KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s singles player Leong Jun Hao has set his sights on winning his first National Badminton Championships title, slated to be held from July 4 to 9 at the Juara Stadium, Bukit Kiara, here.
The runner-up of the 2019 edition said winning the title this year will surely boost his confidence for upcoming tournaments, including a match against the 2021 world champion, Loh Kean Yew of Singapore, in the first round of the Korea Open 2023 from July 18-23.
“I am sure the pressure will be on Kean Yew, but I will give everything and do my best to fight him,” he told reporters after a training session, here today.
Both players played each other once before in the Singapore International Series in 2017, which saw Kean Yew win the tie 21-10, 21-14.
Given his status as the top seed and the absence of other top players in the national meet, Jun Hao said he will tread with caution on threats from other players, especially the juniors in the tournament.
“The juniors, in my opinion, will play under no pressure. They will undoubtedly give their all and push us to the end.
“Even though we train together, it will still be difficult because they know our style of play, they can't be taken lightly, and they (juniors) have nothing to lose,” he said.
Despite the absence of big names such as the darling of local badminton fans, Lee Zii Jia and 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Ng Tze Yong, the 23-year-old believes that the national championship is still a prestigious tournament in the country.
He anticipated that the absence of several stars in the tournament would provide a fair chance for him and other players to emerge as the first national champions since 2019.
The National Badminton Championship will return to the country’s badminton calendar after a four-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. -Bernama
