PETALING JAYA: Beating a world-class opponent is one thing but doing it consistently is another altogether.
That’s the challenge national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is tackling as he looks to help Leong Jun Hao sustain his momentum on the international stage.
Consistency remains one of the most glaring issues for Jun Hao, despite his ability to trouble and even defeat higher-ranked opponents.
His performance at the Singapore Open, however, offered a glimmer of promise. Jonassen was encouraged by the 25-year-old’s run, which saw him reach his first quarter-final of the season, a milestone that had eluded him until now.
What made the feat sweeter was Jun Hao’s straight-game win over world No. 5 and former Asian champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in the second round.
But the Malaysian was unable to build on that momentum, falling tamely to another Asian champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.
Jonassen is well aware of this issue, and it is an area that he and the other coaches are looking to help Jun Hao improve on.
“I’m of course pleased with the win (against Jonatan) and performance, and reaching the quarter-finals is a bonus, it should boost confidence and help build some momentum.
“This is true about Jun Hao’s inconsistency. After one good win, we’re struggling to deliver another high-quality performance the next day and adapt to a new, tough opponent. That’s an area we definitely need to improve on,” said Jonassen.
Jun Hao, who has now climbed to No. 25 in the world rankings, has already claimed the scalps of several top players, including world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka during the Sudirman Cup campaign in Xiamen last April.
He also stunned world No. 4 Li Shifeng of China in the opening round of the India Open in January.
Previously, Jun Hao struggled with slow starts, often finding himself having to work hard to close a significant gap after falling behind early in matches.
He has a chance to improve his game at the Indonesian Open next Tuesday, where he will face Lei Lanxi of China in the first round.
Ironically, just a few days ago, Jun Hao defeated the world No. 27 in the Singapore Open opener.
