Latest news with #ThomasCup
The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
Tze Yong's injury an issue for Jonassen in plan to assemble strong Thomas Cup squad
PETALING JAYA: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen is fully aware that the injury to his charge, Ng Tze Yong, could disrupt his plans to assemble the strongest line-up for the 2026 Thomas Cup. Although the tournament in Horsens, Denmark, is still about a year away, scheduled for April or May, Jonassen knows time is running short to build a formidable men's singles squad capable of mounting a strong challenge at the prestigious team competition. What makes the task even more daunting is his own admission that it would take a near miracle for any up-and-coming player to impress him enough to earn a spot in the Thomas Cup squad. At present, the men's singles squad comprise just five players, among them Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh, Eogene Ewe and young talent Kong Zhou Swin, who was recently promoted to the senior team. As such, Jonassen and the singles coaching team are focused on sharpening the skills of these existing players to ensure they are able to compete with the top names in the sport. 'Now, the injury to Tze Yong obviously affects things a little, but we'll see. Overall, I'm working towards a goal where we can produce a line-up that's capable of challenging the best. 'Of course, purely based on world rankings, we're not at the level of the top nations. They are ranked much higher, and unless we do something spectacular over the next eight to 10 months, we won't surpass them in the rankings. 'With less than 12 months to go before this major championship, I would be very surprised if a junior player could make the kind of progress needed to perform at that level. So we'll be coming in as underdogs. But for me, it's about being able to deliver a strong performance, and potentially that crucial win, on the day it matters most,' said Jonassen. At the same time, Jonassen is not ready to disclose the details of Tze Yong's injury, despite rumours that the 25-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during his first-round match against Angus Ng Ka Long at the Malaysian Masters two weeks ago. It is a tough situation for Tze Yong, who only made his return in April after a year-long break due to a back injury. The injury sustained by Tze Yong has forced him to withdraw from last week's Singapore Open and this week's Indonesian Open.
Malaysia Sun
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Malaysia Sun
Kidambi misses out on Malaysia Masters title, loses to Li Shi in final
Bukit Jalil [Malaysia], May 25 (ANI): Indian World Championships silver medalist shuttler Kidambi Srikanth missed out on the Malaysia Masters title, losing to China's Li Shi Feng in the title clash at Bukit Jalil on Sunday. Kidambi, a former world number one, lost his first final in six years by 11-21, 9-21 in two successive games. The former world number one has not secured a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title yet, having been a runners-up in India Open back in 2019. Other than that, he won the historic Thomas Cup gold with Team India in 2022, a silver medal in men's singles at the 2021 World Championships, four Commonwealth Games medals, including gold in mixed team competition back in 2018, a men's team silver in the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 among other accomplishments. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on their X posted about his loss in the final, 'He may have missed the title, but @srikidambi rediscovered something deeper -- belief, hunger, and a spark that could lift Indian badminton to new heights. After 6 years, he didn't just reach a final -- he reminded himself who he truly is. Surely this is the start of something bigger and better. Let's go.' Currently ranked 65th in the badminton rankings, Srikanth defeated world No. 23 Yushi Tanaka 21-18, 24-22 in a hard-fought semi-final contest which lasted 49 minutes. This was Srikanth's first semi-final appearance of the year. His last top-four finish on the BWF World Tour was at the Swiss Open Super 300 in March 20. Earlier in the quarterfinals, Srikanth won over France's Toma Junior Popov and advanced to the semi-finals. Srikanth came from behind in the decider to register a gritty 24-22, 17-21, 22-20 win over world No. 18 Popov in a match that lasted one hour and 14 minutes on Friday. (ANI)
India Gazette
25-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Kidambi misses out on Malaysia Masters title, loses to Li Shi in final
Bukit Jalil [Malaysia], May 25 (ANI): Indian World Championships silver medalist shuttler Kidambi Srikanth missed out on the Malaysia Masters title, losing to China's Li Shi Feng in the title clash at Bukit Jalil on Sunday. Kidambi, a former world number one, lost his first final in six years by 11-21, 9-21 in two successive games. The former world number one has not secured a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title yet, having been a runners-up in India Open back in 2019. Other than that, he won the historic Thomas Cup gold with Team India in 2022, a silver medal in men's singles at the 2021 World Championships, four Commonwealth Games medals, including gold in mixed team competition back in 2018, a men's team silver in the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 among other accomplishments. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on their X posted about his loss in the final, 'He may have missed the title, but @srikidambi rediscovered something deeper -- belief, hunger, and a spark that could lift Indian badminton to new heights. After 6 years, he didn't just reach a final -- he reminded himself who he truly is. Surely this is the start of something bigger and better. Let's go.' Currently ranked 65th in the badminton rankings, Srikanth defeated world No. 23 Yushi Tanaka 21-18, 24-22 in a hard-fought semi-final contest which lasted 49 minutes. This was Srikanth's first semi-final appearance of the year. His last top-four finish on the BWF World Tour was at the Swiss Open Super 300 in March 20. Earlier in the quarterfinals, Srikanth won over France's Toma Junior Popov and advanced to the semi-finals. Srikanth came from behind in the decider to register a gritty 24-22, 17-21, 22-20 win over world No. 18 Popov in a match that lasted one hour and 14 minutes on Friday. (ANI)
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Kidambi Srikanth's Malaysia show he belongs at the top
There's a strange serenity in watching Kidambi Srikanth play when he's in the zone. For much of the last few years, that version of Srikanth felt like a thing of the past. In Malaysia, it made a compelling return. The former world number one might not have won the title but his march to the final of the Malaysia Masters -- a BWF World Tour event -- his first such final in six years is not just personal redemption but a reminder to what persistence and discipline can deliver. "Srikanth is a player who should be in the top," said coach RMV Gurusaidutt. "As soon as possible, he should be in this circuit. That will be our primary target as a team. Be back in the top 20 and play in the big events." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More Undo Rebuilding a Body, Reigniting a Mind Srikanth's racquet skills were never in doubt. His 2017 run-four Superseries titles in a year-was historic. He added a World Championship silver in 2021 and led India to their maiden Thomas Cup triumph in 2022, winning all six matches. But consistency deserted him. His style had become predictable - explosive at the start, but often rushed and unsustainable over longer rallies as he failed to close out matches from winning positions. Live Events His struggles saw him slip in rankings -- he went as low as world number 82 early this month. "When we started in late 2023, I felt he was at a very bad fitness level. It's quite surprising. And I just told him, point blank that, you focus on getting better with your fitness," recalls coach Parupalli Kashyap. In recent years, chronic injuries-shoulder, knee, adductor, Achilles-hampered his training. At one point, he could only manage shadow practice and underarm strokes. "The shoulder issue has been there for a very long time. It is very on and off," Guru said, adding that there were also knee and achilles concerns due to load management. Still, Srikanth didn't shut down. "He has not sat down for 3-4 or 5 weeks this year. He was able to play and train, though he wasn't getting entries into the bigger events." But the real change came in his mindset. Over the past four months, Srikanth showed up every day - tired or not. "Morning sessions, evening gym, cardio - he was there. That's the improvement we wanted," Guru said. "And imagine - in the third week of back-to-back tournaments, he delivers this kind of performance. That speaks of the fitness and the discipline." A Different Srikanth in Malaysia What stood out in Malaysia was the subtle transformation in his playing style. The outright attack-heavy game has evolved into an all-round, balanced approach. "This tournament, he was actually playing an all-round game. It was not just attack-it was about constructive rallies and holding on. That kind of game creates pressure on the opponent," said the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist. In the past, Srikanth would often try to finish rallies too early. But now, he builds them like a strategist. At crucial junctures, he slows the tempo, forces errors, and then pounces. That shift in rhythm-unpredictable, nuanced-is what brought him back to the finals. The Discipline Dividend Mental discipline has been a quiet underpinning of this resurgence. "Srikanth and Prannoy are showing younger players what discipline can do - not just in preparation, but in life. He didn't get the flow earlier, but he stayed the course. Now he's found it." That, perhaps, is his greatest contribution. In a season where Indian badminton has low returns, Srikanth's resurgence has already begun to inspire. Players like Ayush Shetty and Tharun Mannepalli - who beat him earlier this year - now have proof that they're not far off. "Imagine - the guy you beat is now playing a 500 final, beating top players. That's a huge motivation," Guru said. Managing the Future The team around Srikanth knows the challenges ahead. Consistency, not just in results but in training and recovery, will be crucial. "For a player like him, the correct environment matters-how hard to push on a particular day, what kind of training. He's shown this result, so now it's even more important to reassess regularly." Srikanth has already entered for the upcoming US (June 24-29) and Canada (July 1-6) super 300 tournaments. "His ranking is important. He should be playing 1000s and 750s, but to get there, he needs to perform in the 300s and 500s. So that's the plan-and most importantly, keep checking his fitness," said Guru. Kashyap believes Srikanth can still climb back to the top. "He's exceptionally talented. He belongs there. It's good things have fallen into place now. I sincerely feel he, Prannoy, Sameer-all can extend their careers till 35-36," Kashyap said. "The way he played in this tournament, he looked like a top-10 player. He belongs here. We're always in awe of him. Even when I was competing against him, I was a fan of his game."
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Srikanth in Malaysia Masters final, first since late 2021
NEW DELHI: India's Kidambi Srikanth ended a long wait on Saturday when he made his first final in three-and-a-half years by reaching the title clash of the $475,000 Malaysia Masters in Bukit Jalil, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur. The former world No.1, whose ranking has dropped to No.65, overcame Japan's Yushi Tanaka, the world No.23, 21-18, 24-22 in 49 minutes in the semi-finals. The last time the 32-year-old made the final was at the BWF World Championships in December 2021 in Huelva, Spain, losing the summit clash to Singapore's Loh Kean Yew. After struggling on the tour and forced off because of injury breaks, the Ravulapalem-born has finally managed to regain his footing as he made the final of the Super 500 tournament following wins over much higher-ranked opponents. 'Pretty happy (with the win). It's been a while (since playing in a final). I don't know (how long it has been). I have lost track of it,' Srikanth said in the mixed zone after his match. The Pullela Gopichand protege has had to work harder than other players to reach the semis, having also come through two qualifying matches. In the main draw, Srikanth first overcame old rival and fifth seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan in three tough games in the opener which gave him the confidence of progressing in the event. After overcoming Ireland's Nhat Nguyen in straight games, Srikanth defeated another top 20 player in Toma Junior Popov of France before outlasting Tanaka in the semis. 'Physically I've been feeling well. There's also the fact that I haven't played too many minutes last year. I had been playing qualifiers. So maybe I kind of lost that touch of playing matches. Somehow everything has worked out this time,' Srikanth, who guided India to the 2022 Thomas Cup victory, said. 'I've been working hard the last month for these wins.' Srikanth will face his biggest test on Sunday afternoon when he takes on second seed Li Shifeng of China for his first title in eight years. The last title came at the 2017 French Open. 'I haven't really planned anything. It's just about being physically fit, being injury free, and then playing how many ever tournaments possible,' said Srikanth. 'I don't really have a target of playing the next 100 tournaments this year… So, obviously if I play, I will play to win. I really want to give myself enough time to recover, train, and then play this time.'
