SHAH ALAM – K. Letshanaa may have lost her first game at the ongoing 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC), but she has pledged not to lose the warrior spirit within her as she aims to sharpen herself to become one of the top 20 ranked shuttlers in the world.
The 21-year-old was part of the national women’s team’s 1-4 defeat to Thailand in their final group match at the Setia City Convention Centre today.
In a hard-fought battle, the world number 57 player lost to world number 18 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 17-21, 18-21 in an intense 48-minute match.
Letshanaa also faced Busanan in last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games, but she lost her game with a huge margin 13-21, 10-21.
The shuttler, boasting two Sudirman Cup bronze medals, firmly believes that with more training and exposure, she will one day be able to defeat the top-ranked women shuttlers in the world.
According to the shuttler, she needs to further improve on her consistency, desire, and endurance, citing that opponents like Busanan will not give up and tend to always force their opponents to make mistakes.
“I have a lot to work on, including my footwork, which I’m lacking compared to the top 20 players in the world. It’s a long journey, and I think I’m on my way to it.
“On the positive side, I have now evolved to compete with opponents in the top 15 and 20. I think it’s good progress so that I can be better. I think I will need more exposure to tournaments as it will help me a lot.
“By having more exposure to tournaments, perhaps I can one day also be in the top 20 or even defeat those who are ranked. I also hope to become the number one singles player in the country with more training and sparring.
“I may have lost today, but there’s some improvement in my game, and I will sit down with my coaches and see what aspects I can rectify in my game so that I can upset Busanan one day.
“I have started playing Super 300 and Super 500 tournaments because every tournament I play, I mostly face the top 20 players, and I now it’s already a norm for me.
“Now it’s time for me to progress every time I play against them; there’s always something new for me to learn,” said Letshanaa after her match.
Despite her team’s defeat to Thailand, Letshanaa further said that her team is on the right track under the guidance of the national coaching team to become a powerhouse in the years to come.
“Both coaches, Hendrawan and K. Yogendran, have been working together to always support players like me and the others, especially from unnecessary distractions.
“Now we have a few men’s singles players sparring with us. With them onboard, it will help players like me to elevate my game better.
“We are not very far behind Thailand. We should not look down on ourselves. Thailand has a higher pool of players than us, and we are a young team. We will get closer to them if we continue working hard,” Letshanaa added.
Malaysia has guaranteed their qualification for the quarter-finals and finished their campaign in Group Y behind Thailand with two points (430-339), while the United Arab Emirates have been eliminated after two consecutive defeats.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage before a fresh draw is conducted for the last eight.
Additionally, the top four teams from both the men’s and women’s events will qualify for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in China, taking place from April 28 to May 5, 2024. – February 15, 2024