Pemain badminton perseorangan lelaki negara, Soong Joo Ven, berpeluang untuk merebut gelaran "jaguh baru negara" selepas mara ke final Kejohanan Badminton Kebangsaan di Arena Badminton Perak, hari ini.
Kejayaan Joo Ven itu tiba selepas dia, yang juga pilihan ketiga kejohanan, unggul menundukkan juara dua kali, Lim Chi Wing, 23-21, 21-11 dalam tempoh 35 minit.
Joo Ven menyuarakan keyakinannya selepas penyingkiran pilihan utama kejohanan, Lee Zii Jia, yang tersingkir dalam pusingan kedua, semalam.
"Sudah pasti saya mahu menjuarai kejohanan ini.
"Saya mempunyai keyakinan untuk melakukannya, namun kita akan lihat apa yang akan terjadi esok.
"Siapa yang bermain lebih baik, dia akan menang.
"Leong Jun Hao juga merupakan pemain yang baik.
"Namun, kita akan lihat apa yang akan terjadi nanti," katanya.
Halangannya di pentas final merupakan juara remaja Asia 2017, Jun Hao, yang menumbangkan Lim Chong King 16-21, 21-13, 21-18.
Pertemuan final dijangka sengit memandangkan kedua-dua pemain itu berada dalam kem kebangsaan dan mendapat bimbingan ketua jurulatih, Datuk Misbun Sidek.
"Perkara yang paling penting adalah fokus kami.
"Ia termasuk perancangan permainan.
"Pemain dengan perancangan terbaik akan memenangi perlawanan itu nanti," tambahnya.
Penulis Jemputan
Fri Feb 22 2019
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