JOO VEN STILL FIGHTING TO SAVE HIS PLACE IN NATIONAL TEAM
Singles player Soong stays realistic despite Misbun’s assurance
By TAN MING WAI KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s singles shuttler Soong Joo Ven reckons he’s still fighting to save his place in the national team.
This is despite head coach Datuk Misbun Sidek’s assurance that he has no intention to reduce the headcount in his department.
But the 23-year-old Joo Ven prefers to be realistic, knowing that the improvement he showed in recent months may still not be enough for him to remain in the team.
Joo Ven, the 2012 Asian Junior Championships silver medallist, finished runner-up in the Hyderabad Open in September – his first final since the 2016 Scottish Open.
He also made it to the quarter-finals of the Dutch Open and Korean Masters to end the season as world No. 76.
“I’m not relieved at all – I wouldn’t say I’m safe yet,” said Joo Ven when met after attending the sponsorship signing ceremony between his club Kepong BC with Panasonic Malaysia and Felet Malaysia.
“And while I’m still in the team, I think the most important thing is to continue improving myself and make the most of whatever chances that come.
“Things are looking up for me in the last few months for me, so I hope to carry this momentum into the new year – starting with the Thailand Masters in two weeks time (Jan 8-13).
“I want to maintain the same kind of consistency by making it to the quarters or semis at least in every tournament. Hopefully, it would eventually secure me the breakthrough win.”
Despite enjoying an illustrious junior career, Joo Ven has struggled to make an impact in the senior ranks.
This is in stark contrast to Japan’s Kento Momota, the world No. 1 and reigning world champion, whom Joo Ven lost to at the 2012 Asian Junior Championships final.
Joo Ven is one of the few players facing a bleak future as the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) look to further trim the national set-up.
The BAM want a lean and mean squad comprising only 48 members next year, a reduction of 12 from the existing 60-player set-up, with priority on players 21 years and below.
Meanwhile, Kepong BC president Candy Bee has vowed to repay the sponsors’ faith by challenging for the SS Purple League crown again.
Being the underdogs, Kepong BC surpassed expectations last season by emerging runners-up to Puchong United BC.
“I expect us to challenge for at least the top three position. We don’t boast a star-studded squad but we have unrivalled team spirit that pulled us through.
“No one looked at us as contenders last year but we surprised everyone by finishing second. I think we can do it once more,” she said.
Besides Joo Ven, the other notable names in Kepong BC’s roster include India’s men’s singles player Dey Subhankar and Taiwan’s men’s doubles pair Yang Po-han-Lu Ching-yao.
They also have a reliable line-up comprising Lim Chi Wing, Cheah Yee See, Anna Cheong, Arif Abdul Latif and Nur Azriyn Ayub.