Go for it: Jun Hao is known as a team event specialist and hopes that his experience in the Asia Team Championships will prove valuable in the Thomas Cup.
PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao is ready to take on the responsibility of playing in the first singles if necessary in the Thomas Cup Finals from April 27-May 5 in Chengdu.
Jun Hao could be handed the task of leading from the front in the prestigious team meet with both the country’s No. 1 Lee Zii Jia and No. 2 Ng Tze Yong’s participation still uncertain.
World No. 11 Zii Jia is thinking about prioritising his preparations for the Paris Olympics in July over competing in the Thomas Cup while world No. 18 Tze Yong is facing a race against time to be fully fit ahead of the tournament after undergoing minor back surgery at the end of February.
Jun Hao, who is the third highest ranked men’s singles player in the country at No. 37 in the world, had been promoted to second and then first singles in the Asia Team Championships in February after Zii Jia and Tze Yong were unavailable for a few matches due to sickness and injury respectively. He may have to play similar roles in Chengdu.
“I have to be ready to step up as first or second singles if I’m needed,” said Jun Hao.
“No matter which position, I still need to play, so I have to prepare myself accordingly.”
Jun Hao hopes his experience in the Asia team meet in Shah Alam will prove valuable to him in the Thomas Cup.
The 24-year-old is known as a team event specialist and won the hearts of fans with his battling performances especially against the likes of Japan’s world No. 21 Koki Watanabe and China’s world No. 17 Weng Hongyang in the last four and final respectively.
Although Jun Hao lost both matches, he gave his opponents a run for their money before losing narrowly.
Before that, he beat Taiwan’s world No. 34 Lee Chia-hao in a crucial group stage match to give Malaysia a 3-2 win and helped them to finish as group winners.
“I believe my experience in the Asia Team Championships will be important in the Thomas Cup,” said Jun Hao.
“There’s about three weeks to go for the tournament and I’m just focusing on myself and not worrying about who will be able to play.”
The others in the singles who could join Jun Hao in the team meet are independent player Cheam June Wei and youngsters Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe.
Malaysia will face Denmark, Hong Kong and Algeria in Group D.
Only the top two in the group will progress to the quarter-finals.
