KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah were determined to end their title drought at the Korea Open but struggled with fatigue in the women's doubles final today.
The world No. 9 suffered a 21-12, 21-11 defeat to unseeded South Koreans Jeong Na Eun-Kim Hye Jeong in just 44 minutes at the Mokpo Indoor Stadium in Seoul.
Pearly-Thinaah, who had received a bye in the first round, spent just over two hours on court leading up to the final.
"Na Eun-Hye Jeong were well-prepared against us. We have to accept this defeat as we were also feeling fatigued after long matches (in the previous rounds).
"We have to give credit to them and not be too harsh on ourselves. For now, we hope to get good rest and come back stronger for the next tournament," Thinaah told SPOTV.
While Thinaah was at the interview session with SPOTV, Pearly reportedly went straight to the treatment room after suffering an ankle issue during the match, where she required medical attention in the first game.
"She slipped on the court during the first game, but it didn't affect her too much. However, she is now feeling uneasy. I don't think it's anything to worry about," added the 26-year-old Thinaah.
Pearly-Thinaah will now prepare for the Hong Kong Open from Sept 10-15.
For the record, the Malaysians last won a title at the French Open in 2022.