Malaysia's Pearly-Thinaah, Cheng-Toh script new firsts at BWF World Championships 2025

For the first time, Malaysia will play for gold in women’s and mixed doubles events at BWF World Championships.

The BWF World Championships 2025 is reaching its climax, and the Malaysian contingent couldn’t have asked for a better outcome, with two historic doubles final spots already secured.

In women’s doubles, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan created history by becoming the first-ever women’s doubles pair from Malaysia to reach the finals of BWF World Championships.

On the other hand, the mixed doubles duo of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei also booked their place in the final, becoming the first Malaysians to achieve this feat in mixed doubles.

The duo of Pearly-Thinaah overcame a shaky start in their semi-final against Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota, dropping the opening game 14-21.

But backed by a packed stadium, they bounced back brilliantly to dominate the next two games 21-13, 21-12 and secure their place in the final.

Tan and Muralitharan, currently ranked World No.2, will now face the top-ranked Chinese pair of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning for the title.

“It’s unbelievable that we are here today, because of what we went through the last one or two weeks,” Muralitharan was quoted as saying after winning the semi-final match.

“It wasn’t easy, it was a really a bumpy ride to be honest. What we went through only both of us know, and also our coaches, but thankful that everyone around me didn’t give up on the us. So we’re definitely very grateful and thankful for that.

“And to be here today, words cannot describe how happy we are, but we still want to keep ourselves grounded, because there’s still one more match to go,” she added.

Also Read: BWF World Championships 2025: Satwik-Chirag settle for bronze finish after semi-final loss

Meanwhile, in mixed doubles, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei continued their dream run. Ranked No. 4 in the world, the Malaysians defeated France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 21-18, 21-16 in a hard-fought 53-minute semi-final.

They will now challenge China’s World No. 2 pair Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin in the final.

Malaysia nearly had another medal chance in men’s doubles, with World No. 2 pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik cruising into the quarter-finals. However, they were dismantled 12-21, 9-21 by India’s top duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who secured a bronze medal in the event.

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