Kenneth Jonassen has called on Malaysia’s men’s singles players to adopt the same mindset and accountability shown by the women’s squad after another disappointing outing at the Malaysia Masters.
The national singles coaching director said the women’s players have made noticeable progress since embracing a more disciplined and honest approach toward improvement, while the men’s department continues to struggle with consistency at major tournaments.
Since Jonassen joined the singles setup in January 2025, K. Letshanaa has climbed into the world’s top 35 after previously sitting outside the top 50, while Wong Ling Ching surged from world No. 95 to No. 33.
Both players have also recorded strong performances at Super 300 and Super 500 events, including victories over established top-10 opponents such as Michelle Li and Pornpawee Chochuwong.
In contrast, Malaysia’s men’s singles campaign at the Malaysia Masters ended early after Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh both suffered first-round defeats at the Unifi Arena in Bukit Jalil.
Source: Berita Harian
Jun Hao lost a close contest to China’s Hu Zhe An, while Justin was beaten by Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in straight games.
Jonassen said the key difference between the two departments lies in mentality and willingness to embrace long-term development. According to him, the women’s squad accepted early on that improvement would require patience, discipline, and difficult self-reflection rather than quick tactical fixes.
“When things go wrong, they look into the mirror first,” Jonassen said. “The coach can provide the plan, but the player must be brave enough to execute it.”
He added that modern men’s singles badminton now demands consistency, patience, and the ability to apply sustained pressure instead of relying purely on attacking play and outright winners.
The Danish coach believes Malaysia’s men’s players must adapt to the evolving demands of the sport if they want to compete consistently at the highest level.
“Consistency is very important now,” he explained. “You cannot depend only on power and perfect winners. Players need to trust their defence and build pressure throughout the match.”
Jonassen also dismissed suggestions that the upcoming 15-point scoring format alone would solve the men’s struggles, stressing that deeper changes in mentality and discipline are still necessary.
Despite Ling Ching’s second-round exit after a hard-fought loss to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh, Letshanaa continued her encouraging run by defeating Denmark’s Amalie Schulz to advance further in the tournament.
The contrasting performances have further strengthened Jonassen’s belief that mindset and adaptability will be crucial factors in shaping the future of Malaysia’s singles programme.
