Source: REUTERS/Arko Datta
[Saba Sports News] Despite Malaysian shuttlers taking over the finals of last week’s Malaysia Badminton Masters, the singles players collectively stumbled in their first rounds. Jun Hao Leong, Justin Ho, Karupathevan Letshanaa, freelance player Jin Wei Goh, and Tze Yong Ng, who was recently recovering from a long-term injury, all exited in the first round. In an interview with Scoop, former Malaysian national badminton star Datuk Rashid Mohamed Sidek criticized the performance. Although some players are still adapting to Kenneth Jonassen’s coaching system, Sidek emphasized that players must also engage in self-reflection. He expressed that he does not believe the responsibility lies solely with Jonassen or other coaches. The singles group needs more time to be restructured, but players must recognize the need for improvement and avoid stagnation. As an example, Sidek pointed to Jun Hao Liang, stating that despite his experience, he has the ability to compete with strong opponents but lost to Ireland’s Nguyen Nhat in the first round, disappointing fans greatly. Regarding the development of women’s singles, Sidek admitted there is a clear gap between Malaysian female players and world-class athletes. Even with the best coaches, it will take time to change this situation. Female players in Malaysia lack confidence and a winning mentality, contrasting sharply with doubles players.