KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s doubles player Haikal Nazri wants to be a regular qualifier for the quarter-finals of every tournament as he and partner Choong Hon Jian are hungry for more accolades after their Chengdu Thomas Cup stint.
The world number 28 pair helped Malaysia win its first bronze medal since 2016.
“When you are a regular in the quarter-finals, you have the opportunity to face top pairs.
“In the upcoming Thailand Open, we will get the chance to face Muhammad Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana in the second round, and Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan in the quarters.
“When you face the best in the world, you will see what your weaknesses are and you can learn and improve from the experience,” Haikal told reporters when met at Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara here today.
Speaking about his first experience at the Thomas Cup, Haikal said playing in the Thomas Cup is different from playing in other team competitions.
He added that even though he only got to play once against Algeria in the group stage, the team spirit and camaraderie are on a different level.
“When we were facing Japan (in the quarter-final), we knew the last game they had was Kento Momota and that would have been a tough game.
“So we went all out cheering for Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani to win their tie so Justin Hoh did not have to face Momota,” the 21-year-old added.
Meanwhile, the Kelantan-born Haikal is determined to make the squad for the 2026 edition in Horsens, Denmark to avenge Malaysia’s semi-final defeat to China.
“I especially want to face He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu. Actually, I had the opportunity to face them in Thailand, but because of the redraw, they are on the other side of the bracket.
“Sze Fei-Izzuddin played really well against Jiting-Xiangyu, but the Chinese pair changed their game to turn the tide in their favour.
“This is the kind of stuff that I learned while watching top players at the Thomas Cup. Their communication and how they rotate on the court were valuable lessons for me,” said the Orleans Masters champion.
Haikal and Hon Jian will start their Thailand Open campaign against former world championship bronze medalists Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang from South Korea on Tuesday.
“This will be our first time playing them. Even though they are a veteran pair, we cannot overlook them.
“We still need to focus, and what is important is not to put too much pressure on ourselves when facing them,” said Haikal. – May 10, 2024