KUALA LUMPUR – With the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) looming on the horizon, women’s singles player Siti Nurshuhaini Azman is leaving no stone unturned to gain an advantage, even sparing with male players.
Making the most of the presence of players from Myanmar who are currently training at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM), Nurshuhaini expressed her satisfaction with the experience.
“Coach K. Yogendran called them to spar with me and the other girls to help us prepare for BATC, especially since other players here have gone home for the Chinese New Year break.
“This was my first day sparring with them and it was fun. I got a feel for how a male player’s game is.
“It can benefit me as they could have the same style as foreign female players who are bigger and stronger than me,” she said when met during a training session at ABM.
Nurshuhaini, who was part of the women’s team that secured bronze at the previous BATC edition, eagerly anticipates competing in this year’s tournament.
She aims for the Malaysian women’s team to improve upon their third-place finish from the last championship.
“I’m excited to play in the BATC again, I don’t really feel that much pressure and I want to contribute points to the team when I get selected to play.
“Thailand is a strong team but we still need to put up a fight. The United Arab Emirates is our best bet to pick up points.
“I want us to do better than our previous achievement in this competition.
“The team spirit is high, and the support from teammates during this team competition provides an extra boost during matches,” the 20-year-old added.
In May of last year, the Badminton Association of Malaysia and Badminton Asia signed a memorandum of understanding to foster the sport’s development in the region.
This includes allowing players from non-powerhouse countries to train at ABM.
The BATC will start on Tuesday at the Setia City Convention Centre, Shah Alam. – February 9, 2024