PETALING JAYA: Women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei had already expected that she would not make the cut for the World Championships in New Delhi this August.
Based on the first phase of the World Championships eligibility list released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on April 28, Jin Wei was not included as she was ranked No. 53 in the world.
Instead, Wong Ling Ching will make her debut alongside K. Letshanaa.
Although disappointed to miss out on the World Championships, Jin Wei said she was not too concerned about her rankings as she knows she is still not fully fit.
As such, she is focusing on her recovery process.
“I think it’s still not the right time yet. We still need time for my body to recover and to sort out our plans. Plus, as independent players, we also have to find funding. We can’t just go whenever we want, so there’s a lot on our minds as well,” said Jin Wei.
Jin Wei received a timely boost after upsetting fourth seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-6, 16-21, 21-10 in the first round on Wednesday (May 20).
It was Jin Wei’s first win over Busanan after losing their previous four meetings since they first met at the Indonesian Masters in 2016.
However, Jin Wei felt Busanan was not at her best, which made the match different from their previous meetings.
“In the first set, I think she was under a bit of pressure, so she made a lot of mistakes. Then in the second set, she found her rhythm again and that was when the real match started. In the third game, I just tried to psych myself up for every point.
“I feel this Busanan was not the same Busanan I usually play against. Maybe she was carrying an injury because otherwise it would have been difficult for me to beat her,” added Jin Wei.
Jin Wei will next face India’s Ashmita Chaliha in the second round. The last time they met at the Bangladesh International Challenge in 2022, Jin Wei retired early in the match due to injury.
