PETALING JAYA: Not all low-tier events are ideal for boosting world rankings.
And national men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi has opted not to send any of his pairs including the out-of-form Mohd Haikal Nazri-Choong Hon Jian to the US Open, a Super 300 tournament currently underway at the Mid America Centre in Iowa.
Haikal-Hon Jian have had a disappointing run this season, bowing out in the first round in four of their five outings. Once ranked No. 18 in the world, the pair have now plummeted to No. 46.
On paper, the US Open may appear to be a good chance for the duo to regain their rhythm and confidence, particularly with most of the world’s top pairs skipping the tournament.
However, Herry felt it was not the right move at this point.
“I don’t think their preparations were sufficient. And if we’re only sending one pair, it’s not very efficient,” said Herry.
“According to my planning, if we’re entering a tournament, it should be with at least two pairs. That way, they can train together and support each other throughout the event.
“If we send only one pair, it becomes more difficult to manage their training and preparations while they’re there.”
As such, Herry is currently working closely with a sports psychologist to help Haikal-Hon Jian recover mentally first, and he is confident that the pair will eventually be able to adapt to the playing style he has implemented, one that has already shown results with other pairs such as Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun.
“I’ve asked for support not only for Haikal but for other players too, so they can better understand themselves and manage the pressures of competition.
''I’ve also spoken to Haikal directly and told him that not everyone can bounce back quickly.
“Some players adapt fast, while others need more time. In Haikal’s case, I’ve observed that he still needs time to regain confidence and rebuild his mindset," added Herry.
While none of the doubles pairs are competing, Malaysia will still have representation in the US Open through the singles players with Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe and Cheam June Wei in the men’s singles, and K. Letshanaa and Wong Ling Ching in the women’s singles.
Ling Ching booked her spot in the main draw after defeating host player Isabelle Rusli 21-10, 21-11 in the qualifying round. She will take on Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-Chi next, while Letshanaa is up against eighth seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the first round.
Justin will open his campaign against Belgium’s Julien Carragi.
Eogene, however, was not as fortunate as he fell 16-21, 15-21 to South Korea’s Yoo Tae-bin in the qualifiers.
