PETALING JAYA: Self-belief and mental strength proved decisive for women’s singles shuttler K. Letshanaa as she stunned a world top 10 player for the first time to advance into the Malaysian Masters quarter-finals.
The 22-year-old smashed past world No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan 21-15, 21-17 in a 45-minute second-round match yesterday at the Unifi Arena.
It was Letshanaa’s first win against the Japanese player in three meetings, having lost to her at the recent German Open in February.
Letshanaa, who is the sole representative in the singles for Malaysia, will face Hina Akechi of Japan for a place in the semis.
The world No. 36 attributed her improved performance to growing confidence and a stronger mindset on court.
“The biggest change for me is the belief and confidence,” she said.
“I believe in myself more and it’s about having the correct mindset when playing against top players and choosing the right rallies.
“I know I’m the underdog and my goal was simply to fight hard and give my best.”
The progress at the home tournament comes as a positive step for Letshanaa, who earlier this year reached her best finish on the World Tour by making the Indonesian Masters semi-finals in January.
“It’s a good breakthrough for me here at home. It definitely gives me the confidence and shows that I’m improving and moving in the right direction,” said Letshanaa.
She added that her game has seen some changes, especially in the ability to lead be on the offensive side.
“It’s not something that just changed, but I have been working on it throughout my journey and now we’re finally seeing some improvements in my game, especially mentally.”
While she agreed that coaches play a big role in a player’s growth, Letshanaa said the change also comes from within.
“It can’t only come from the coaches. The players also need to put in the work. So it’s a win-win situation where both the coaches and players work together, and we can see the results,” she said.
Meanwhile, Goh Jin Wei’s run at the home tournament ended in the second round after she lost 13-21, 16-21 to India’s Ashmita Chaliha.
