KUALA LUMPUR – Following back-to-back victories with partner Choong Hon Jian, national men’s doubles shuttler Muhammad Haikal Nazri is looking forward to returning home to celebrate the fruits of his labour with family.
Hon Jian and Haikal clinched their first World Tour title at the Super 300 Syed Modi India International in Lucknow on December 3, followed by another triumph at the Super 100 Guwahati Masters the following week.
Haikal said that when they were paired up together in August for the Indonesia International Challenge, they wanted to compete with fellow compatriots like Rayner Beh-Goh Boon Zhe, Liew Xun-Chia Wei Jie, and Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King in the national rankings.
He expressed gratitude for their unexpected victories as they faced tough draws in the tournaments.
“We didn’t expect to win (Syed Modi) because the draw from the second round onwards was tough, so we played without pressure and gave our best.
“Hon Jian and I have struggled a bit (in past tournaments) since being paired up, so getting into the second tournament (Guwahati Masters) after winning (the first one) added a bit of pressure to win back-to-back titles.
“But at the same time, I wanted to prove to myself that we as a pair could be consistent and at least get to the quarter-finals,” said Haikal when met at Akademi Badminton Malaysia yesterday.
The 21-year-old Kelantanese attributed the tournament triumphs to his effective partnership with Hon Jian, which allowed them to take turns leading when their partner faced challenges during a game.
“If I’m having a bad game, Hon Jian will take the lead and guide me on the court, and vice versa. This helps a lot when we are in the midst of a match,” he added.
Now, looking forward to a well-deserved break, Haikal is excited to return to Bachok to spend quality time with his family.
With plans for the next year yet to be formalised, he is eager to enjoy the upcoming five-day break after spending months at the academy.
“I have only returned home a few times, so I’m going to enjoy my break with my loved ones,” he said. – December 13, 2023