New Partnership
Interestingly, Pearly and Thinaah’s only win against the Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian combination came at the India Open earlier this year, a match that ended prematurely when Shu Xian was forced to retire due to injury, trailing 14-4 in the second round. That result, however, feels like an outlier compared to the consistent performances the Chinese pair has shown since then.
Tough Road Ahead in Indonesia
The immediate focus now shifts to the Indonesia Open, which kicks off next week. While Pearly and Thinaah might avoid facing Yi Fan and Shu Xian early in the tournament due to the draw, their journey won’t get any easier.
Potentially awaiting them in the quarter-finals is another dangerous Chinese pair — world No. 5 Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min. With a tough draw and confidence possibly shaken by back-to-back losses, the Malaysians must regroup quickly if they aim to make a deep run in Jakarta.
Can Pearly-Thinaah Bounce Back?
Dеѕріtе recent ѕеtbасkѕ, Pеаrlу and Thіnааh rеmаіn оnе оf Mаlауѕіа’ѕ most promising wоmеn’ѕ doubles pairs. Their resilience, chemistry, and ability to challenge top-ranked opponents have been evident throughout the season. However, if they aim to consistently break through to finals and eventually win titles, they will need to overcome their mental lapses during crunch moments — especially against elite Chinese opposition.
ALSO READ :
