KUALA LUMPUR: Women's pair Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah put months of injury setbacks and personal heartbreak behind them to claim their first title since January at the Denmark Open on Sunday.
The world No. 5 defeated Japan's world No. 21 Hinata Suzuki–Nao Yamakita 21-18, 21-11 in 36 minutes in the final at the SJF Bank Arena in Odense to claim their second title of the season.
The triumph also made Pearly–Thinaah the first Malaysian women's pair to win the tournament in 18 years, following Wong Pei Tty–Chin Eei Hui's success in 2008.
It is their second Super 750 title of their career, after their 2022 French Open win. They take home US$70,300 (RM286,788.85) in prize money.
The duo last won at the Indonesia Masters in January, when Japan's Arisa Igarashi–Miyu Takahashi withdrew from the final, handing them a walkover.
That Jakarta victory ended Malaysia's 15-year wait for the women's doubles crown since Vivian Hoo–Woon Khe Wei won it in 2011.
However, the months that followed tested Pearly–Thinaah both on and off court, with injury disrupting their season and personal losses taking an emotional toll.
Pearly suffered a recurring back injury at the Asia Championships in April, forcing her to miss the Uber Cup, Thailand Open and Malaysia Masters as she underwent rehabilitation.
Her return was gradual. In July, Pearly admitted she was only 70 to 80 per cent recovered and was still trying to rediscover her rhythm.
Thinaah, meanwhile, endured the loss of her grandmother on Aug 21 before her pet rabbit, Roger, died three weeks later.
Despite those setbacks, the pair fought back to bag bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games last month, ending Malaysia's 12-year wait for a women's doubles medal at the Asiad.
They were also Malaysia's only badminton medallists at the Games, providing a timely lift after a difficult period.
Pearly–Thinaah carried that resurgence into Odense, coming from behind to beat India's Treesa Jolly–Gayatri Gopichand in the quarter-finals before overcoming China's Bao Li Jing–Cao Zi Han 21–16, 21–14 in the last four.
Pearly–Thinaah will next head to the French Open, seeking to build on their Denmark success.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd