PETALING JAYA: Sometimes, what works in training does not always go according to plan in a real match.
That was the case for national women’s singles shuttler K. Letshanaa (pic), whose Japan Open campaign ended in the first round yesterday.
Letshanaa arrived in Tokyo well prepared under coach Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, but her debut lasted only 32 minutes after she went down 16-21, 12-21 to South Korea’s world No. 14 Kim Ga-eun. The 21-year-old admitted she found it difficult to adapt against Ga-eun in their first meeting.
“Of course, this was my first meeting with her and it was quite challenging because we did not know each other’s playing style,” said Letshanaa in an interview with the BWF.
“I could not adapt well on court today and made too many errors, which made it difficult for me to come back.
“Most of the shots I was trying to play did not come off today, so my confidence dropped.
“Training went well, but this was not what we expected. At the same time, it was a good experience for me because I’ve only started to play in Super 750 and Super 1000 tournaments.”
Letshanaa’s defeat also brought an end to Malaysia’s women’s singles campaign at the Japan Open after Wong Ling Ching lost to former world No. 1 P. V. Sindhu of India on Tuesday.
Both players will head to Changzhou next week for the China Open, where Letshanaa will face American Zhang Beiwen in the first round while Ling Ching faces South Korea’s Sim Yu-jin.
The China Open will be their final tournament before the World Championships in New Delhi from Aug 17-23.
