The Malaysian badminton legend, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, concluded that the failure of the Malaysian players at the PETRONAS Malaysia Open was due to their lack of proper preparation for the season-opening tournament in 2024.
According to Berita Harian, the former world number one raised questions about the actions of some players who went on holiday abroad during the Christmas celebrations, even though they were aware that the Malaysia Open would start on 9 January.
He said that succeeding at the highest level demands high sacrifices from every player.
“This is a poor start to the year. I hope the players realize their responsibilities after this; they need to sacrifice for their careers.
“I saw on social media that some players were vacationing abroad during Christmas, even though they knew the Malaysia Open would start on 9 January. I’m not saying they can’t take holidays, but they need to know when to take them.
Lee shared, from a former player’s perspective, that returning immediately to full training after a holiday is challenging.
“Players have to sacrifice to achieve what they dream of; there are no easy paths.
Lee, who holds an impressive record of 12 Malaysia Open titles, contrasted Malaysian players’ commitment with that of their counterparts from China, Japan, and South Korea.
He noted, “Players from these nations rarely take breaks during festive seasons, reflecting in their consistent performance at tournaments like the Malaysia Open.”
Emphasizing the importance of dedication, Lee added, “During my career, even during Chinese New Year, I took barely a day off. This was not about boasting, but about understanding the sacrifices needed for success.”
The three-time Olympic silver medalist also highlighted the role of coaches and managers in preparing players for tournaments, stressing that ultimate responsibility lies with the players themselves.
He commented, “Winning a tournament might be easy, but maintaining consistent performance requires dedication and willingness from the players, especially in an Olympic year.”
At this year’s Malaysia Open, our men’s doubles, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, were the only representatives from the Malaysian squad to advance to the quarter-finals before they were defeated by world champions from South Korea, Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae.
Other Malaysian representatives, including men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia, the women’s doubles team of Pearly Tan-M Thinaah, and the mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, were eliminated in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Another men’s singles player, Ng Tze Yong, was the most unfortunate as he could only play for 13 minutes in the first round against Japan’s Koki Watanabe before withdrawing due to a back muscle injury.
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