Malaysia’s women’s singles head coach Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has delivered a simple but demanding message to his players ahead of the Uber Cup, urging them to take on and defeat the world’s best.
His instruction was straightforward: “Try to upset the top players,” a challenge he believes his squad is capable of achieving despite their underdog status heading into the tournament.
Iskandar’s comments come as Malaysia prepare for the Uber Cup in Horsens, Denmark, where expectations remain modest but optimism is growing within the camp. He believes players such as Wong Ling Ching, K. Letshanaa and Goh Jin Wei have shown enough progress to trouble higher-ranked opponents if they maintain confidence and consistency.
Source: Majoriti
Ling Ching, in particular, has shown encouraging development with wins over established players, including Zhang Beiwen, while also putting in strong performances at recent tournaments. Letshanaa has also shown upward momentum after improving her world ranking and gaining confidence through international exposure.
Despite the optimism, Iskandar is not placing heavy pressure on his players, acknowledging the strength of Group B opponents such as Japan, Turkiye and South Africa. Instead, he views the tournament as a valuable learning platform, especially as Malaysia aim to end a long wait for a deeper run in the competition.
He also noted that the team’s recent training environment has been positive, with players showing strong motivation and even requesting additional practice sessions ahead of the event.
While results remain uncertain, Iskandar stressed that exposure against top-10 opponents is crucial for development, and he hopes his players will use the opportunity to push beyond expectations when the competition begins.
