PETALING JAYA: This week’s Thailand Masters will be another test for women’s singles player K. Letshanaa (pic) to prove that her strong performance in Jakarta last week was not just a stroke of luck.
Women’s singles head coach Iskandar Zulkarnaina Zainuddin expressed his delight at Letshanaa’s breakthrough performance, reaching the semi-finals of the Indonesian Masters. At the same time, he stressed the importance of maintaining that level of play in Bangkok.
“Overall, she has adapted her tactical understanding in this tournament very well. Tomorrow is a new day and I hope she can maintain her focus. This week is the real test for her, to see how she reacts after last week,” said Iskandar when contacted.
Letshanaa will be facing a tough task from the very first round as she goes up against Canada’s Zhang Wen Yu, who is ranked 45th in the world.
Although her opponent is three places below Letshanaa in the world rankings, Wen Yu has won two of their previous meetings, the most recent being at the Hong Kong Open in September last year.
If she clears the first round, her challenge grows, with a potential meeting against sixth seed Han Qianxi of China.
Letshanaa has yet to overcome the Chinese player in four previous meetings since their junior days in 2019, including a clash at last year’s Malaysian Masters.
Commenting on Letshanaa’s performance in Jakarta last week, Iskandar noted that there is still room for improvement despite her progress on the court.
Letshanaa caused a surprise by eliminating Canada’s world No. 12 Michelle Li in the quarter-finals but fell to Thailand’s Pitchamon Opatniputh in the semi-finals.
“She played well, but there are many areas that still need improvement, especially in her ability to maintain consistency in her shots.
“We acknowledge that the Thai player is more patient and consistent than Letshanaa,” said Iskandar.
Apart from Letshanaa, teammate Wong Ling Ching will also compete in Bangkok this week, scheduled to face Komang Ayu, while professional player Goh Jin Wei will take on Taiwan’s Huang Ching Ping.
Siti Zulaikha Azmi, meanwhile, will have to battle through the qualifying round, where she is set to meet South Korea’s Lee So-yul.
