{
  "id": 15404926,
  "title": "Pearly–Thinaah back to the top after overcoming personal setbacks",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/pearly-thinaah-back-to-the-top-after-overcoming-personal-setbacks",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T12:22:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/badminton/2026/10/1558396/pearly%E2%80%93thinaah-back-top-after-overcoming-personal-setbacks"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Women badminton pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah overcame personal setbacks to reclaim their title at the Denmark Open on Sunday. The world No. 5 pair defeated Japan's world No. 21 pair Hinata Suzuki-Nao Yamakita 21-18, 21-11 in 36 minutes, clinching their second title of the season and making Pearly–Thinaah the first Malaysian women's pair to win the tournament in 18 years. The duo take home US$70,300 (RM286,788.85) in prize money. They last won at the Indonesia Masters in January, ending Malaysia's 15-year wait for the women's doubles crown since 2011. The pair faced significant challenges, with Pearly suffering a back injury at the Asia Championships, forcing her to miss several tournaments, and Thinaah losing her grandmother and pet rabbit shortly before the Denmark Open. Despite these setbacks, the pair fought back to win bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and carry that resurgence into the Denmark Open, where they overcame India's Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and China's Bao Li Jing-Cao Zi Han in the quarter-finals and final, respectively. They will next head to the French Open to build on their Denmark success.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s pair Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah put months of injury setbacks and personal heartbreak behind them to claim their first title since January at the Denmark Open on Sunday.",
  "key_points": [
    "Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah win Denmark Open doubles title",
    "Pair overcomes personal setbacks, including injuries and loss of loved ones",
    "First Malaysian women's doubles winners in 18 years"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Pearly–Thinaah capture Denmark Open crown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/pearly-thinaah-capture-denmark-open-crown",
        "published": "2026-10-18T12:09:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}