KEPONG – Former world number one men’s doubles player Marcus Fernaldi Gideon believes there may be a silver lining for Malaysian duo Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik not being seeded players for the upcoming Paris Olympics, which begin next Friday.
The Indonesian star and his partner, Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, once reigned supreme in international badminton, clinching seven Superseries titles in 2017 and an impressive nine World Tour championships in 2018.
The following year, they added another eight World Tour titles to their tally.
Despite being strong contenders for the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, their hopes were dashed when they were unexpectedly eliminated in the quarter-finals by Aaron and Wooi Yik.
Gideon, who has experienced the immense pressure of expectations from his homeland and the world to secure Olympic gold, believes there could be an advantage for pairs like Aaron and Wooi Yik who are not seeded players, despite their potential to bring home a medal.
“The pressure of competing in the Olympics is different. As a former world number one player, I understand the feeling.
“When you’re the world number one, the expectation is to win every tournament. Before we went to the Olympics, everyone was saying, ‘You have to be the champion.’
“During interviews, it added to our burden. While competing, we couldn’t play freely, which made us very nervous.
“For Aaron and Wooi Yik, their burden is not as heavy. The major burden is usually for the world’s number one players, which they are not.
“When we were the world’s number one pair, everyone placed high expectations on us to win wherever we went which made it difficult for us and affected our performance.
“Aaron and Wooi Yik, on the other hand, have pressure not as intense as what we faced. I believe they can enjoy their game, which is crucial for delivering their best performance at the Olympics,” said Gideon after attending an exhibition match with former Malaysian badminton player Tan Boon Heong at Ace Sports World in Kepong today.
Having announced his retirement in March, Gideon is now planning to establish his own badminton academy in Indonesia.
The 33-year-old also acknowledged that he has moved on from his badminton career.
While he and Sukamuljo were a formidable duo during their peak years, they were unable to clinch major titles such as the Asian Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games.
“It doesn’t matter, I’ve managed to achieve other championships, and I am still happy.
“Perhaps I haven’t won them all, but I’m content with my career journey,” he added. – July 20, 2024
