Nova Widianto says Malaysian mixed doubles pairs lack champion character despite matching top nations in talent.
MALAYSIA’S top mixed doubles pairs are not inferior to badminton powerhouses such as China and Indonesia, but the players’ lack of character has prevented them from performing consistently on the international stage, said coach Nova Widianto.
The national mixed doubles head coach stressed that the main limitation of Malaysian players does not lie in technical ability but in their inability to handle pressure and develop a winning mentality in high-intensity match situations.
“I feel Malaysia is not lacking in talent. We have many good players who are on par with Indonesia or China. But sometimes in terms of character, they are still not strong enough,” he said when met at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara today.
Nova was asked to comment on the performance of the country’s top pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, who seemed to struggle against the world’s best at times despite winning the 2025 world title.
According to him, players face pressure in major tournaments, especially in maintaining consistent performance throughout competitions.
“I see that not many players are able to reach that level consistently. When faced with difficulties on court, they are still not strong enough to overcome those situations,” he said.
Nova stressed that to become champions, players need to go through more demanding training processes to build stronger character.
He also wants players to change their mindset, as success cannot be achieved without being prepared to endure hardship in both training and competition.
“Sometimes they feel they can win without going through a difficult process. That mindset needs to be changed immediately,” he said.
