KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia head into the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (BAMTC) in Qingdao, China, this week with tempered expectations, as singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen prioritises player development over immediate results.
For Jonassen, the real battle isn’t just against opponents on the court—it’s about mastering emotions, instincts, and strategy, a challenge he believes is among the toughest in badminton.
“We, the coaches, have spoken to all the singles players about the importance of controlling their emotions and instincts while staying true to their game plan and strategy,” said Jonassen, who officially took charge as the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) singles head coach in January.
“It’s one of the hardest things to learn and execute, but I hope to see some effort in this area during next week’s competition,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Malaysia have been drawn in Group B alongside Indonesia and Hong Kong and must secure at least one win to stand a chance of reaching the quarter-finals. The top four semi-finalists will automatically qualify for the Sudirman Cup in April.
However, the Malaysian squad will be without several key names, including men’s singles world number seven Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong, who is still recovering from surgery.
Also missing are top doubles pairs Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles), and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles).
Despite these absences, Jonassen is eager to see how Malaysia’s young talents—particularly Leong Jun Hao, Justin Hoh, and K. Letshanaa—rise to the challenge.
The Dane, widely credited for shaping the careers of two-time Olympic gold medallist Viktor Axelsen and reigning European champion Anders Antonsen, views this tournament as an important stepping stone.
With Indonesia also fielding a second-string squad, Malaysia’s pivotal tie will be against a full-strength Hong Kong side on Wednesday.
The contest promises to be intense. Hong Kong’s coaching team include four former Malaysian coaches: Wong Choong Hann, Tan Bin Shen, Jeremy Gan, and Loh Wei Sheng.
“Team events can bring out the best in you, but sometimes also the opposite,” Jonassen said.
“I’m hoping to see individual improvements in each player—specific areas we’ve identified together that need to be addressed.
“Whether or not this will translate into wins, I don’t know. But it’s a good first step in their development.”
Since he did not make the trip to China, Jonassen will monitor Malaysia’s BAMTC matches remotely.
The team will conclude their group stage campaign against Indonesia on Thursday. — February 9, 2025