Three young shuttlers to move up for national duty

BANGKOK: National singles chief coach Datuk Misbun Sidek is expecting young players such as Lee Jii Zia, Leong Jun Hao and Tan Jia Wei to shoulder Malaysia’s singles challenge in future.

He said the three young players would be carrying the singles’ challenge in team tournaments including the Thomas Cup.

“These junior players could be polished as they have the potential,” he told reporters at the Malaysian Thomas Cup team accommodation hotel here yesterday.

He was commenting on the 1-3 loss to Indonesia in the Thomas Cup quarter-finals on Thursday.

With proper guidance and exposure, these singles’ players would be ready to carry national duty in the next Thomas Cup, he added.

Misbun said this was the likely scenario after the withdrawal of Datuk Lee Chong Wei as Jii Zia, 20, who was fielded in the current tournament proved to be the correct choice.

“I think he will be ready in two year’s time,” he said and added he liked Jii Zia’s style and rhythm as displayed in the championship.

Meanwhile, the national doubles coaching team will be conducting an in-depth study on the failure of doubles players especially in the rubber set.

Chief coach Cheah Soon Kit said the study was needed to find out why Malaysian doubles falter at critical moments such as the rubber set.

“There is a setback, so we have to step up on this issue on what happened to the players, what are their thinking during this time (the third set). Why were they unable to keep up the momentum in the rubber set,” he said when met at the Malaysian camp hotel yesterday. - Bernama