PETALING JAYA: “Try to upset the top players.”
It may sound simple, but that is the challenge thrown by women’s singles head coach Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin to his players ahead of the Uber Cup in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24-May 3.
The plain message also reflects Iskandar’s belief that K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching and Goh Jin Wei have the ability to challenge and beat the world’s elite.
Ling Ching has shown encouraging progress after claiming wins over several top players, including the United States’ Zhang Beiwen at the Orleans Masters last month.
She also impressed at the Thailand Masters in February, beating a number of opponents before falling to Jin Wei in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Letshanaa heads into the tournament on a positive note after climbing three spots to world No. 34.
“At the Asian Championships, we saw good performances from them. After coming back, their motivation for the Uber Cup has been very high. Training has been good and their mood is positive. What I respect most is that they are asking for extra sessions,’’ added Iskandar.
“Honestly, expectations for the women’s singles are not high, but when they get the chance to face top players, it is good for them as they gain exposure against those in the top 10.
“Right now, we are able to compete, but I hope they can go even further in the future,” he said.
Malaysia have been drawn in Group B alongside six-time champions Japan, Turkiye and South Africa.
Iskandar acknowledged that there is a chance for Malaysia to end their 16-year wait to reach the quarter-finals, but does not want to burden his players with added pressure.
The last time Malaysia reached the knockout stage was in 2010 in Kuala Lumpur.
“Of course it would be a great achievement if we can reach the quarter-finals. In terms of performance, that is our target.
“But in terms of mindset, I do not want to put pressure on them. We will take it one match at a time because every opponent is strong,” he added.
