KUALA LUMPUR: Women's doubles Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah have lost their identity and aggressiveness and must address the decline to avoid disappearing from the badminton scene.
On Tuesday, third seeds Pearly-Thinaah failed to live up to their Swiss Open seeding when they were stunned 21-15, 14-21, 21-16 by world No 26 Lee Chia Hsin-Teng Chun Hsun of Taiwan.
It was the world No 8's second first-round exit in as many weeks after last week's All England.
Pearly-Thinaah were also knocked out in the first round of the season-opening Malaysia Open.
Although they made back-to-back semi-finals at the Indonesia Masters, Thailand Masters and German Open a fortnight ago, their tendency to lose in the first round is a cause for concern.
Three first-round exits in just six starts this season are alarming given that they had lost only once in the opening match in 2022.
With their next assignment — the Asia Championships in Dubai — coming up (April 25-30), coach Hoon Thien How said Pearly-Thinaah must take advantage of the break to rejuvenate their game.
Thien How said Pearly-Thinaah are not performing up to their standard, which saw them winning last year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games and French Open.
Since bursting into the scene by winning the 2021 Swiss Open, Pearly-Thinaah's aggressiveness akin to the men's game has become a talking point in world badminton.
Sadly, according to Thien How, the pair have lost all that, at least in the last two tournaments.
"Pearly-Thinaah used to be very good with their attacking game. Unfortunately, at the All England and this week's Swiss Open, they were not as powerful and efficient," said Thien How.
"There's no chemistry between them. When they cannot kill off the rallies, they make mistakes.
"Even their defending is poor. There was no creativity in their return shots.
"They have a month to fix their shortcomings. Most importantly, I want them to regain their style of play.
"They are even struggling to execute their aggressive game."
Compatriots Vivian Hoo and Lim Chiew Sien won their first match after three tournaments when they edged American Annie Xu-Kerry Xu 21-18, 21-18 on Tuesday.
In the men's doubles, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will have a chance to avenge their German Open defeat to Japan's Akira Koga-Taichi Saito when the two pairs clash in tomorrow's second round.
The reigning world champions were hardly troubled in their 21-10, 21-10 win over Switzerland's Arthur Boudier-Pham Minh Quang.
They were joined in the last 16 by Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, who defeated Scotland's Alexander Dunn-Adam Hall 22-20, 21-13.
Yew Sin-Ee Yi will likely face Indonesia's Pramudya Kusumawardana-Yeremia Rambitan next for a place in the quarter-finals.
SELECTED RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) bt Arthur Boudier-Pham Minh Quang (Sui) 21-10, 21-10; Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) bt Alexander Dunn-Adam Hall (Sco) 22-20, 21-13; Lee Jhe Huei-Yang Po Hsuan (Tai) bt Tan Kian Meng-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) 21-12, 15-21, 21-11.
Women's doubles: Lee Chia Hsin-Teng Chun Hsun (Tai) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (Mas) 21-15, 14-21, 21-16; Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien bt Annie Xu-Kerry Xu (US) 21-18, 21-18.