BANGKOK, Dec 8 — She may be Malaysia’s most successful women’s doubles badminton player, achieving numerous successes on the World Tour, World Championships and even performed on the Olympic stage, but Thinaah Muralitharan feels the SEA Games is no less significant.

Making her long-awaited debut at the biennial Games here in Thailand for the 2025 edition with partner Pearly Tan, Thinaah pointed out that every competition demands the same level of focus and commitment, regardless of its status.

Despite having tasted the intensity of top-tier competitions, the 27-year-old said the honour of representing Malaysia remains unchanged, with her sole objective being to give her all on court throughout the SEA Games campaign.

“It doesn't matter whether you play World Tour tournaments, Olympic Games or Asian Games but this is also a big tournament for us.

“To be in the SEA Games is something very special for both of us. So, we want to do the best and leave no regrets on court,” she told reporters here, today.

Earlier, the world number two pair and 2025 World Championships runners-up were made to slog before prevailing against Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum 21-14, 17-21, 21-16, en route to earning the first point that levelled the tie in the women’s team event semi-finals (1-1) with Indonesia.

However, Malaysia eventually missed out on a place to the final after Indonesia’s world number 76 Mutiara Ayu Puspitasari delivered the winning point in the fifth and decisive match, defeating Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi 21-18, 21-16 at Gymnasium 4, Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.

Malaysia last reached the final when they became hosts in the 2017 edition before falling to Thailand, 1-3.

They last won gold medal in the 2009 edition at Laos by beating Indonesia 3-1.

The 2025 SEA Games hosted by Thailand takes place from December 9 to 20 across two provinces, Bangkok and Chonburi. — Bernama