BANGKOK – “He said, one day you’ll leave the world behind, so live a life you will remember.”
Those were among the words in the late Avicii’s song, The Nights, that uplifted the spirit of the men’s doubles team ahead of the Thomas Cup Finals 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, slated to be held from May 8 until 15.
National number one men’s doubles shuttler, Soh Wooi Yik said they always wanted to have fun before they go all out on the court by listening to the song every night in Bangkok.
“The Nights is a motivational song for us (men’s doubles team), we always listen and sing together,” he told reporters on the first day of the training session in Impact Arena, here.
After having represented Malaysia twice in the 2018 and 2020 editions previously, Wooi Yik, who makes up the partnership with Aaron Chia, hopes Bangkok will be a third time lucky by helping the national team to break the 30-year jinx to lift the coveted cup on May 15.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old player hopes that his uncle, Soo Beng Kiang, who combined with Cheah Soon Kit, to deliver the winning point in the 3-2 victory over Indonesia in 1992 for Malaysia’s last Thomas Cup triumph, will give him some advice before he carries the Malaysian flag in Bangkok.
“We rarely communicate because I know he’s very busy. The last time that he gave me advice was during the last Olympic Games in Tokyo,” he added.
Although gutted to walk out the court empty-handed after losing to Indonesia’s Pramudya Kusumawardana-Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan in the Badminton Asia Championships 2022 final in Manila last Sunday, Wooi Yik hoped the result would inspire him to perform much better in Thomas Cup.
Aaron-Wooi Yik went down 21-23, 10-21 to Pramudya-Yeremia in 52 minutes in the men’s doubles title showdown.
Ergo, Wooi Yik said he needs to improve his mental strength so as to cope with the pressure and control his emotions while playing on the court.
“We need to discuss more with our coaches on how to put up a solid performance in Bangkok,” he said.
Apart from Aaron who is also the team captain and Wooi Yik, the national doubles camp is also represented by 2022 German Open champion, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani followed by 2021 World Championships bronze medallists, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi and Chia Weijie.
Malaysia have been drawn with the 2014 champion and tournament second seed, Japan, along with England and the United States in the 2022 Thomas Cup Group D competition. – Bernama, May 6, 2022
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