PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao will need more than a miracle to clear the first round of the French Open today as he faces former world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen.
Although Jun Hao is currently ranked world No. 20, six spots higher than Axelsen, his recent form has not been as convincing as the Danish star’s.
At the Denmark Open last week, Jun Hao once again made an early exit after losing to Li Shifeng of China, while Axelsen, who had taken time recover from foot injury, regained his rhythm by reaching the semi-finals.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is aware of the tough challenge ahead and said Jun Hao cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes if he hopes to upset Axelsen.
The team has also worked out the best strategy to ensure Jun Hao not only put up a strong fight but also push for victory against the Dane.
"For the French Open, we are focusing on improving several aspects that we identified from our performance at the Denmark Open. Facing Viktor (Axelsen) will be a tough challenge.
"We were not really able to put pressure on Shifeng previously, which allowed him to dictate the tempo and the game. Unforced errors also ended Jun Hao’s chances,” said Jonassen.
Despite his inconsistent form this year, Jun Hao has managed to spring a few surprises by defeating several top players, including reigning Denmark Open champion Jonatan Christie, Kodai Naraoka and even Shifeng himself.
The last time Jun Hao faced Axelsen was in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open last year, where the Olympic champion prevailed.
