KUALA LUMPUR — Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai know they must add more variety to their game if they are to maintain their world No. 3 ranking and stay in the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.
The Malaysian mixed doubles pair — also defending champions — crashed out in the first round of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 today after a 17-21, 28-26, 21-9 loss to Denmark’s Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
The Danes will play Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang Heng and Jheng Yu Chieh in the next round.
“It’s quite a challenge,” Shevon told the media when asked about maintaining their current standing.
“The pairs behind us are very close, and the competition is tight. To stay in this position, we need to be physically fit and have a more versatile game.
“Everyone is studying each other’s game now. If we stick to the same style, it becomes easier for opponents to figure us out.
“We need to adapt and add more patterns to our play. Previously, we relied heavily on power and attack, but now others are catching up,” added Shevon, who admitted their on-court performance has been inconsistent.
“For me personally, our performance wasn’t stable. I’m disappointed with myself. But it was a good takeaway in terms of getting back into rhythm and trying out a different game. We just need more time to adjust and build better understanding between us.”
As defending champions, Shevon said their hopes had been high.
“We really wanted to win it again this year. But sometimes, things don’t go your way,” she said.
“After struggling with injuries the past two weeks, today I saw him (Soon Huat) moving much better — like his normal self — and that’s a good sign for me.
“He’s also trying out a new game style, which is positive. Although we’re disappointed, especially for the home fans, we want to come back stronger in the next few tournaments — Singapore and Indonesia.”
Looking ahead, Soon Huat said they would be more selective with tournaments.
“We won’t play too many in a row — at most maybe three back-to-back. We want to focus on playing quality matches. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Notably, to qualify for the RTG programme — a top-up initiative by the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) and National Sports Council (NSC) — athletes must be ranked in the world top 10, with the expectation of breaking into the top three closer to the Olympics. — May 21, 2025