‘Do or die' for Malaysia against China in Sudirman Cup quarter-final
PETALING JAYA : It is 'do or die' for Malaysia when they drew fancied China in the quarter-final knockout stage of the Sudirman Cup this evening.
Japan, who topped Group C in the round-robin matches with Malaysia finishing second, drew what is seemingly an easier encounter with Taiwan in another quarter-final clash.
The other quarter-final matches will feature Denmark against South Korea, and Thailand against Indonesia.
Malaysia, who won the bronze medal in the tournament after losing 1-3 to South Korea in the semi-finals in 2023, will have to put up their best against the Chinese side, who have emerged champions 13 times.
Local badminton fans will be hoping that Malaysia's world-class pairs in the men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles will be able to clinch the three points to put Malaysia in the semi-finals.
Malaysia's 20-member squad include Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani (men's doubles), Pearly Tan-M Thinaah (women's doubles) and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Jemie Lai and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Selangor brothers taking ping-pong world by storm
TWO young brothers from Puchong, Selangor, are making waves in the world of ping-pong. Habib Adrian Muhamad Suhaidin Azhar Bidin @ Jamaludin, 10, and Raden Zharif, nine, have achieved a string of impressive accomplishments in various tournaments. This year, Habib Adrian made his mark on the international stage by ranking 21st in the world in the under-11 category and is the national No.1 in the same category. His younger brother Raden Zharif is the country's top player in the under-nine category. Their father Muhamad Suhaidin, 37, who is a ping-pong coach, said he never imagined his sons' interest in the sport would develop into a serious journey. 'When they were babies, I brought them to the ping-pong training centre where I was coaching,' he related. He said the focus at the time was just on having fun and building basic coordination, such as learning to touch the ball, hit balloons and control hand-eye movement. Once the boys turned two, Muhamad Suhaidin started letting them hit balls. Habib Adrian (left) training with Raden Zharif at a ping-pong centre in Petaling Jaya. 'After the Covid-19 movement control order was lifted, I took them to watch tournaments and gave them small rewards after training,' he told Bernama. Seeing the great potential in both his sons, especially Habib Adrian, who displayed skills on par with professional players, Muhamad Suhaidin began coaching them with a more disciplined and structured schedule. Besides him, five other coaches, including former national players, also took turns to train and expose them to different techniques and strategies. Muhamad Suhaidin said they dedicated about six hours a day, or 30 to 42 hours a week, to intensive training that focused on stroke techniques and ball control as well as physical fitness exercises such as skipping rope. 'If you want to compete at international level, you can't just train according to the usual local standard. 'We have to follow the approach of countries like Japan and China, with highly disciplined and consistent training and continuous international exposure. 'Habib Adrian has proven he can beat players from South Korea and Japan. 'So, if we don't start now, that opportunity may never come again; that is why I ensure there is a clear target and training plan for them every day, just like professional players,' said Muhamad Suhaidin. For his sons' training and participation in overseas tournaments, about RM100,000 a year is needed for each player, covering training fees, coach payments, equipment as well as travel and accommodation during competitions. 'That amount is huge, but it's an important investment to enable them to compete with the world's best players. 'So far, most of the cost has been self-funded, with some assistance from certain parties, but it is still not enough.' Muhamad Suhaidin said that while Habib Adrian possessed professional-level basic skills, his mental strength still needed improvement. He noted that Raden Zharif was showing improvement in technique and confidence but required more competition exposure to solidify his game. 'My target is for Habib Adrian to be among the world's top five within the next two years and for Raden Zharif to break into the world's top 10 for his age category,' he added. The boys' mother, Nurliyana Hazlin Hassan, 36, said although her sons were active in sports, their education was top priority. The siblings attend SK Puchong Jaya 2.
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
RM100,000 boost for RXZ Members 7.0 activities in Terengganu
KUALA LUMPUR: The initial allocation of RM100,000 to support the organisation of RXZ Members 7.0 2025 Programme will be fully utilised to ensure that the event runs smoothly, safely, and has a high impact. Programme director Mohd Lukhman Nooralazhar expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the allocation. He said they will also ensure that the programme brings significant benefits to the people while uplifting the nation's image. 'This also serves as a motivational boost to the organisers, participants, and motorcycle enthusiasts to make this event a success, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors nationwide. 'We believe the government's support not only elevates RXZ Members 7.0 as a national iconic event, but also provides economic benefit to the local community through the tourism, hospitality, food, and retail sectors,' he said when contacted by Bernama today. Yesterday, Anwar announced the funding for the RXZ Members 7.0 2025 Programme, set to take place on Aug 23 at the Gong Badak Motorsport Circuit in Terengganu. The Prime Minister said the government's support recognises the motoring community as a catalyst for unity, strengthening relationships, and significantly contributing to local economic development through various impactful activities. Activities scheduled for the two-day event include the RXZ Members Talk Programme with Ustaz Azhar Idrus, merchandise and food stalls, as well as lucky draws for motorcycles and Umrah packages. Also featured will be a Motorshow and Dyno Battle competition, a Celebrity and Influencer Convoy to RXZ Members, including Rosyam Nor, Pablo Amirul, and professional motorcycle racer Wazi Abdul Hamid. In addition, various performances by local artistes, including Zamani from Slam, will take place, while the closing ceremony will be enlivened with the raising of the Jalur Gemilang, as well as prize-giving ceremonies for competitions and the RXZ Members 7.0 2025 grand prize. Meanwhile, Wazi, the former national motor racing champion, said the funding would benefit motorsport enthusiasts and encourage domestic tourism in Terengganu. 'Perhaps the government views this from a different perspective to ensure the continuity of the programme, but the organisation of this event needs to be further refined to avoid incidents that occurred in previous editions,' he said. He urged motorsport fans to take advantage of the government's support to ensure their gatherings are beneficial while also shaping themselves into courteous and responsible motorcyclists on the road. – Bernama
Barnama
14 hours ago
- Barnama
RM100,000 Boost To Be Utilised For RXZ Members 7.0 Activities
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The initial allocation of RM100,000 to support the organisation of RXZ Members 7.0 2025 Programme will be fully utilised to ensure that the event runs smoothly, safely, and has a high impact. Programme director Mohd Lukhman Nooralazhar expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the allocation. He said they will also ensure that the programme brings significant benefits to the people while uplifting the nation's image. "This also serves as a motivational boost to the organisers, participants, and motorcycle enthusiasts to make this event a success, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors nationwide. "We believe the government's support not only elevates RXZ Members 7.0 as a national iconic event, but also provides economic benefit to the local community through the tourism, hospitality, food, and retail sectors," he said when contacted by Bernama today. Yesterday, Anwar announced the funding for the RXZ Members 7.0 2025 Programme, set to take place on Aug 23 at the Gong Badak Motorsport Circuit in Terengganu. The Prime Minister said the government's support recognises the motoring community as a catalyst for unity, strengthening relationships, and significantly contributing to local economic development through various impactful activities. Activities scheduled for the two-day event include the RXZ Members Talk Programme with Ustaz Azhar Idrus, merchandise and food stalls, as well as lucky draws for motorcycles and Umrah packages. Also featured will be a Motorshow and Dyno Battle competition, a Celebrity and Influencer Convoy to RXZ Members, including Rosyam Nor, Pablo Amirul, and professional motorcycle racer Wazi Abdul Hamid.
