Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah return to Adidas Arena, the site of their Olympic breakthrough, aiming for their best-ever finish at the 2025 BWF World Championships in Paris.
Malaysian women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah are set to return to a venue that holds deep personal significance — the Adidas Arena in Paris, formerly known as Arena Porte De La Chapelle — as they chase world championship success later this month.
Currently ranked world No. 2, Pearly-Thinaah made history at the same Parisian venue during the 2024 Olympics, where they became the first Malaysian women’s pair ever to reach the Olympic semi-finals. Although they narrowly missed out on a medal after falling to Japan’s Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida in the bronze medal match, their inspiring run captured national attention.
Now, with the 2025 BWF World Championships set to unfold at the same location, expectations are high for the Malaysian pair to go even further.
“Competing at a familiar venue can be an emotional and psychological boost,” said former national high-performance director Datuk James Selvaraj. “They’ve experienced a career breakthrough there. This time, they should aim for the final. Winning is a bonus — but they must show they belong on that stage.”
The pair are in excellent form heading into the prestigious event. So far this season, Pearly and Thinaah have reached four World Tour finals and captured the Thailand Open title in May — their most impressive season to date.
James believes the key to further success will be strong communication and mental resilience on court.
“They must stay confident and continue pushing each other to perform,” he added. “That mental strength could make the difference in reaching the final.”
Their best World Championships performance to date came in 2023, when they advanced to the quarter-finals. However, with greater experience, consistency, and familiarity with the Parisian venue, the potential for a breakthrough is within reach.
Meanwhile, former Olympic medalist Datuk Razif Sidek echoed optimism around Malaysia’s doubles prospects in Paris.
“If there’s a medal coming home from the World Championships, it will most likely be from the doubles events,” Razif stated. “We have three pairs ranked in the world’s top seven, which gives us a strong hand. If the draw is favorable, at least one pair should be able to make the final.”
Razif and James both highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Malaysia’s singles prospects, particularly with Lee Zii Jia, the nation’s top men’s singles player, still recovering from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since March.
With Malaysia’s hopes now pinned primarily on its doubles contingent, the pressure — and opportunity — rests on the shoulders of players like Pearly and Thinaah, who are not only chasing medals but looking to rewrite national history once again in the City of Light.
