KUALA LUMPUR: National coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has laid bare his frustration with the national singles shuttlers, warning that neither the men nor the women are realising their full potential.
However, he said a comprehensive assessment of the 2026 season remains premature, with several players still slated to compete in two to three tournaments before year-end.
“Of course I am not happy and not satisfied with our current level of performance. I believe we have greater potential, but I have not seen the players fulfil that potential yet,” he said at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara yesterday.
Jonassen’s assessment follows inconsistent results across the board.
In the men’s singles, Leong Jun Hao has failed to reach a single quarter-final this season, while Justin Hoh’s best showing has been two quarter-final appearances.
In the women’s singles, Wong Ling Ching and K. Letshanaa reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Masters and Indonesia Masters respectively, but neither has managed to replicate that form elsewhere.
Jonassen said composure under pressure remains the shuttlers’ glaring flaw, particularly when match momentum shifts.
He added that players have been unable to replicate their training form during tournaments, undermining their ability to deliver consistent performances.
“The key issue is maturity. We lose to our own emotions far too often because of poor control over them.
“Players must learn to control their thoughts when they are five points down, at 10-10, or when leading by four to five points. How they react in those situations is critical,” he added.