Sudirman Cup: Malaysia Defeated But Elated By Players' Commitment

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) can breathe a sigh of relief with the commitment shown by the young players in the 2019 Sudirman Cup badminton championship. Although team captain Goh Soon Huat and his teammates' campaign ended in the quarter-finals Friday, the performance and maturity of the players are very encouraging. In fact, they seem able to assume greater responsibilities at a more challenging stage in the future. BAM coaching director Wong Choong Hann said overall, the players showed focus and high commitment in every match they played in the Sudirman Cup campaign in Nanning, China. "This is the kind of commitment and fighting spirit we want from the young players. They have to understand that in big tournaments such as the Sudirman Cup, players must learn to take on the responsibilities and the expectations from their friends, themselves and also the country. "At the tournament, we can also see the hard work done by the coach and the players has paid off. The players also need to understand that with all the efforts done, they will see success," he said when contacted by Bernama. In the quarter-finals, the national squad lost 0-3 to second seeds Japan. Men's doubles pair Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin failed to grab Malaysia’s first point despite giving a fighting display, losing 21-13, 24-26, 21-23 to world No. 2 Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda. Soniia Cheah and Lee Zii Jia were also defeated in the women’s and men’s singles respectively. It was a repeat of the national squad’s performance two years ago in Sydney, Australia when they advanced into the quarter-finals before losing to the Japanese team 1-3. -- BERNAMA