PETALING JAYA: Men’s doubles player Yap Roy King believes Malaysia’s largely youthful squad should be allowed to play without excessive pressure at the Asia Team Championships, especially with several players set to make their debut in the tournament.
The Malaysian men’s team are taking Group D tie against Myanmar today seriously despite enjoying a clear advantage on paper.
Victory over Myanmar will secure Malaysia a place in the quarter-finals of the competition after Indonesia had earlier beaten the same opponents 5-0 in the opening Group D match yesterday.
The match is not merely a warm-up for the national side, as it will also provide an opportunity to assess team combinations ahead of tomorrow’s crucial clash against Indonesia, which is expected to determine the group winners.
Roy King, who partners Wan Arif Wan Junaidi and is among the highest-ranked players in the team, said enjoying the matches would help settle nerves.
“Pressure is always there because everyone wants to win,” said Roy King.
“But since we have a young team and many of the players are new, we should not put too much pressure on them.
“Let them enjoy the first two matches and see how it goes.”
In line with Roy King, Arif also wants other teammates to give strong support to those competing on court.
“The first thing is communication with teammates because this is a team event, not an individual match. Team spirit is the most important thing. On court, of course, I focus on my partner, but when other teammates are playing, we need to give them our best support.
“That kind of support can really lift the players who are on court,” said Arif.
Malaysia’s women’s team will also be in action in Group W, where they face powerhouse China.
Whatever the result today, Malaysia have already secured a place in the quarter-finals of the women’s team event as there are only two teams in the group.
