KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — In a stunning turn of events at the 2025 Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships, national women's doubles stars Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah saw their dreams of title defense obliterated, falling short in the semi-finals today.

The duo, who were runners-up at the World Championships, faced a formidable challenge against China's Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian, losing in straight sets: 14-21, 11-21, all within a brisk 35 minutes.

Their defeat signals a disappointing end to Malaysia's journey in this year's tournament, as Tan and Thinaah were the sole representatives from the nation to reach the semi-finals.

Last year, the duo celebrated their triumph at this very event, clinching the women’s doubles title by overpowering Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China with a confident 21-14, 21-14 performance.

Reflecting on today’s loss, Thinaah highlighted the strategic prowess of the Chinese pair, noting their precise shot placements that put her and Tan under relentless pressure. 'That’s definitely something we need to improve on… and we need to stay more alert on the court,' she said in a post-match audio clip.

Tan echoed her partner’s sentiments, attributing their defeat to a rush in their gameplay as they attempted to gain momentum: 'We lost our focus at critical moments, leading to simple mistakes. Following their pace was perhaps our biggest downfall,' she admitted.

Looking ahead, both athletes acknowledged the need for rest before resuming training and strategizing for their next tournament, determined to come back stronger.