PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s badminton camp are still far from comfortable despite securing the services of Paris Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia for the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24-May 3.
Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh are still struggling for form after both crashed out in the first round of the German Open yesterday, raising fresh concerns ahead of the Finals.
Jun Hao, the country’s current No. 1 men’s singles player, fell to Taiwan’s Chi Yu-jen 21-18, 5-21, 20-22.
Justin, meanwhile, was unable to keep his composure when faced with what he felt was inconsistent officiating in his match against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, losing 17-21, 21-12, 8-21.
More worrying is that professional shuttler Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, who has also been called up for the centralised training camp, suffered a second-round defeat at the Singapore International Challenge, falling 14-21, 21-9, 19-21 to Rizky Akbar from Indonesia.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, however, is not pressing the panic button even as the team aim to end a 34-year title drought.
"At the moment we cannot compare performances because we still have a few more weeks," said Chong Wei after the launch of the Lee Chong Wei Cup at Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) on Feb 26 (Thursday).
"What I told Kenneth Jonassen before they left for Germany was that we must prepare the strongest possible team.
"We are not using the results in Germany as a benchmark because it is only the fourth tournament of the year.
"I know Justin lost to Cheuk Yiu yesterday (on Wednesday). He is a top player and I admit Justin did not play well," said Chong Wei.
The former world No. 1 said he would wait for a report from Jonassen and stressed that they would be working together to find the best way to help the two singles players.
At the same time, Chong Wei made it clear that he would not interfere in the coaches’ training programmes as they were better in deciding what the players needed.
"As the performance chairman, I do not interfere with the coaches’ training programmes. I'm there to support them from behind.
"They meet the players every day while I only come to BAM twice a month.
"If we have results, we are happy together. If we do not have results, we cry together like a family.
"I will not run away. I will stand at the front and take responsibility," he added.
Meanwhile, Chong Wei also revealed that BAM were still awaiting a decision from women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei on whether she would agree to join the Uber Cup squad.
