KUALA LUMPUR: Next week’s Hong Kong Open will be the final opportunity for Leong Jun Hao to prove to BAM that he can still compete at the highest level.
National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen said they will evaluate
the world No. 32 Jun Hao, taking into account his results, attitude, willingness to learn and contribution towards helping younger players.
Jun Hao withdrew from this week’s Kumamoto Masters in Japan to have more time to prepare for the Hong Kong Open (Nov 17-22).
Jonassen said Jun Hao needs to demonstrate that he can secure at least two consecutive wins at the Hong Kong Open, having frequently stumbled in the second rounds.
He said reaching the quarter-finals serves as a crucial benchmark in assessing a player’s capability to compete with the world’s elite in any given tournament.
“Throughout this season, we have seen him clear the first round several times, only to get stuck in the second round,” Jonassen said today.
“So, the objective is to overcome that hurdle. We need to see him deliver two high-quality performances back-to-back — not just playing well, but actually securing the victories.”
Jun Hao has endured a challenging season, failing to reach the quarter-finals in all 12 World Tour tournaments he entered this year.
He also suffered early exits at the Asian Badminton Championships, the World Championships, and the singles event at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
Jonassen added that the evaluation of Jun Hao would extend beyond court results, encompassing his attitude, commitment to self-improvement, and contribution to the national training environment.
“All these factors are important when evaluating a player at Jun Hao’s stage and age. Once a player reaches his level of experience, we aren’t just looking for good performances — we also expect wins.”