Latest news with #AsianJuniorChampionships
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Kunlavut, Jun Hao were once equals, now they're worlds apart
KUALA LUMPUR: Once fierce rivals on the junior stage, Leong Jun Hao and Kunlavut Vitidsarn have since taken vastly different paths in their senior careers. And on Friday, the gap between the two was laid bare when Kunlavut, now a world champion and Olympic silver medallist, swept aside Jun Hao 21-13, 21-9 in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open. Back in 2017, Jun Hao and Kunlavut had traded blows as Asia's brightest badminton prospects. The Malaysian got the better of the Thai in the semi-finals of the Asian Junior Championships that year, but it was Kunlavut who claimed the bigger prize later that season — denying Jun Hao in the final of the World Junior Championships. While Jun Hao, who turns 26 in July, struggled to find his footing in the transition to the senior ranks, Kunlavut flourished. The Thai ace, two years his junior, went on to win three straight world junior titles from 2017 to 2019 before making his mark with World Championships finals in 2022 and 2023, and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year. "He's more consistent and wiser in managing his game," Jun Hao admitted after the match. "His playing style is much more mature now." Jun Hao had no complaints about the outcome, conceding that the Thai was simply a level above. "Today I've done what I could, but it just wasn't enough," he said. "The draught inside the venue was a bit different from yesterday, and I couldn't adjust in time." Still, it has been a confidence-boosting campaign for Jun Hao, whose win over Indonesia's world No. 5 Jonatan Christie in the second round on Thursday. "I'll try to build on what I achieved this week and focus on being more consistent moving forward," he said, looking ahead to Indonesia Open next week.
The Star
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Xin Yee-Carmen have potential to flourish, says coach Rosman
PETALING JAYA: Young shuttlers Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting have the potential to go far in the women's doubles. National women's doubles coach Rosman Razak believes that Xin Yee-Carmen, who are both 18, are a pair to watch out for in the future. In the Malaysian Masters which ended on Sunday, the youngsters showed signs of their capabilities when they gave Paris Olympics champion Jia Yifan and her new partner Zhang Shuxian a tough fight before going down 11-21, 21-17, 13-21 in the first round. Xin Yee-Carmen are gaining valuable experience through competing in higher tier competitions this year including the World Tour Super 1000 Malaysian Open in January and Asian Championships last month. The pair, who captured bronze in the Asian Junior Championships last year, managed to reach the second round of the Super 300 Taiwan Open last month. It might only be a small step forwards but will have given the young pair lots of confidence as they attempt to make a breakthrough in senior level. Playing in more top tier competitions has helped Xin Yee-Carmen move up six spots to a career high No. 47 in the latest world rankings. Although still having a long way to go to match national No. 1 and world No. 4 Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, Rosman feels his young charges' progress is encouraging. 'In the Malaysian Masters, Xin Yee-Carmen played three games against Yifan-Shuxian. They are still young and I understand their level is still far but we are working on developing them,' said Rosman. 'As everyone knows, besides Pearly-Thinaah, the level of Malaysian women's doubles is quite far compared to other countries and we are trying to close the gap.' Currently, world No. 24 Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee are the closest to Pearly-Thinaah in Malaysia. Mei Xing-Pei Kee did well to beat China's Chen Qingchen-Wang Tingge in the first round in the Malaysian Masters before losing to Yifan-Shuxian.
Al Etihad
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Badminton: UAE charts ambitious strategy for global recognition
25 May 2025 14:22 ABU DHABI (WAM)Badminton is witnessing rapid growth in the UAE since the establishment of the UAE Badminton Federation in a short period, the sport has gained traction across clubs and academies nationwide, attracting thousands of players of various ages and nationalities, laying a strong foundation for the Olympic sport's future in the UAE Badminton Federation is implementing a strategic plan aimed at developing Olympic-level athletes, expanding the sport in schools and universities, enhancing the skills of technical staff, strengthening partnerships with local and international sports institutions, and promoting inclusivity by engaging all segments of society in badminton date, more than 12,000 players have registered across over 50 clubs and academies in the UAE. The capital, Abu Dhabi, has also hosted prominent international tournaments, most notably the Abu Dhabi Masters in October 2023, which featured over 200 players from 48 countries and served as one of the qualifying events for the Paris 2024 the achievements front, Rayan Malhan, a member of the UAE national badminton team, won the country's first-ever medal in badminton at the Asian Junior Championships. The 14-year-old secured a bronze medal in the under-15 and under-17 categories, held in Chengdu, the UAE national team secured four medals at the West Asia Junior Championship in recognition of its long-standing commitment to badminton development since 2014, Dubai was named the world's first Badminton Friendly City in July last year.
The Star
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Dania-Zi Yu show they can take over from Pearly-Thinaah in future
Show of supremacy: Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu beat Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Nur Aina Maisarah Hatta 21-17, 21-19 in an all-Malaysian final clash in Bratislava. PETALING JAYA: Promising shuttlers Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu are shaping up nicely to take over the baton from stars Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah one day after capturing their first senior crown at the Slovak Open. But first, the reigning girls Under-18 champions Dania-Zi Yu will be out to make their presence felt in the Asian Junior Championships from July 18-27 in Solo, Indonesia. The 17-year-old Dania and Zi Yu, 14, came out on top over Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Nur Aina Maisarah Hatta 21-17, 21-19 in an all-Malaysian final clash in Bratislava on Saturday. The duo have continued their fine progress after winning silver in the World Junior meet last October and claiming their first international title at the Dutch Junior in February. Dania-Zi Yu look like Malaysia's best bet to win gold in the Asian Junior meet and will be keen to maintain their form ahead of the tourney when they compete next in the Slovenian Open which starts on Wednesday in Maribor. Meanwhile, it was also a good outing for Noraqilah, 17, and Nur Aina, 15, who managed to reach the final in their first international tournament together. The duo showed that they could be a strong back-up pair for Malaysia in the Asian Junior meet. There was also positives in the men's doubles when Loh Ziheng-Tan Zhi Yang finished runners-up after narrowly losing 15-21, 21-12, 19-21 to Poland's Adrian Krawczyk-Szymon Slepecki. Junior doubles head coach Pang Cheh Chang was happy with his charges' overall showing in the tournament but wants them to stay grounded ahead of tougher challenges ahead. 'For me, this is part of the process to develop the young players like Dania, Low, Aqilah, Aina, Ziheng, Zhi Yang to become more mature players,' said Cheh Chang. 'But the players should also understand that they need to learn to adapt their game and develop their own mentality in order to handle different situations and challenges in upcoming tournaments.' FINAL RESULTS (Malaysians unless stated) Men's singles: Charles Fouyn (Bel) bt Muh Kasra (Swe) 13-21, 21-9, 23-21. Men's doubles: Adrian Krawczyk-Szymon Slepecki (Pol) bt Loh Ziheng-Tan Zhi Yang 21-15, 12-21, 21-19. Women's singles: Aalisha Naik (Ind) bt Liao Jui-chi (Tpe) 25-23, 21-9. Women's doubles: Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu bt Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan-Nur Aina Maisarah Hatta 21-17, 21-19. Mixed doubles: Mihajlo Tomic-Andjela Vitman (Ser) bt Chen Hung-ming-Chang Yun-jung (Tpe) 21-13, 21-8.
The Star
05-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Hazwan is one of a kind as he mixes up his coaching role
Giving some pointers: Mixed doubles coach Hazwan Jamaluddin guiding young pair Wee Yee Hern-Chan Wen Tse. PETALING JAYA: Transitioning from coaching men's singles shuttlers to mixed doubles is hard for some people but not Hazwan Jamaluddin. Hazwan was initially worried when he was moved from the junior men's singles coaching role to the mixed doubles in the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) at the end of last year. The 40-year-old though has been learning the ropes from mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto and assistant coach Lutfi Zaim and is getting used to his new position. 'I used to play in the men's singles and then I was coaching the junior shuttlers in the event,' said Hazwan. 'When I was moved to mixed doubles, I was worried at first. Thankfully, Nova made it easier for me. 'He assured me that it is not difficult and gave me pointers on managing the pairs under me. Lutfi has also been helping me a lot. 'I've learnt a lot from them. All three of us are working well together. I had to start from zero but I'm taking this as a new challenge.' Among the young pairs under Hazwan are Datu Anif Isaac-Dania Sofea Zaidi and Loh Ziheng-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan. Both pairs have been fast tracked into the senior team this year and are Malaysia's best bets for medals in the mixed doubles in the Asian Junior Championships from July 18-27 in Solo, Indonesia. Anif-Dania showed promise when they finished runners-up in the Dutch Junior International in February while Ziheng-Aqilah captured the national Under-18 title in Ipoh last week after beating their teammates in the final. 'Anif-Dania showed that the gap between them and pairs from China and Indonesia is not big when they reached the final in the Dutch Junior,' said Hazwan. 'Ziheng-Aqilah are also a promising pair and our target is for them and Anif-Dania to win medals in the Asian Juniors. 'We also keep reminding these pairs that they need to continue doing well when they move up to the senior level.'
