Out to go one step better: Ayu Fu Sheng in action during the Under 18 Championship in Ipoh.RONNIE CHIN/The Star
IPOH: Young singles shuttler Ayu Fu Sheng dreams of playing fast and furious badminton at the top level just like idol Lin Dan
Two-time Olympic Games champion Lin Dan was renowned for his speed and killer instinct on court and Fu Sheng is inspired by the Chinese great and hopes to emulate him.
The 17-year-old from Negri Sembilan started watching Lin Dan’s matches when he joined the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) nearly five years ago and has admired the two-time Olympic champion since.
"Lin Dan is my idol. I started watching him play since I joined BAM almost five years ago," said Fu Sheng, who us currently competing in the National Under-18 championships.
"He was so fast and powerful. His great attacking play and fitness helped him win the Olympics twice. I hope to play like him in the future.
"My game now is more towards defending and counter-attacking but I want to be more aggressive like Lin Dan."
Fu Sheng started playing badminton when he was seven after his father Ayu Jen Hong, who runs an academy in Negri Sembilan, encouraged him to take up the sport.
Currently, Fu Sheng is out to capture the National Under-18 title for the first time after finishing runners-up to fellow BAM player Razeeq Danial Roslie last year.
The teen believes that he has a good chance to grab the crown this time due to the 15-point system used in the tourney.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is using the Under-18 meet as a testing ground for the new scoring format which could possibly replace the existing 21-point system next year.
Fu Sheng is out to use the new format to his advantage.
"Once I reached the final last year, I was too tired and ended up losing," said Fu Sheng.
"This time, it will not be the case as there’s only 15 points played in matches. I believe this will be beneficial for me as the matches will be faster.
"In this format, I need to attack more and make fewer mistakes. I hope to take advantage and win the title.
"It will not be easy though as I will likely face Razeeq in the last eight. I need to do better against him this time," added Fu Sheng.
