Malaysia’s desire to win backfired in the SEA Games men’s team final, with emotions clouding their play in a 0-3 loss to arch-rivals Indonesia.
NATIONAL singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen believes Malaysia’s strong desire to win worked against them in the men’s badminton team final.
The team fell 0-3 to arch-rivals Indonesia at the SEA Games Thailand 2025 in Pathum Thani today.
“I think their desire (to win gold) is also why we may not have played our best today,” Jonassen told reporters after the final.
He said the players struggled to balance passion and composure, allowing emotions to affect their tactical clarity at Gymnasium 4, Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.
“You cannot allow your emotions to take control and cloud the clarity of how you are supposed to play the game.”
Jonassen said Leong Jun Hao was too rushed despite leading comfortably in the second set of the first singles match.
The world No. 28’s eagerness allowed Alwi Farhan to stage a comeback and win 21-12, 21-19.
He added that second singles player Justin Hoh made too many mistakes against Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah.
Justin, ranked 38th in the world, lost 21-12, 21-14.
National men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi was gutted by the performance of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.
The 2022 world champions and current world No. 2 pair were outperformed 21-12, 21-12 by world No. 8 duo Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani.
“Aaron-Wooi Yik, as the world No. 2 duo, should play much better against the lower-ranked opponent,” Herry said.
The 50-year-old Jonassen said the defeat provided a clear answer on the work needed ahead of next year’s Thomas Cup in Denmark.
Malaysia failed to end a two-decade gold medal drought in the men’s team event.
The country last won the title at the 2005 SEA Games in the Philippines.
