PETALING JAYA: Independent player Soong Joo Ven and the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) Leong Jun Hao are on collision course in the Thailand Masters as they are expected to meet in the opening match tomorrow.
Jun Hao’s mission will be to improve his world ranking and also try to make a strong impact while Joo Ven is returning from an injury (thigh) which forced him to withdraw from last week’s Indonesia Masters in Jakarta.
Jun Hao will compete in the qualifying rounds of the super 300 event today where he will meet independent shuttler Yeoh Seng Zoe and will most likely play India’s Kartikey Gulshan Kumar next before the expected opening match against Joo Ven in the main draw.
Joo Ven is glad to be back in competition again after missing the Indonesia Masters.
“It is good to be back and honestly, I don’t know who I will meet in the first round. Jun Hao has to play Seng Zoe first and the Indian shuttler (Kartikey) is also good,” said Joo Ven.
“It will be a 50-50 match if I play against Jun Hao and I will be mentally prepared for it.”
Meanwhile, BAM’s top shuttler Ng Tze Yong will be trying to avoid another preliminary round exit in Bangkok after falling early in the Malaysian and India Opens as well as the Indonesia Masters.
Tze Yong, who lost to India’s Lakshya Sen in the second round in Jakarta, has a favourable draw that should see him reach the last eight.
Tze Young plays Ygor Coelho of Brazil in the first round and is expected to play South Korean Heo Kwang-hee for a place in the last eight.
Independent player Cheam June Wei is up against Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand in the first round.
In the women’s singles, S. Kisona wil start her professional career after leaving the BAM last month and will play a qualifier in the first round.
Independent player Goh Jin Wei has withdrawn from the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
