Redraw leaves Eain Yow guessing over World Championships opener
PETALING JAYA: National squash player Ng Eain Yow has what it takes to reach the top eight this year, but it's going to be a tough ride first at the World Championships in Chicago starting today.
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New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Pang Ron-Su Yin need to stop Jekyll and Hyde show
KUALA LUMPUR: In training, mixed doubles Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin look sharp and assured, but not so during tournaments. Though the world No. 16 ended last season strongly with a runners-up finish at the China Masters, they, however, have been far from impressive this year, suffering nine early exits in 11 tournaments. National coach Nova Widianto admitted that he has found it hard to understand why Pang Ron-Su Yin, seeded 15th at the World Championships in Paris from Aug 25-31, appear hesitant and shaky in competitions despite their proven ability. Nova feels that their problem is largely mental, as they tend to lose belief after one or two mistakes. "In training, they have no problems. They are good. I see them train well — technically, there's nothing wrong," Nova said. "But in tournaments, it's like they lack confidence. They think too much — 'Oh, it's going to be the first round (loss) again'. "At the start of matches, they are okay. But after a couple of errors, the confidence disappears and they start thinking about losing again. So it's a mental issue and not technical." The Indonesian coach has reminded Pang Ron-Su Yin of the fearless "nothing-to-lose" attitude they once had when battling the world's best. "They've reached a Super 750 final before — that's not luck. They need to get back to that level of belief," said Nova, adding that they need to break the mental barrier in Paris. "They have the skills. Now they need to have the mindset," said Nova. Although BAM has a sports psychologist to help players with their mental game, Nova believes it ultimately comes down to the athletes themselves.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Zii Jia faces not just tough rivals, but stern fitness test as well
PETALING JAYA: Men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia's (pic) fitness will be tested when he returns to competitive action in the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris after a long injury layoff. Zii Jia has been troubled by an ankle injury and played in only two tournaments - the Orleans Masters and All-England in March - so far this year. The 27-year-old has to be on his toes from the start in Paris where he has a tricky first-round match against South Korea's world No. 38 Jeon Hyeok-jin. Hyeok-jin has troubled Zii Jia before, toppling him in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games team match. The independent player though does have a 3-1 head-to-head record against the Korean and will be keen to claim his first win since beating India's K. Srikanth in the Orleans Masters second round. Zii Jia lost to Ireland's Nhat Nguyen in the last eight in the tourney and then suffered a first-round defeat to Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long in the All-England. His long absence from competitions has resulted in his world rankings slipping to No. 52. If Zii Jia progresses to the second round in the world meet, he will likely go up against China's world No. 4 Li Shifeng. Shifeng is the favourite in his opening match against Japan's world No. 27 Yushi Tanaka. Meanwhile, Malaysia's other representative in the men's singles, world No. 25 Leong Jun Hao, who will be making his debut, has an easier first match against Swiss player Tobias Kuenzi. A win will see Jun Hao take on either Japan's world No. 14 Kenta Nishimoto or Taiwan's world No. 28 Wang Tzu-wei for a place in the third round. In the women's singles, Goh Jin Wei has a difficult first-round match against China's Gao Fangjie while debutant K. Letshanaa will meet Hong Kong's Saloni Mehta.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Familiar foes could be Aaron-Wooi Yik's spoilers at World Championships
Hard path: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik will open their campaign in the second round against either Scotland's Christopher Grimley-Mathew Grimley or Spain's Daniel Franco-Rodrigo Sanjurjo in the World Championships. PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik may need to overcome familiar rivals to keep their gold medal hopes alive in the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris. Aaron-Wooi Yik, who are eyeing their second world title after their triumph in 2022 in Tokyo, will likely face either China's Paris Olympics silver medallists Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang or India's Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty in the quarter-finals. Weikeng-Wang Chang ended the world No. 2 pair's hopes of winning gold in the Olympics when they beat them in the semi-finals in August last year at the same venue as the world meet this time – the Adidas Arena in Port de la Chapelle. Aaron-Wooi Yik were also denied by Satwiksairaj-Chirag in the last four of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The Malaysians will need to be at their best to come out on top this time. Before that, Aaron-Wooi Yik, who have received a bye in the first round, will open their campaign in the second round against either Scotland's Christopher Grimley-Mathew Grimley or Spain's Daniel Franco-Rodrigo Sanjurjo. A win could see Aaron-Wooi Yik play teammates and debutants Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi in the third round. Roy King-Arif though need to overcome tricky pairs Kenya Mitsuhashi-Hiroki Okamura from Japan and Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Kittinupong Kedren in the first and second rounds respectively if they hope to meet Aaron-Wooi Yik. Meanwhile, world No. 3 independent pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, who received a bye in the first round, will play the winners of the match between Thailand's Peeratchai Sukphun-Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Americans Chen Zhi-yi-Presley Smith in the second round. Another Malaysian representative, world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, will likely face Popov brothers Christo and Toma Junior from France in the second round. In the women's doubles, world No. 2 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah's first big test will likely come in the third round against Indonesia's Siti Fadia Ramadhanti-Lanny Tria. Another women's doubles duo Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee will likely meet Bulgarian sisters Stefani Stoeva-Gabriela Stoeva in the second round. In the mixed doubles, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin could clash in the third round while rising Indonesian pair Jafar Hidayatullah-Felisha Pasaribu will likely stand in national No. 1 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei's way to the last eight.
