BAM FEEL KISONA IS NOT READY
Coaches withdraw Kisona from Orleans Open, tell her to go for ‘intensive training’ in KL
WOMEN’S singles S. Kisona needs help to regain her former self, and the BA of Malaysia (BAM) are doing just that following a string of mediocre results this year.
This has led to the BA of Malaysia (BAM) deciding to withdraw the 22-year-old from the Orleans Open in Paris.
The BAM want Kisona to return home so that she can focus on improving her game in training.
Kisona hasn’t hit the ground running ever since the BWF Tour resumed in January.
The reigning Sea Games champion suffered early-round defeats during the BWF Asian Tour in Bangkok at the start of the season.
And last week, the World No 60 was again far from impressive as she suffered a 21-6, 21-7 defeat to Thailand’s World No 13 Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the first round of the All England.
“The coaching team reached a collective decision after evaluating her recent showing at the All England,” announced the BAM yesterday.
“Kisona is set to resume intensive training at the high-performance centre (Academy Badminton Malaysia) before making a return to competition.”
Women’s singles coach Indra Wijaya elaborated that there will still be opportunities for Kisona to step up again.
“Kisona was withdrawn from the Orleans Masters. We feel she needs more training,” said Indra.
“But there will definitely be more opportunities for her to compete again, and we’ll see how she progresses in training.”
The Negri Sembilan-born is expected to return to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow and undergo quarantine before resuming training.
With Kisona’s withdrawal, Malaysia’s challenge at the Orleans Masters will fall on the shoulders of former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei and Lee Ying Ying.
The 21-year-old Jin Wei, who is making her first competitive return since featuring in the Asia Team Championships in February last year, got off to a bright start by beating Bulgaria’s Hristomira Popovska 21-8, 21-14 in the first round yesterday.
The Penang-born, who is now only ranked 146th in the world from a career high of No 34, takes on Belgium’s Lianne Tan or Turkey’s Aliye Demirbag in the second round today.
In men’s singles, both Cheam June Wei and independent shuttler Soong Joo Ven cleared their first-round matches on Tuesday.
June Wei defeated Brazil’s Ygor Coelho 21-11, 21-15, while Joo Ven downed England’s Johnnie Torjussen 21-13, 21-19.