Eager for action: Leong Jun Hao is looking forward to gaining his own share of valuable experience in Chengdu.
PETALING JAYA: National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao is ready for the Thomas Cup Finals, regardless of which order he plays at the tournament.
The world No. 37 player is part of the national men’s team heading for the Finals in Chengdu, China, from April 27-May 5 and he will have the country’s top shuttler Lee Zii Jia, Cheam June Wei, and Justin Hoh for company in the singles department.
With Ng Tze Yong having to be dropped from the team line-up due to his back injury, the pressure is on Jun Hao to step up and take over the second spot behind Zii Jia.
But Jun Hao isn’t worried about which order he will take to the court.
“It doesn’t matter if I am the second or third. All I’m going to do is try to win the point.
“Wherever I am placed, I just want to get the point for my team,” he said.
Malaysia have Hong Kong, Algeria and Denmark for company in Group D.
Malaysia will start the group stage match against Hong Kong on Saturday.
If world No. 5 Zii Jia takes the first singles spot, he is likely to play against Hong Kong’s top shuttler Lee Cheuk Yiu, and this leaves Jun Hao to take on world No. 26 Angus Ng Ka Long.
“I will prepare my best to face him (Angus), I have never faced him before but I will discuss with my coach to see how I can prepare the best,” he said.
Hong Kong will be tough in the singles camp as former Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) singles coaching director Wong Choong Hann is now in the Hong Kong team and giving pointers to Cheuk Yiu and Angus.
In the doubles department, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will be joined by world No. 15 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and youngsters Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian.
Jun Hao added that BAM’s incentive for players heading for the Thomas Cup is an added motivation for the men’s camp.
“It definitely is a motivation. But before we think about that, we need to do our best at the tournament first.
“If we do that, then we can think about the incentive,” he said.
With several players in the team having more experience competing at the Thomas Cup, Jun Hao is also looking forward to gaining his own share of valuable experience in Chengdu.
The team left for Chengdu last night.
