SHAH ALAM – Things seem to be on the right track for national top women’s doubles player M. Thinaah.
The 26-year-old is all set to boost her performance along with partner Pearly Tan, with some foreign assistance ahead of the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC), scheduled to kick off tomorrow at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam.
Recently, Rexy Mainaky, the national badminton coaching director, brought in the expertise of two former Indonesian international shuttlers, Ade Yusuf and Gerardo Rizqullah Hafidz, to intensify their training sessions.
Yusuf, who was ranked 16 in the world in men’s doubles in 2015 with Wahyu Nayaka, and Hafidz, a seasoned Indonesian men’s doubles player, commenced sparring with the Malaysian duo last week.
Their addition aims to provide high-quality practice sessions for Pearly and Thinaah, enhancing their skills before their upcoming Badminton World Federation (BWF) tournament in Europe next month.
Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) has also bolstered its coaching staff by enlisting Mohd Miftah, former assistant to Mathias Boe inthe Indian men’s doubles squad, as an assistant to Hoon Thien How in the women’s doubles department.
“Training with these experienced sparring partners and under the guidance of our new coach has been beneficial. We’re learning a lot and improving our game,” said Thinaah when met after the test court session at Setia City today.
Thinaah, ranked 14th in the world with Pearly, added that the women’s national team will be approaching the BATC tournament with confidence.
“Our preparation has been solid, and we’re united as a team. We’re focused on giving our best performance without any added pressure,” she said.
The women’s team, led by Thinaah and Pearly, find themselves in Group Y alongside third-seeded Thailand and 41st-ranked United Arab Emirates.
The top four teams from the men’s and women’s events will qualify for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in China from April 28 to May 5. – February 12, 2024