KUALA LUMPUR – National women’s singles player, K. Letshanaa, is gearing up for a challenging season as she aims to face world-class opponents in the BWF World Tour series, eager to assess and showcase her true performance level.
The 2023 Uganda International Challenge champion is aware of the difficulty that lies ahead, especially if she finds herself pitted against top-tier players in the early rounds throughout the Olympic qualification period until April.
Letshanaa eyes the Thailand Masters from January 31 to February 5 as her first battleground this season.
However, she must first navigate the qualifying stage, facing off against Peru’s Ines Lucia Castillo Salazar, to secure a spot in the main draw.
Undeterred, Letshanaa expressed her determination to challenge herself against higher-ranking players, aiming for upsets and gauging how her skills measure up against the best.
“Every tournament is very tough since Olympic qualification is going on. Every tournament has top 10 and top 20 players, so it’s very difficult to enter the quarters or semis to get results, but I am looking for an upset (against higher-ranking players),” she said, emphasising her eagerness to face top-tier competition.
Acknowledging the positive impact of the training regime implemented by the head coach of the national women’s singles team, K. Yogendran, Letshanaa sees significant improvements in their strategies and playing patterns.
Currently ranked 60th in the world, she sets her sights on breaking into the top 40, fuelled by her new-found freedom from injuries.
“I can adapt to his (Yogendran) coaching style and absorb what he wants from me. I think it got easier than last year as the understanding is quite good between us.
“I’m also excited to start the year with no injuries. I want to enjoy it without much pressure as I want to give my best first and see what’s the outcome,” she added.
Having returned to the Badminton Association of Malaysia in February 2023 after overcoming a back injury, Letshanaa is optimistic about her prospects.
Meanwhile, Yogendran outlined plans to expose women’s singles players – including Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman and a junior player – to as many tournaments as possible this year.
However, he admitted it would be a bit challenging as his players’ rankings did not meet the qualification requirements for Paris 2024.
“I can see their quality level improving, but to ensure they always improve, they need to compete in tournaments,” he said. – January 15, 2024