Malaysia set Thomas-Uber, Sudirman quarter-final target with young squad

Ng Tze Yong selected for both the Thomas Cup Finals and Sudirman Cup.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have named a young squad with a target of reaching at least the quarter-finals in the Sudirman Cup and Thomas-Uber Cup Finals.

The players in the Thomas Cup squad are aged between 21-24 while in the Uber Cup, the youngest is Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, who turned 17 this month while the oldest is Lee Meng Yean at 27.

Those in the Sudirman Cup are between 18-26.

Nurshuhaini will be the sole representative from the national junior team under the charge of Datuk Misbun Sidek as another strong candidate Justin Hoh did not make the cut.

Youngsters Ng Tze Yong and Eoon Qi Xuan received the biggest cheer as they were named for both the Sudirman Cup and Thomas Cup.

The 21-year-old Tze Yong had finished as the top ranked player in the recent selection trial conducted by national coaching director Wong Choong Hann while Qi Xuan was selected in the absence of Goh Jin Wei, who is not at her best form.

Except for Zii Jia and Aaron, it will be the first time for all the other men players in the two major events. As for the women's competition, it's also the first for all except for Meng Yean, Kisona and Jin Wei.

"The target is quarter-finals for all three squads.This is the right time to take the risk and send a young team as part of our preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics," said Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria after announcing the names at Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) yesterday.

SUDIRMAN CUP

Men's singles: Lee Zii Jia, Ng Tze Yong.

Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun.

Women's singles: S. Kisona, Eoon Qi Xuan.

Women's doubles: Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah, Yap Ling-Teoh Mei Xing.

Mixed doubles: Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See, Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei.

THOMAS CUP FINALS

Men's singles: Lee Zii Jia, Cheam June Wei, Ng Tze Yong, Leong Jun Hao, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin.

Men's doubles: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Low Hang Yee.

UBER CUP FINALS

Women's singles: S. Kisona, Goh Jin Wei, Eoon Qi Xuan, K. Letshanaa, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman.

Women's doubles: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Yap Ling-Teoh Mei Xing, Lee Meng Yean-Go Pei Kee.