PETALING JAYA: Causing upsets against top players is always exciting, but men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao (pic) must find greater consistency if he wants to be more than just a dangerous underdog.
Jun Hao’s campaign at the Singapore Open came to an end in the quarter-finals following a 13-21, 11-21 defeat to second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.
The performance was a far cry from his sensational win over world No. 5 Jonatan Christie in the second round on Thursday, highlighting the inconsistency that continues to hold him back.
It’s a glaring issue Jun Hao must address if he wants to be seen as more than just a threat capable of occasional upsets.
Reaching the quarter-finals may be his best result so far this year, but it also exposed his struggle to maintain form despite his ability to take down top-ranked opponents.
Among his notable scalps this season are Japan’s world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka, whom he defeated during the group stage of the Sudirman Cup, and China’s world No. 4 Li Shifeng in the opening round of the India Open in January.
However, there seems to be a recurring pattern – just a day after pulling off a big win, Jun Hao often falls flat in the following match. Even the 24-year-old acknowledges this shortcoming.
“I’ve done my best in today’s match, but I admit it still wasn’t enough. Maybe the wind conditions today were very different compared to yesterday.
“I think he (Kunlavut) was more consistent and knew how to control the match. His playing style is the same, but he looked more mature out there.
“I believe I just need to stick to what I’m doing now and keep focusing on what lies ahead,” said Jun Hao in an interview with BWF.
Jun Hao will have a chance to make amends for his disappointment in Singapore when he heads to Jakarta next week for the Indonesian Open, which begins on Tuesday.
The Malaysian will open his campaign against China’s Lei Lanxi, the same opponent he defeated in the first round of the Singapore Open.
