The national men’s singles badminton scene in Malaysia is currently facing a quality gap, with no players in the top 10 global rankings and a lack of significant title wins this year. The only notable successes have come from professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia, who won the Thailand and Australia Opens.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) national coaching director Rexy Mainaky is encouraging back-up players Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe to draw inspiration from Leong Jun Hao’s recent progress. Jun Hao has shown remarkable improvement since the Thomas Cup Finals, achieving significant victories over top-ranked players and rising to a career-high world ranking of No. 28.
Rexy hopes that Jun Hao’s success will motivate younger players like Justin and Eogene to enhance their performance. Justin, 20, has been steadily climbing the ranks after overcoming injuries, winning the Slovenian Open International Series, and showing promise in the Thomas Cup Finals. He recently improved his world ranking from No. 233 to No. 143.
Eogene, 19, achieved his best result this year by reaching the semi-finals of the Vietnam International Challenge and is currently ranked No. 201. Rexy emphasizes the importance of patience and continued support for these developing players as they strive to reach world-class status.