Kuala Lumpur: Rexy Mainaky, the Director of Coaching at the Academy of Badminton Malaysia (ABM), advises Malaysia’s emerging men’s doubles duo, Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal Nazri, to remain grounded despite their recent victory at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow last Sunday.
Rexy emphasized that while Choong and Haikal have displayed notable improvements since being paired in August 2023, there is a concern that premature contentment with their achievements could hinder their progress. He cited historical instances where Malaysian players tended to lose focus after receiving frequent praise following their successes.
“What Hon Jian-Haikal are currently displaying comes with both positives and negatives. When we observe these Malaysian players frequently receiving praise, there’s a tendency for them to lose sight of themselves.
“This is my concern – that with constant accolades, they might become complacent,” he expressed during a meeting after the national squad’s training session at ABM today.
Despite this concern, Rexy acknowledged the positive aspect, noting that Hon Jian-Haikal exhibited a sudden surge in performance, delivering commendable results such as securing the championship in Lucknow by defeating the 16th-ranked pair globally, Akira Koga-Taichi Sato, in the final.
“It’s a remarkable leap, transitioning from an International Challenge to becoming champions in a Super 300 tournament. Their victory over the main pair in the second round is undeniably a positive development.”
“However, I am cautious not to excessively praise or allow them to become complacent with their achievements. Satisfaction can imply reaching a pinnacle. Nevertheless, I am pleased that the doubles duo is now providing healthy competition for our primary pair,” he remarked.
Rexy highlighted that Hon Jian-Haikal will encounter a ‘true test’ in their consecutive participation at the Guwahati Masters in Assam, India, commencing Tuesday, even though it is categorized as a Super 100 event.
In the opening round, Hon Jian-Haikal will face the Indian team of Deep Rambhiya and Akhsan Shetty tomorrow.
“I hope they can maintain consistency. After attaining the championship, they have received considerable praise and expectations. This is where their true test lies.”
“Whether they can sustain focus and offer complete commitment. I aspire to see not just consistency in their game but also in their mindset and self-care practices,” he emphasized.
