Latest news with #SoonHuat
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Shevon hits back at armchair critics for lack of understanding
National mixed doubles shuttlers Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttler Shevon Lai Jemie rarely responds to criticism, but this time, she could no longer hold back her feelings. Known for her cheerful and friendly personality, Shevon was clearly disheartened by remarks from a handful of fans aimed at her and husband Goh Soon Huat after they missed out on a semi-final spot at the Singapore Open, following a defeat to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran on Friday. Top seeds at the tournament, Soon Huat-Shevon fell 19-21, 22-20, 21-17, a loss that drew jeers from some fans on social media. In a post on her personal social media page, Shevon invited those who criticised her to come and train with them, even suggesting they pair up with Soon Huat to see just how challenging it really is. "If you guys wanna keep condemning me for not having initiative to find the shots, and feel I am letting Soon Huat run the entire court himself on purpose, please speak to @gohsoonhuat, and come train with us, I will let you feel how is it when I look for the shuttle. "And I am more than happy to let you partner @gohsoonhuat. You take my position and see how it feels," posted Shevon on her social media. The truth is, Soon Huat suffered an injury during the first set of the match, forcing them to adjust their playing style for the following games. Adding to their challenges, Soon Huat had only just recovered from leg injury when he returned to action at the Malaysian Masters last week. Soon Huat-Shevon were champions of the 2018 Singapore Open, where they defeated the top Indonesian pair at the time, Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir. The world No. 5 pair will have a chance to redeem themselves when they compete at the Indonesian Open next Tuesday. Ironically, Soon Huat and Shevon will face another Thai pair, Sapsiree Taerattanachai, who was previously partnered with Dechapol. However, the 2021 world champion is now teamed up with Phuwanat Horbanluekit, and they too are striving to make a breakthrough.
The Star
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Maintaining their top 10 ranking is Goh-Shevon's priority
PETALING JAYA: Being among the best demands significant sacrifices, especially for players who are entering the later stages of their careers. Mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie are aware that while they face a tough task maintaining their ranking, they can no longer compete in international tournaments with the same enthusiasm as before. Soon Huat, now 34, and his wife Shevon, 31, have once again been included in the national elite programme, Road to Gold. This time, the programme imposes strict requirements on the athletes involved. To start with, athletes in the programme must be ranked among the world's top 10. By 2026, they need to be within the top eight, and even tougher conditions apply in 2027. They must qualify for the Olympic Games on merit, be ranked among the top four in the world, and maintain that standing through 2028. Soon Huat-Shevon currently hold the world No. 3 spot, a position they have maintained since February. However, they know they cannot afford to be complacent as many pairs are chasing hard from behind. 'Maintaining our position is quite a tough challenge. As you can see from past matches, the point margins are very close and the competition is intense,' said Shevon. 'So we both know that if we want to stay at this level, we not only need to be physically fit but also have a versatile style of play. With so many tournaments now, everyone is studying each other's game.' Going forward, they not only plan to diversify their playing style to remain among the world's best, but the husband-and-wife duo also intend to be more selective when planning the tournaments they will enter. Although they recently suffered a surprising loss to world No. 20 pair Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch 18-21, 19-21 at the Malaysian Masters, a busy schedule awaits them. They will next compete at the Singapore Open starting next Tuesday, followed by the Indonesian Open the week after. For them, playing three consecutive tournaments is the maximum they can currently handle. This cautious approach is aimed at avoiding injuries, especially given Soon Huat's history of various injuries throughout his professional career. 'Our current plan is to play in three back-to-back tournaments. If possible, we don't want to compete in too many events. We'll aim for two to three tournaments in a row and focus on delivering quality performances. That's the direction we're heading in,' added Shevon. For the record, according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) regulations, top players are compulsory to play in all four Super 1000, six Super 750, and up to two Super 500 events.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Malaysia Masters 2025: Soon Huat-Shevon crash out early as young guns shine in doubles
MALAYSIA'S professional mixed doubles pair, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie, were handed a shock early exit in the first round of the Malaysia Masters 2025 after going down to Denmark's Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil here today. The world number three pair and defending champions failed to assert their dominance, losing 18-21, 19-21 in straight sets in 38 minutes to the Danish world number 20 duo, a disappointing result for 31-year-old Shevon, who admitted that inconsistency plagued their performance. 'Overall, I take this as a valuable lesson. We're still in the process of regaining rhythm and momentum, and currently experimenting with new tactical approaches that will take time to adapt to on court. 'We tried today, but it didn't work. Still, I believe this is just the beginning as we aim to showcase a more versatile playing style in future tournaments,' she told reporters after the match. Shevon said Soon Huat's recent injury had disrupted their preparations, with the pair undergoing only two weeks of challenging training ahead of the tournament. 'Soon Huat's condition is improving but we will be more cautious in tournament selection moving forward and limit our schedule to a maximum of three consecutive events,' she said. Soon Huat, meanwhile, shared that his foot injury has healed significantly, and he is now able to jump and move more freely during matches. 'In mixed doubles, the male player plays a crucial role, so I have to ensure I'm in top physical condition,' he said. In other mixed doubles action, national pair Too Ming Yap-Lee Yu Shan were also sent packing after losing to Thailand's Ratchapol Makkasasithorn-Nattamon Laisuan, 9-21, 13-21 in just 23 minutes. However, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien booked their place in the second round after overcoming another Thai pair, Supak Jomkoh-Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn, 22-20, 21-19. Tien Ci and Chiew Sien will next face sixth seeds from Thailand, Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran, who earlier defeated Taiwan's Chang Ko Chi-Lin Jhih Yun 21-12, 21-13. Meanwhile, in the men's doubles, rising Malaysian pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing stunned 2025 Thailand Open runners-up William Kryger Boe-Christian Faust Kjaer of Denmark, winning 12-21, 21-11, 21-17 to advance to the second round. The 2024 World Junior Champions acknowledged that stepping into the senior circuit has required them to play at a faster pace, with greater intensity and strategic flexibility. 'We asked for tips from senior player Aaron Chia on how to take on the Danish pair, and we followed that advice. We've been learning a lot from our seniors, and I'll keep giving my best, especially for my family who came all the way from Kelantan to support us,' said Khai Xing. The young pair will face a tough test in the next round against seventh seeds from Denmark, Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard, who eased past Taiwan's Ming Che Lu-Tang Kai Wei 21-10, 21-14.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Soon Huat-Shevon crash out early in doubles
MALAYSIA'S professional mixed doubles pair, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie, were handed a shock early exit in the first round of the Malaysia Masters 2025 after going down to Denmark's Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil here today. The world number three pair and defending champions failed to assert their dominance, losing 18-21, 19-21 in straight sets in 38 minutes to the Danish world number 20 duo, a disappointing result for 31-year-old Shevon, who admitted that inconsistency plagued their performance. 'Overall, I take this as a valuable lesson. We're still in the process of regaining rhythm and momentum, and currently experimenting with new tactical approaches that will take time to adapt to on court. 'We tried today, but it didn't work. Still, I believe this is just the beginning as we aim to showcase a more versatile playing style in future tournaments,' she told reporters after the match. Shevon said Soon Huat's recent injury had disrupted their preparations, with the pair undergoing only two weeks of challenging training ahead of the tournament. 'Soon Huat's condition is improving but we will be more cautious in tournament selection moving forward and limit our schedule to a maximum of three consecutive events,' she said. Soon Huat, meanwhile, shared that his foot injury has healed significantly, and he is now able to jump and move more freely during matches. 'In mixed doubles, the male player plays a crucial role, so I have to ensure I'm in top physical condition,' he said. In other mixed doubles action, national pair Too Ming Yap-Lee Yu Shan were also sent packing after losing to Thailand's Ratchapol Makkasasithorn-Nattamon Laisuan, 9-21, 13-21 in just 23 minutes. However, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien booked their place in the second round after overcoming another Thai pair, Supak Jomkoh-Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn, 22-20, 21-19. Tien Ci and Chiew Sien will next face sixth seeds from Thailand, Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran, who earlier defeated Taiwan's Chang Ko Chi-Lin Jhih Yun 21-12, 21-13. Meanwhile, in the men's doubles, rising Malaysian pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing stunned 2025 Thailand Open runners-up William Kryger Boe-Christian Faust Kjaer of Denmark, winning 12-21, 21-11, 21-17 to advance to the second round. The 2024 World Junior Champions acknowledged that stepping into the senior circuit has required them to play at a faster pace, with greater intensity and strategic flexibility. 'We asked for tips from senior player Aaron Chia on how to take on the Danish pair, and we followed that advice. We've been learning a lot from our seniors, and I'll keep giving my best, especially for my family who came all the way from Kelantan to support us,' said Khai Xing. The young pair will face a tough test in the next round against seventh seeds from Denmark, Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard, who eased past Taiwan's Ming Che Lu-Tang Kai Wei 21-10, 21-14.
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New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Soon Huat-Shevon stay upbeat despite early Malaysia Masters exit [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: It was not the title defence they had hoped for, but world No. 3 Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai are refusing to dwell on the disappointment. Soon Huat-Shevon, who came into the Malaysia Masters as defending champions, suffered a shock first-round exit after going down 21-18, 21-19 to Denmark's Mads Vestergaard-Christine Busch at the Axiata Arena on Wednesday. While clearly gutted to crash out early in front of the home crowd, Shevon insisted there were still positives to take away, especially with the pair in the midst of tweaking their style of play. "Our performance hasn't been consistent, and that's quite disappointing for me," said Shevon. "But we're trying new things, exploring different angles and building our rhythm again. That takes time, and this is just the beginning. "We really tried, and though it didn't work out this time, I believe what we're working on will pay off in tournaments to come. We're trying to transform ourselves into a more versatile pair." It was their first opening round exit on World Tour in six months since the China Masters in November last year, and Shevon admitted the loss was especially tough considering their status as reigning champions. "There were high hopes, for sure. We wanted to put on a good show," she said. "But circumstances didn't quite allow that, Soon Huat picked up an injury two weeks ago, and we've been focused on getting him back to full speed. "I saw some good signs this week, his movement's improving, and he's even starting to try some new things in his game. That gives me a lot of hope." Soon Huat, who had been managing a leg injury in the lead-up to the tournament, echoed the sentiment, noting that his recovery is on track and that the pair are focused on long-term progress. "This week, I was starting to move more normally again, I could jump, I had some explosiveness," said Soon Huat. "In mixed doubles, especially for men, that side-to-side power is critical. Without it, we lose our rhythm. "Even in the match, we kept trying right until the end. That's the kind of spirit we'll carry forward." The pair are well aware of the need to evolve to maintain their standing amid stiff competition. "To stay in the top three, fitness alone isn't enough," said Soon Huat. "We need variety in our game. Everyone studies each other now, so we have to keep adding new elements, new patterns." In other mixed doubles results, Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien kept the Malaysian flag flying with a hard-fought 22-20, 21-19 win over Supak Jomkoh-Ornicha Jongsathapornparn of Thailand, while Too Ming Yap-Lee Yu Shan fell 21-9, 21-13 to Ratchapol Makkasasithorn-Nattamon Laisuan.
