Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan delivered a landmark moment for Malaysia at TOYOTA Thailand Open 2025, becoming the first women’s pair from their country to win the 41-year-old event.

In the final at the Nimibutr Arena, the top seeds defeated Jeong Na Eun/Lee Yeon Woo 21-16 21-17 in 58 minutes, capping off a dominant week in Bangkok.

The triumph is their first of the season and helps erase the disappointment of an opening round exit at the Malaysia Open earlier this year.

“It means a lot to be honest,” Muralitharan reflected. “We didn’t start the year well but we never lost faith in each other. Step by step, we overcame a few things. This win will help take us forward.”

After a slow start, Tan and Muralitharan found their rhythm midway through the opening game against the four-tournament-old Korean duo.

“We told each other to be confident and keep believing in each other,” said Tan. “We discussed a lot how to overcome the opponents’ strategy and that worked well. I’m happy with this week’s work.”

Tan controlled the front court expertly, while both players unleashed powerful smashes at key moments. But it was their grit during the extended rallies that stood out.

“Our mindset was the same – we just didn’t want the shuttle to hit the ground,” Muralitharan said. “We just wanted to go all out and try to save every shot we could.”

With the PERODUA Malaysia Masters 2025 just two days away, celebrations will be shortlived.

“We are just going to get some good rest, then prepare to start again from zero,” said Muralitharan.

Men’s pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik rounded off a memorable day for Malaysia by ending a 16-year drought in their discipline. The newly-crowned Asian champions had to dig deep against surprise package William Kryger Boe/Christian Faust Kjaer, eventually prevailing 20-22 21-17 21-12.

“We weren’t at our best in the first match but we got better with each round and now we have the trophy in our hands,” said Chia.

Soh highlighted the pair’s motivation under new coach Herry Iman Pierngadi after bagging their partnership’s maiden back-to-back titles.

“We wanted to show him the level we are capable of reaching,” he said.

→ Results (Finals)

WHAT OTHERS SAID

“This is my first medal with Yeon Woo. Although it’s a silver, if we work harder on the areas we lack, we could turn it into a gold next time.” – Jeong stays upbeat despite losing the final

“I’m happy to win here in what has been a challenging week with the court conditions. I will eat some good Thai food tonight. My favourite is the seafood.” – Women’s singles champion Chen Yu Fei

“Almost shed a tear seeing Kunlavut (Vitidsarn) bowing down and taking the trophy. That was a beautiful moment. I’m happy for him.” – Men’s singles runner-up Anders Antonsen shares a moment of sportsmanship

“Anders is a top player. When I saw the draw I wasn’t sure I’d make it this far. And I almost lost in the second round. So I’m delighted to have won in front of the many fans who came to support me. This is special.” – Vitidsarn on his second Thailand Open title

“They performed well – aggressive and impactful. It reminded me of how we were when we first started: fearless.” – Mixed doubles winner Huang Dong Ping impressed by beaten compatriots Gao Jia Xuan/Wu Meng Ying