KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong’s win at the second round of the All England Badminton Championships last night was a big step in building his confidence in the tournament.
However, national men’s singles coaching director Wong Choong Hann cautioned the rising star, in his debut at the Super 1000 event, against being too comfortable with the win, as the job is not done yet.
Choong Hann also advised world No. 28 Tze Yong to stay focused, as he will face another strong opponent, China’s Li Shi Feng, in the quarterfinal tomorrow morning.
“We will not get overly excited about the win, because we believe more will come from Tze Yong. He needs to be focused, humble, and stay on course throughout the tournament.
“He also knows he is not there yet and has more things to learn,” he said.
Last night, Johor-born Tze Yong dethroned the world’s top player, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, in a 69-minute match, 21-15, 9-21, 23-21.
Choong Hann was met when accompanying the Cambodia 2023 SEA Games deputy chef de mission Sharon Wee’s visit at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara, here today.
In regard to the preparation, Choong Hann shared that they are aiming to contribute one gold medal from the badminton squad.
“We are looking at one gold medal from any of the events, potentially from the men’s team, but it also depends on who we are facing.
“We are not relying on a specific player. We send them there because we trust all our players to learn and fight for the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sharon said players bound for the SEA Games should look at how Tze Yong played against Axelsen.
She said young shuttlers should take inspiration from his fighting spirit.
“Looking at Tze Yong’s performance, I hope the Malaysian contingent can follow in his footsteps for his fighting spirit. He was enthusiastic and fearless in going up against someone like Axelsen.
“Trust your process during the training and believe in yourself, because anything can happen in sports as long as you give 150% effort on the court.
“I believe the young players can use Tze Yong’s victory as an example to push the very best on the court,” said the former squash international.
Sharon noted she was satisfied to see the players are in high spirits for the SEA Games.
She trusted the players are in good hands under the guidance of ABM. – The Vibes, March 17, 2023
