KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao is at a pivotal point in his career.
As he turns 26 next year, the former Asian junior champion knows that time is running out to make a lasting impact on the world stage and solidify his place among Malaysia’s elite shuttlers.
Despite flashes of promise, including big wins and unexpected upsets, Jun Hao has struggled to consistently break through on the World Tour circuit.
His victory yesterday—a comeback 20-22, 21-17, 21-16 win over India’s world number 17 Lakshya Sen in the first round of the Super 500 Kumamoto Masters—showcased his potential but also underscored the need for more regular results if he hopes to challenge top Malaysian singles players like Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong, the latter still on his own comeback path from a serious back injury.
For Jun Hao, next year is shaping up to be make-or-break. As part of the national team and with major tournaments like the 2026 Asian Games and Thomas Cup on the horizon, he is at a crossroads where consistency and high-level performance are essential.
The world number 31 shuttler’s future prospects could be influenced by the new ABM singles head coach, whose arrival brings potential changes and opportunities.
“Next year will be crucial for me because I’m not getting any younger. The only way to stay relevant is by producing good results,” Jun Hao told Scoop, acknowledging that competing in more tournaments is the only way to keep his dreams alive.
“The passion and fire in me are still very much alive.”
His second-round match in Kumamoto, against Japan’s world number 11 Koki Watanabe, serves as an acid test.
While Jun Hao holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage against Watanabe, the in-form Japanese player will start as the favourite, a reminder of the consistent high-calibre opponents Jun Hao must face to advance in his career.
Koki, who defeated Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-12, 18-21, 21-18 in the first round, has climbed 13 spots in the world rankings in just one year.
Meanwhile, in another men’s singles first-round match at the Kumamoto Masters, Paris Olympics bronze medallist Zii Jia survived a scare, ultimately securing a 21-16, 12-21, 21-17 win over ABM’s rising star Justin Hoh.
Zii Jia, who has not been in peak form since the Paris Games, will face Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang next.
In the men’s doubles, newly crowned Korea Open champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik also had to work hard before sealing a 15-21, 21-17, 21-9 win over Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard.
Fourth seeds Aaron and Wooi Yik will face Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin next. Hsiang Chieh and Chi-Lin had previously dispatched independents Low Hang Yee and Ng Eng Cheong 21-14, 21-19.
In the mixed doubles first round, independents Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai defeated Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi 18-21, 21-12, 21-14, and will face China’s Zhou Zhi Hong and Yang Jia Yi next.
Also advancing to the second round were Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, along with another independent duo, Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien.
However, it was the end of the road for Olympians Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, who were ousted 21-15, 21-12 by Thailand’s scratch pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran.
In the women’s doubles, independent duo Vivian Hoo and Chiew Sien lost 21-17, 21-16 to Japanese qualifiers Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe. — November 14, 2024
