logo
Redraw draws no cheers for Jin Wei as Ratchanok looms

Redraw draws no cheers for Jin Wei as Ratchanok looms

The Star20-05-2025

PETALING JAYA: A last-minute change of opponent in the women's singles event at the Malaysian Masters did little to boost Goh Jin Wei's chances.
The initial draw had pitted Jin Wei against 2020 champion Chen Yufei of China in the first round today at Axiata Arena.
However, the world No. 8 had pulled out of the tournament, and a redraw saw the Malaysian set to face Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon instead. Ratchanok is a two-time winner of the tournament, having lifted the title back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
Ratchanok, the sixth seed, was originally drawn to face Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh in the first round.
Jin Wei has struggled against the Thai ace in the past, losing all four of their previous encounters. Their last meeting came two years ago at the Uber Cup Finals in Bangkok.
Her coach Nova Armada admitted that the redraw offered no real advantage, saying it remained an equally tough challenge for Jin Wei as she aimed to go further in the tournament.
'To be honest, the challenge is equally tough even though she's now facing Ratchanok.
''But I think it is slightly better than going up against Yufei,' said Nova.
'In terms of preparation, Jin Wei has done everything right. But when you are drawn to meet a top opponent in the opening round, it will always be difficult. We have no choice but to try and put up a strong fight.
'Whether it is Yufei, Ratchanok or any other opponent, it makes little difference. All we can do is go all out and give our very best,' said Nova.
Apart from Yufei, Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan and India's Tasnim Mir have also withdrawn from the tournament.
Their absence paved the way for players like Asuka Takahashi, Huang Yu-hsun and Wen Yu Zhang to be promoted to the main draw.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Two pairs in LA Olympics a possibility but Rexy stays wary of long road ahead
Two pairs in LA Olympics a possibility but Rexy stays wary of long road ahead

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Two pairs in LA Olympics a possibility but Rexy stays wary of long road ahead

Still at the top: Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani reached No. 1 in the world last month. PETALING JAYA: The more the merrier. With world No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (No. 7) and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi (No. 24) making their marks in the men's doubles, there is a good chance for Malaysia to have a maximum of two pairs in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The prospect is thrilling but the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky wants the boys to be on their toes as a lot of things can change in the next three years. 'Now, we have two pairs in the top two rankings in the world. We also have Wei Chong-Kai Wun and Arif-Roy King behind them,' said Rexy. 'Our players' rise is good as it gives them confidence and will put pressure on other countries. 'We hope to have four pairs in the world's top four before the Olympics in 2028. There's a good chance for four pairs to fight for the two spots to qualify for the Olympics.' A country is allowed a maximum of two pairs in the showpiece event as long as both pairs are ranked in the world's top eight when the qualifying period ends. Rexy acknowledged that the road to the Olympics is still long and wants his charges not to take their foot off the pedal as they bid to end Malaysia's wait for the elusive gold medal. 'I do feel satisfied with our players' achievements but we can't afford to rest on our laurels as there are still many tournaments left and a long way still to go for the Olympics,' said Rexy. 'We may slip up if we are satisfied now but if we stay hungry and work hard from now on, I'm confident with the support of all parties, we have a good chance to win gold in 2028. We need to work even harder after this to maintain the players' performances. At the same time, we need to keep an eye on the progress of the pairs from the other countries to stay ahead of them.' Aaron-Wooi Yik and Wei Chong-Kai Wun have been in fine form this year while Sze Fei-Izzuddin reached No. 1 in the world last month after their good showings last year and in January. Youngsters Roy King-Arif have also shown promise since combining in 2023. Wei Chong-Kai Wun, who captured the Indonesian Masters in January and Malaysian Masters last month were included in the Road to Gold (RTG) programme geared up towards the 2028 Olympics for the first time. The other shuttlers in RTG are Aaron-Wooi Yik, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women's doubles) and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles).

Brazil-born Figueiredo thrilled by reception from Malaysian fans
Brazil-born Figueiredo thrilled by reception from Malaysian fans

New Straits Times

time11 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Brazil-born Figueiredo thrilled by reception from Malaysian fans

KUALA LUMPUR: The man from the Western Hemisphere will never forget his Malaysia debut. Joao Figueiredo scored a goal against Vietnam and was named Man of the Match in an Asian Cup qualifier at the National Stadium yesterday. The 29-year-old proved to be a life wire for Malaysia upfront with his tremendous work-rate, and sparked a 4-0 win over Vietnam in their Group F match. The Brazil-born striker, who currently plays for Turkish club, Istanbul Basakşehir, was delighted with the reception from Malaysian fans at Bukit Jalil. He described it as "unforgettable". "I'm very happy, I've dreamt of this moment for a long time, but the most important thing was not my goal, it was to win, to follow our target. Our team performance was very good, but we can improve. I'm very happy to be here, I'm very proud," said Figueiredo. "From day one, I've been warmly welcomed by everyone here. Playing in front of more than 60,000 fans at the stadium was an incredible experience. Bukit Jalil will always be in my memory. "We've only been together for two weeks, but I believe we'll grow stronger from here. This is only the first step," added Figueiredo, who helped Malaysia end a 11-year winless run against Vietnam.

Rexy, Herry thank RTG for appreciating coaches' role with pay rise
Rexy, Herry thank RTG for appreciating coaches' role with pay rise

The Star

time14 hours ago

  • The Star

Rexy, Herry thank RTG for appreciating coaches' role with pay rise

PETALING JAYA: Thank you, Road to Gold (RTG). National doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky and men's doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi expressed their gratitude to the elite athletes programme committee after they were rewarded with salary increases following the good performances of several doubles shuttlers. Mixed doubles and women's doubles coaches Nova Widianto and Rosman Razak were also given a pay rise. "I'm really happy to see the coaches get appreciated for their achievements and hard work. Thanks to RTG," said Rexy, who was redesignated from the national coaching director to managing the doubles in March. Herry, who was only appointed by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in February echoed Rexy's sentiments. "Of course I feel happy and I want to thank RTG for rewarding the coaches," said Herry. Herry has made a stunning impact in a short time since taking over from Tan Bin Shen, guiding world No. 2 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to the Asian Championships gold in April, Thailand Open and Singapore Open titles last month. The experienced Indonesian also helped world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun win the Malaysian Masters last month. Wei Chong-Kai Wun beat Aaron-Wooi Yik in an all-Malaysian final in the home tourney. Meanwhile, under Rosman, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah won the Thailand Open, finished runners-up in the Indonesian Open and reached a career-high No. 3 in the world recently. Nova has also done well to produce two mixed pairs - Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (No. 4) and Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin (No. 13) - in the world's top 20 since joining BAM at the end of 2022.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store