PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles player Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin is hungry for revenge if he gets the chance to face Indonesia in Malaysia’s final Group D match of the Asia Team Championships in Qingdao, China, today.
The match is a rematch of last December’s SEA Games team final in Thailand, where Indonesia handed Malaysia a 3-0 defeat to claim the gold medal.
While no medals are on the line today, as both teams have already secured spots in the quarter-finals, the tie is still crucial for the national squad to restore pride.
Aidil’s frustration runs deeper, as he was unable to play in the SEA Games final, having been listed as the third singles.
His coach, Nova Armada, said Aidil is eager to step up and help the team if called upon.
“If he plays, he will give his all for the country, especially if he is fielded as the third singles,” said Nova.
“At the SEA Games, he was ready to compete but didn’t get the chance.
“He was raring to go, but luck wasn’t on his side then.”
Nova also shared a message for Aidil before the team left for Qingdao last Saturday, noting that his form had dipped slightly after finishing runner-up at the Al-Ain Masters in the United Arab Emirates in October.
“He had a busy end-of-year schedule and was feeling the fatigue, but he didn’t want that to be an excuse for underperforming. He needs to show his best form because there are plenty of goals to achieve this year,” added Nova.
Aidil did not play in Malaysia’s match against Myanmar yesterday, as Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe, and Under-21 national champion Kong Wei Xiang were fielded.
In the men’s doubles event, former world junior champion Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing, along with Choong Hon Jian-Mohd Haikal Nazri, have been fielded.
A win over Indonesia would not only secure Malaysia’s spot as Group D champions but also give the team a boost ahead of the quarter-final draw.
