PETALING JAYA: Having the right mentality and consistency is crucial to succeeding in badminton.
While understanding that is one thing, putting it into practice is another, and that is the challenge women’s singles shuttler Wong Ling Ching is determined to overcome.
The 22-year-old has struggled to make the transition from lower-tier tournaments to the bigger events, but she hopes to enjoy a better outing at the Japan Open in Tokyo from July 14-19.
It will be only her second Super 750 tournament after an early exit in her debut at the Singapore Open, where she lost in the first round.
"The Singapore outing was my first experience, and the level of competition was overwhelming," said Ling Ching, after a training session at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) yesterday.
It showed that I needed to refine my game plan and confidence."
In addition to facing the better quality of opponents in these big tournaments, Ling Ching has also encountered difficulties in maintaining form since injuring her back and hip in April.
"Match rhythm has been hard to come by since my injury. I am currently recovering well, and the Open will serve as a chance to boost my confidence," she said.
"A significant amount of effort is being invested in tweaking tactical aspects of my gameplay, but it has been a hard process to master completely."
"My objective at this coming Open is to improve my performance and concentrate on avoiding errors on court," she added.
