There’s no place like home to train for the Thomas Cup Finals

The shuttlers bound for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals from April 27-May 5 in Chengdu will undergo centralised training right at home at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM).

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have shelved plans to send the players abroad for a training stint before the prestigious team meet.

“We will be staying right here at ABM and training for the Thomas and Uber Cup,” confirmed national coaching director Rexy Mainaky.

“The players who are currently here will start their preparations tomorrow.”

For now, Rexy is unsure if independent player and the country’s No. 1 in the men’s singles, Lee Zii Jia and Goh Jin Wei (women’s singles) will join the national team’s training sessions at ABM.

Another independent men’s singles player Cheam June Wei will continue training with the national team after joining the sessions since early this month.

“For now, I don’t know yet if Zii Jia and Jin Wei will join the team or not for training while June Wei will continue his preparations in ABM,” said Rexy.

The other singles players in the team for the Thomas Cup are Ng Tze Yong, Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh while Aaron Chia-soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Feinur Izzuddin Rumsani and Mohd Haikal Nazri have been included in the doubles.

Justin, 20 and Haikal, 21 will be making their debuts in the tournament.

The team will open their campaign in Group D against Hong Kong before playing minnows Algeria and second seeds Denmark in their next two group matches.

Meanwhile, the others included in the Uber Cup team besides Jin Wei are K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, Siti Zulaikha Azmi, Teoh Mei Xing, Go Pei Kee, Tan Zhing Yi, Ho Lo Ee and Chan Wen Tse.

Ling Ching, 20, Zulaikha, 18 and Lo Ee, 21 are the newcomers in the team.

Jin Wei and Co have a tough task against Taiwan, Thailand and Australia in Group B.