NATIONAL mixed doubles player Cheng Su Yin is ready to take up the challenge of head coach Nova Widianto to win at least one title this year.
She said that she and her partner Hoo Pang Ron are indeed training hard to realise their dream after a rather lacklustre season so far.
“If we can win a title, it will definitely be worth it, we are really trying and still training hard,“ she told reporters after a training session here, today.
Recently, Nova wants to see his team win at least one championship title before the 2025 World Championships in Paris from August 25 to 31.
Su Yin also admitted that disappointing performances and injuries suffered previously have haunted her, often resulting in early eliminations from tournaments she has participated in throughout the year.
After emerging as runners-up at the 2024 China Masters last November, Pang Ron-Su Yin have struggled to maintain their momentum, having only reached the quarter-finals twice out of nine tournaments they have participated in this year.
In March, Su Yin suffered an ankle injury when she slipped on the stairs after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2025 Orleans Masters in France.
The world number 13 pair is expected to return to the court for the 2025 Japan Open (July 15-20) followed by the 2025 China Open (July 22-27) and the 2025 Macau Open (July 29-August 3).
Since being paired together in 2023, they have only won one title, winning the 2023 Malaysia International Challenge in Ipoh, Perak.
Meanwhile, Nova said Pang Ron-Su Yin are still struggling to live up to the high expectations placed on them after successfully breaking into the top 15 pairs in the world at the moment.
“Now they have entered the top 15 and the expectations are high, sometimes if they are not mentally strong they seem to feel stressed.
“The quality of their game is already there but to become champions does not depend on quality alone because they also have to be mentally strong and that is what they need to improve on,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
