Kenneth tells Jun Hao and Co to chin up and step up after Japan setback
PETALING JAYA: Now, it's all about regrouping and turning their focus to today's quarter-final clash against China.
That's the mindset Malaysia must adopt after falling short once again to Japan, losing 2-3 in their final Group C tie at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, yesterday.
Malaysia got off brilliantly through wins from Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles) and Leong Jun Hao (men's singles), but Goh Jin Wei (women's singles), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men's doubles) and Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women's doubles) were unable to provide points.
Aaron-Wooi Yik probably had the best chance to win but they went down fighting to 21-12, 20-22, 21-23 to Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi in a battle between former world champions.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen felt the team had given everything against the three-time runners-up but admitted that luck simply wasn't on their side this time.
Still, the defeat does not spell the end.
Malaysia have advanced to the quarter-finals as group runners-up and must now carry the same fighting spirit into the knockout stage if they are to keep their hopes of at least a bronze medal alive.
Under the Sudirman Cup format, a place in the semi-finals is enough to guarantee a medal.
Malaysia have won bronze medals in the last two editions, ending a 12-year wait in Vantaa, Finland in 2021 and repeating the achievement in Suzhou in 2023.
'I think overall we can be very proud of our team effort, our aggressive spirit on court, and the support from the bench.
'I felt we were a little unlucky today not to get the win against Japan, but they also showed what they're made of and fought all the way.
'As I just mentioned to the team, with this spirit and aggression, we stand a chance against anybody if we believe in ourselves. But now, we need to focus on our recovery,' said Jonassen.
Jonassen encouraged the team to keep the same fighting spirit in the quarters.
'Maybe we need a little bit of luck, so to speak. But we don't need to do much differently than we did today. Stay aggressive and keep believing. If we do that, we've got a real chance.
'I do believe that the level tomorrow (today) will be even higher but that's the task ahead,' he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Jin Wei's battling display in Macau a good boost ahead of Paris biggie
Malaysia's Goh Jin Wei hits a return to Japan's Tomoko Miyazaki during their women's singles match at the Sudirman Cup badminton championship in Xiamen, China's southeastern province on May 1, 2025. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP) PETALING JAYA: Women's singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei's battling performance against China's eventual champion Chen Yufei in the Macau Open second round has given her some much needed confidence ahead of the World Championships from Aug 25-31 in Paris. Jin Wei gave 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion Yufei a huge scare before narrowly going down 21-14, 9-21, 18-21 in Macau last week. Despite the defeat, it was arguably the 25-year-old independent player's best performance this year. Jin Wei's coach Nova Armada believes his charge is slowly regaining her best form. "Jin Wei played very well in Macau. She could have pulled off an upset over Yufei after losing to her a few times this year but the Chinese player is very steady now and managed to win in the end," said Nova. "Nevertheless, it was still a good performance from Jin Wei. In the first round, she also did well to beat Denmark's Amalie Schulz, who is not easy to play against. "There was no pressure on Jin Wei and this helped her play her game well. Her performance in this tournament has lifted her spirits and given her some confidence. She is slowly getting back to her best." Nova feels a change in approach this year is beginning to help Jin Wei, who is struggling with health issues, rediscover her best form. "I'm not sending her for many tournaments this year. Instead, my focus is more on helping her train better," said Nova. "She is now getting used to training while managing her heath condition as she has been going through it for a few years now. "Also, we want to save money this year by being selective with tournaments. Next year, I plan to send her for more competitions again." Jin Wei has only competed in eight individual tournaments this year and reached the second round thrice including in Macau. Her lack of results has seen her lose her status as the country's No. 1 in the women's singles to K. Letshanaa, who is currently ranked No. 40 in the world. Jin Wei faces a tough task in the world meet next but will be hoping to spring a surprise.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
Tang Jie-Ee Wei suffer shock defeat to unranked Danes
KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no all-Malaysian mixed doubles final at the Macau Open after Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei were defeated in the semi-finals on Saturday. The world No. 3 lost 15-21, 21-17, 21-11 in 54 minutes to Denmark's Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje at the East Asian Games Dome. Christiansen-Boje were ranked as high as world No. 8 in 2022, but the unseeded pair split for a year before reuniting recently. They will face another Malaysian pair, Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing, in the final on Sunday.
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
World No 127 pair Jimmy-Pei Jing defy odds to enter Macau Open final
Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing are in a World Tour final after having teamed up only in March. PETALING JAYA : New mixed doubles combination Jimmy Wong-Lai Pei Jing pulled off another major upset in the Macau Open today by defeating sixth seeds Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah of Indonesia to advance to tomorrow's final. The Malaysians, who are ranked No 127 in the world, took 42 minutes to defeat the world No 16 Indonesians 21-18, 21-16. The victory marks the first time the pair have reached a World Tour final together, having only partnered in March after Pei Jing's split with her regular partner, Tan Kian Meng, who has retired. In the final, they will meet either compatriots Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei or Danish pair Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje, who will be playing in the other semi-final later today. Jimmy-Pei Jing's giant-killing feats include victories over second seeded Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi of China in the quarter-finals, and India's world No 18 pair Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto in the round of 16. Jimmy, 23, and Pei Jing, 33, became the second Malaysian finalists in Macau after men's singles player Justin Hoh defeated India's Tharun Mannepalli in the semi-finals earlier. The Macau Open is a BWF World Tour 300 event which offers a total prize money of US$370,000 (RM1.58 million), with the singles champions receiving US$27,750 (RM118,792) and the runners-up US$14,060 (RM60,188).
