KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Malaysia has suffered a huge blow ahead of the Uber Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3, following the withdrawal of women’s doubles ace Pearly Tan with a recurring back injury.

In a statement posted on her Facebook page, Pearly expressed deep regret over her withdrawal, apologising to teammates, stakeholders and fans for being unable to represent the country in the prestigious team event.

“I sincerely apologise for letting everyone down. I recently suffered a back injury during my last tournament, and I’m truly disappointed about it.

“There’s nothing I wanted more than to be on court, fighting for every point and standing with my team. But this time, my body is telling me to stop, and I have to listen,” she said, adding that it “breaks my heart” to miss the competition.

The 24-year-old revealed that the injury is not new, saying a similar condition three years ago nearly derailed her career. 

Pearly also shared that the past few days had been mentally challenging, as she struggled to come to terms with missing the Finals while balancing her commitment to the team and her long-term health.

“It hurts so much not being able to stand beside my teammates and go through this journey together. Please know that my heart is always with the team, and I’ll be cheering for every single one of you,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) also confirmed that Pearly will not be part of the squad for the 2026 Uber Cup Finals. 

National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky said the decision was made following a late assessment of her condition.

“Pearly is not in a position to compete at the required level. We had to make a decision to ensure the team is fully prepared,” he said.

With Pearly’s absence, Malaysia will be without their top women’s doubles pair, and her partner, M. Thinaah, is expected to be paired with another player for the campaign.

The other women’s doubles combinations bound for the Uber Cup Finals are youngsters Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting and Low Zi Yu-Noraqilah Maisarah.

Malaysia’s women’s singles lineup will comprise K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Zulaikha Azmi and Goh Jin Wei.

The women’s team have been drawn in Group B of the Uber Cup Finals with Japan, Turkiye and South Africa. — Bernama