Historic Victory: Malaysians Beat Jia/Zhang for First Time
Published: Dec 17, 2025
Arthur Jones
Writer
Tan and Muralitharan broke their losing streak against Jia and Zhang with a commanding 21-17, 21-11 win at the World Tour Finals, highlighting their teamwork and trust on court.
Fresh off their SEA Games gold, Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan finally overcame Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian at the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2025, ending a streak of five previous losses against the Chinese pair (their first encounter ended with a retirement in the opening game).
In their Group A opener, Tan and Muralitharan edged a tight first game before dominating the second, securing a 21-17, 21-11 victory.
In their Group A opener, Tan and Muralitharan edged a tight first game before dominating the second, securing a 21-17, 21-11 victory.
“Definitely happy for this game because we were specially preparing for the World Tour Finals,” said Muralitharan. “So it was about having no regrets on court, communicating well when things don’t go well, just talk it out, support each other.”
The Malaysians took control early in the second game, scoring multiple points in a row, including a standout 83-shot rally that gave them an 11-4 lead.
“The trust that we have in each other helped. We tried to be calm and steady and focus and that helped a lot,” Muralitharan added.
