Betting on doubles power
KUALA LUMPUR: The singles may prove tricky for Malaysia but the team should seal a win purely on their doubles firepower against an under-strength France in the opening Group C match at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, today.
Malaysia must beat the emerging European power at the Xiamen Olympic Sports Centre as another victory against Australia on April 29 will confirm their quarter-final berth.
The absences of France's elite — men's singles Alex Lanier (world No. 10), men's doubles Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov (No. 18) and mixed doubles Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (No. 10) — have made the mission easier for joint-fifth seed Malaysia.
However, the men's singles could still be tricky as the experienced world No. 62 Arnaud Merkle could make things difficult for world No. 26 Leong Jun Hao who had to battle for three games against the Frenchman at the Arctic Open in Finland in October.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is unlikely to deploy Justin Hoh as the world No. 43 was beaten in straight games by Merkle at the Orleans Masters last month.
Women's singles world No. 43 Goh Jin Wei should have the upper hand against world No. 81 Leonice Huet but the Malaysian must not take her unheralded opponent lightly in their first meeting.
However, Malaysia should not face any problems in the doubles.
The Popov brothers, who won the European title two weeks ago, may pose a strong resistance, but their compatriots Mael Cattoen-Lucas Renoir don't seem capable of withstanding any of the power-packed Malaysian men's pairs.
Any of the three pairs — world No. 2 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, newly crowned Asian champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (No. 4) and world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun — should outclass Cattoen-Renoir.
In the women's doubles, world No. 5 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah are a class above Margot Lambert-Camille Pognante while mixed doubles world No. 3 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai are also unlikely to be tested by Gregoire Deschamps-Margot Lambert (No. 120).
Malaysia will most likely field their best line-up against France in order to allow the main players to gain momentum.
Jun Hao, who is the co-captain of the team with Pearly, will be hoping to have a winning start in order to settle his nerves and prove that he is a worthy foil in the absence of the injured world No. 9 Lee Zii Jia in Xiamen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Italy soccer coach Spalletti to quit after defeat against Norway
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy coach Luciano Spalletti looks dejected Erik Flaaris Johansen/NTB via REUTERS/File Photo
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Pearly-Thinaah can walk with heads held high after agonising loss in final
PETALING JAYA: Women's doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah agonisingly missed out on the biggest title of their careers so far but they still had reasons to smile. PETALING JAYA: Women's doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah agonisingly missed out on the biggest title of their careers so far but they still had reasons to smile. The Malaysian duo battled valiantly against China's world No. 1 Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning before going down narrowly 25-23, 12-21, 19-21 in the Indonesian Open final at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta yesterday. Despite missing out on the title, the world No. 4 pair achieved several personal milestones. Pearly-Thinaah are expected to move up one rung to a career high No. 3 in the world after reaching their maiden World Tour Super 1000 final. The duo are set to overtake current world No. 3 Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee from South Korea when the rankings list is officially updated tomorrow after the latter failed to defend their title in Indonesia. Pearly-Thinaah can also be proud of their efforts as they had never even made it to the last four of a Super 1000 tourney before their feat in Istora. In the final, the pair gave themselves hope of capturing the crown when they led 9-4 and 14-12 in the decider but could not hold on against their mighty opponents and heartbreakingly lost in an exhausting 87-minute battle. It was Pearly-Thinaah's eighth defeat to Shengshu-Tan Ning in 11 meetings. Pearly-Thinaah were playing in their fourth straight tournament but refused to blame their defeat on fatigue. "We are disappointed. Towards the end, I made two mistakes. I rushed a bit," Pearly told the Badminton World Federation (BWF). "This is what I still need to learn day by day, so I still need some time and I hope I can be better in the future. "All four of us were really tired and it was point by point towards the end. "Tiredness was not a big issue. I think it's the mindset. They were calmer than us while I made two silly mistakes. I need to learn from this''. On the positives from the match, Thinaah said: "I think the main positive is the support that we gave each other throughout the match. "We always tried to lift each other's spirits when we were leading and trailing." Pearly-Thinaah's best achievement previously was capturing the Super 750 French Open in 2022. After struggling with inconsistency in the past, the pair are slowly improving their form and growing in confidence. Pearly-Thinaah have reached three finals so far this year after triumphing in the Thailand Open last month and finishing runners-up in the Indonesian Masters in January. The duo also became the first Malaysians in the women's doubles to make it to the Indonesian Open final since Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty, who won the title in 2009. Pearly-Thinaah will next have a well-earned break from competitions before looking to build on their positive showings in the back-to-back Japan Open (July 15-20) and China Open (July 22-27).
![[Watch] Indonesian Fans Cross The Line, Boo Malaysian Players Off Court](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FUntitled-2.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] Indonesian Fans Cross The Line, Boo Malaysian Players Off Court](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Rakyat Post
9 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] Indonesian Fans Cross The Line, Boo Malaysian Players Off Court
Subscribe to our FREE The roar of 10,000 fans can lift a player to glory—or crush them completely. At Jakarta's iconic Istora Senayan during the Indonesia Open 2025, Malaysian duo Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun discovered which side of that coin they were on, and it wasn't pretty. What should have been a showcase of world-class badminton turned into an uncomfortable spectacle, with the Malaysian pair facing not just their Indonesian opponents but a hostile crowd that seemed more interested in disruption than sporting excellence. Video footage spreading across social media tells the brutal story: every time the Malaysians prepared to serve, a wave of boos and jeers crashed down from the stands. It wasn't just passionate support for the home team—it was deliberate disruption designed to rattle the visitors' concentration. When Support Turns Sour The criticism was swift and merciless, as online observers didn't mince words. Social media comments captured what many witnessed firsthand: Poor sportsmanship from some Indonesian supporters. Malaysian players are getting booed during their serves. Disappointing behaviour at such a world-class tournament. The comparison to a zoo by some wasn't lost on critics who watched the spectacle unfold. When fans prioritise intimidation over appreciation of athletic skill, the line between passionate support and mob mentality gets dangerously blurred. This is badminton, not a war, and respect should be shown to players on both sides — but the shameful behavior from the crowd, booing our Malaysian players during the match, was not only deeply disappointing, it was a total disgrace. — lala𐙚⋆｡˚ (@fathdy_) The Real Losers: Sport Itself Man and Tee, currently world number seven in men's doubles, eventually fell in the semifinals of the Super 1000 tournament; their exit was as much a product of the hostile environment as it was of their opponents' skill. For players visiting Senayan—once considered badminton's premier venue—the experience serves as a harsh reminder that sometimes the most prominent opponent isn't across the net, but in the stands. The Indonesian response was predictably defensive, with some fans arguing their right to support however they choose: 'You all bought tickets, right? So you have the right to watch and support whoever you want! Just don't throw things at players.' But there's a difference between passionate support and turning a sporting venue into a psychological battleground. When the crowd becomes the story instead of the sport itself, everyone loses, especially the game of badminton. Adding fuel to the fire, some observers suggested the hostility stemmed from more profound resentment, particularly the fact that Malaysia's badminton program has benefited from Indonesian coaching expertise, including figures like Aku rasa fans badminton Indo ni koyak sebenarnya pasal coach diorang kebanyakan decide untuk coaching di Malaysia. Especially bila Herry IP dilamar BAM. Fair enough untuk kata boo player bukan lah satu kesalahan tapi is it ethical? I don't think so. — zll 🇲🇾 (@MohdZol) READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
