Malaysia's shuttlers have been given a clear message ahead of the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi: winning the title is not the only measure of success, but giving up without a fight will not be accepted.
Badminton Association of Malaysia performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei wants every national player to show determination throughout the tournament, regardless of their opponent or expected result.
Lee said the coaching team would review players who suffer early defeats without showing enough resistance. A hard-fought loss against a stronger opponent would be viewed differently from a straight-games defeat in which a player fails to compete.
The message comes as Malaysia prepares for the World Championships with several medal contenders facing difficult challenges.
The biggest setback is in mixed doubles, where defending champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei will be absent. Toh is still recovering from ACL surgery, meaning Malaysia will not be able to defend the title it won last year.
Attention will instead turn to other combinations, particularly in the men's and women's doubles events.
Malaysia's men's doubles line-up has undergone significant changes in recent months, with several scratch partnerships tested across four World Tour tournaments. The original pairings of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and Wan Arif Junaidi-Yap Roy King have now been restored.
Source: Astro Awani
Lee said the changes were part of a wider effort to identify the best combinations ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The World Championships will therefore provide an important opportunity for the players to show whether the restored partnerships can deliver at the highest level.
In men's singles, Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh face an uphill battle against more established opposition. Leong is ranked No. 28 in the world, while Hoh sits at No. 45, making a deep run difficult on paper.
However, Lee stressed that their ranking should not determine their approach. With the players still developing, the priority is to compete with maximum commitment and make the most of every opportunity.
Malaysia's strongest medal hopes are expected to come from women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah. The world No. 5 combination won silver at last year's World Championships and will be looking to go one step further in New Delhi.
Their route to the medal rounds, however, is far from straightforward. A potential quarter-final against South Korea's world No. 3 pair Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee could provide a major test of their title credentials.
With the mixed doubles champions missing and several players facing difficult draws, Malaysia's challenge in New Delhi will be demanding. Lee's message to the team is therefore simple: regardless of the result, every player must leave the court knowing they gave everything they had.
