PETALING JAYA: Show it on the court.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen wants Malaysia’s men’s singles No. 1 Leong Jun Hao to let his hard work in training speak for itself when he steps onto the competition arena.
Jun Hao will get to test himself in the German Open from Feb 24-March 1, before travelling to Birmingham for the world’s oldest badminton tournament, the All-England, from March 3-8.
The 26-year-old was previously sidelined due to internal issues, prompting the coaching team to pull him out of the Indonesian Masters last month.
A week earlier in New Delhi, he was hampered by a fever and struggled to find his rhythm, eventually retiring in his opening round match against Yushi Tanaka at the Indian Open.
However, after three weeks of solid training at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara, Jun Hao is showing encouraging signs, and Jonassen is hopeful the improvement will continue in the lead up to their European assignments.
“I think that’s again really a question to himself, what he feels. I can only see he is following practice and he is doing his very best to improve, which is what we need,” said Jonassen.
“From my end he is looking really motivated and I’m looking forward to to to to another good week before we leave for for Europe.
Besides Jun Hao, Justin Hoh will also be in action at the German Open, while Paris Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia will have to come through the qualifying rounds before earning a place in the main draw.
All the players will only find out their opponents on Tuesday (Feb 17) when the draw and seedings are conducted.
Jun Hao, in particular, is in need of a positive showing as he and several other national men’s singles players have come under heavy criticism for a string of flat and unconvincing performances.
