KUALA LUMPUR — National men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao made an unexpected early exit at the China Masters, falling to Japan’s Takuma Obayashi in the first round.
Playing at the Shenzhen Gymnasium, Jun Hao suffered a 12-21, 11-21 defeat in just 38 minutes to the world number 36 shuttler.
The loss was a setback for Jun Hao, who had been riding high after finishing as runner-up at the Kumamoto Masters last week, earning him the nickname “giant slayer” for defeating several top-tier players.
However, Obayashi seems to be a bogeyman for Jun Hao. Despite being ranked lower compared to Jun Hao’s number 29, the Japanese player has now claimed victory in three of their four encounters.
Jun Hao dismissed the idea that fatigue from last week’s tournament was to blame but admitted the tight schedule left him struggling to adapt to the conditions in Shenzhen, including missing the chance to test the court beforehand.
“It’s definitely tough, but I did my recovery well and gave my best. However, I just couldn’t find the right feeling or strength during the game,” Jun Hao said in a post-match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“I want to end this year on a high note and stay optimistic about next year, especially after last week’s victory.”
This loss marks the end of Jun Hao’s tournament season for the year. Looking ahead, he plans to focus on improving his ranking and preparing for the opening tournament of the 2025 BWF World Tour calendar, the Malaysia Open, in January.
“Hopefully (to be in the top 10 in the world). I will just try to approach everything positively.
“It’s not an easy feat, as it involves a lot of factors, such as physical condition, recovery, court strength, and fitness. So, I know I need to improve in all of these areas,” he added. — November 20, 2024