KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — National women’s doubles shuttler Pearly Tan described this year as a period of immense growth for her and her partner M. Thinaah, where they learned to handle pressure, tackle challenges and communicate better on the court ahead of the World Tour Finals (WTF) 2024 in Hangzhou, China, next month.
She hopes to carry this positive momentum in the future, especially in fostering strong communication on the court to better understand each other even during challenging matches.
“It is not the most satisfying year, but I think it is a year where we have learned so much and grown significantly as a pair. We have figured out how to handle pressure, address problems, and discuss issues in court effectively.
“We could have done better, but we’re happy with the results and hope to achieve even more next year,” she said after attending the renewal of a three-year partnership between Affin Group and the Badminton Association of Malaysia, reaffirming Affin's role as the Official Bank Partner today.
Meanwhile, Thinaah echoed Pearly’s sentiments, describing the WTF 2024 as an important tournament and emphasising the importance of staying grounded and enjoying their time on one of badminton’s biggest stages where only the top eight best pairs qualify.
“We are thrilled to have qualified, but as always, our focus is on staying grounded and enjoying the moment. Communication is something we are continuously working on, but overall, things have been going well,” she said.
In the meantime, mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are determined to deliver a strong performance at WTF 2024 as their final tournament of the year without underestimating other pairs regardless of rankings.
“Every opponent is strong, as only the top eight pairs qualify for this prestigious event. So, we do not rely on the draw (even though we are top four).
“We are very happy to have made it again this year. As we always say, we’ll fight our hardest on court, and I believe we can achieve something great,” said Toh.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_370644" align="aligncenter" width="1356"]
(from left to right) National badminton athletes Toh Ee Wei and Chen Tang Jie react after their match against China's Guo Xin Wa and Li Qian, during the finals of the 2024 Korea Open at the Mokpo Indoor Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, on September 1, 2024. — Picture via FACEBOOK/BADMINTON ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA - BAM[/caption]
