Malaysian national coach Kenneth Jonassen has urged his men’s singles players Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh to step up in the absence of Lee Zii Jia at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, from April 27-May 4.
The World No.9 is sidelined with an ankle injury for three months. In the last edition, he was unbeaten with Malaysia reaching the semi-finals.
Malaysia are pitted against favourites Japan, France, and Australia in Group C. The top two nations will advance to the quarter-finals.
“When you don’t have your best player — someone in the world’s top 10 — it’s a challenge, but we must give our best,” said Jonassen at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today.
“It’s important for Jun Hao and Justin to adopt the team mentality — no matter who they face, they must be willing to fight and sacrifice for the team.”
The Dane wants the pair to put their opponents under constant pressure and disallow them to settle.
“That goes for the rest of the team too. We can’t let opponents get comfortable, especially in a team event. Momentum is crucial, we must keep their top players on edge throughout the match.
“In individual tournaments, it’s about yourself. But now, it’s about something bigger.”
Talking about their training, Jonassen said, “We’re working hard and analysing the strengths of our rivals. I like to push the players in training with scenarios that mimic high-pressure moments during matches.”
Malaysia will open their campaign against Malaysia on April 28 against France, where World No.62 Arnaud Merkle will be an early test for Jun Hao.