Can’t have foreign players raining on our home parade

HOME fans were expecting top players to blow the roof off at Axiata Arena with some explosive performances on the opening day of the Malaysian Open.

The players didn’t perform as expected, but the roof did steal the show.

It started leaking, turning out to be a wet blanket on the first day. Matches on two courts were suspended as a heavy downpour outside brought water cascading to the floor.

It also brought cold sweat to the organisers. The Stadium Board and even the Badminton World Federation had to work round the clock to solve the wet problem.

The Stadium Board apologised and said repair work had started in April, and it was unfortunate that mother nature decided to act up at the wrong time to expose the holes, right above the playing area.

All the re-scheduling was done fast and quickly, and the second day went on without any hiccups. It was like nothing had happened, except that some people were still poking fun, and calling it a national embarrassment.

But the bigger embarrassment was how many top players fell like kingpins in the US$4.3mil tournament, and I don’t mean only the Malaysians.

Denmark, Indonesia, China and South Korea also felt the pinch, but they at least had their second stringers in their team to step up.

Unfortunately for Malaysia, with Leong Jun Hao’s exit in the first round, there was no one left to carry on the torch in the men’s singles.

It showed a sad reality of where we really are in the men’s singles department.

Professional Lee Zii Jia was not even there as he was recovering from an ankle injury. Even if he had played, it’s unsure if he could have coped with the pressure of playing at home.

Men’s singles players will always be compared to Lee Chong Wei. How did Chong Wei win 12 home titles in a 15-year period between 2004 to 2018? In fact, he won it for seven years in a row from 2008-2014.

Chong Wei was consistent. He had the charisma and courage to face all kinds of obstacles to entertain home fans. He was someone who could bring the house down with his grit.

Jun Hao has potential and can go far. There are few others below him who are in good condition like Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe who are eager for a chance to shine.

I’m glad that our new singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen is not only looking at producing one superstar, but raising a few as Malaysian ambassadors in singles.

Unlike in the singles, it’s nice to see the competitive edge in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles. When one pair falls, another rises.

It’s unfortunate that former world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik crashed out in the second round. Aaron had been carrying a nagging shoulder injury for some time and Wooi Yik to some extent too, but they have never used their condition as an excuse for their fall.

While that is honourable, they have to be wise in choosing tournaments so as not to overstretch their bodies. Hopefully, under an incoming new coach, they will regain their form.

I learnt from a little bird that Teo Kok Siang may be the local identified to replace Tan Bin Shen as the doubles coach, and if that’s true, I wish him the best.

While Aaron-Wooi Yik rest and regroup, we hope the other pairs from the doubles department will start the year on a positive note and deliver a shower of blessings.

We can’t have foreign players raining on our parade at home.