Kuala Lumpur — If Malaysia wants to be a top contender at next year’s Thomas Cup, the country must urgently focus on strengthening its singles lineup.
National badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei has stressed that in a prestigious team tournament like the Thomas Cup, the singles division is the decisive element — and right now, it remains Malaysia’s biggest vulnerability.
“If we want to go far at the Thomas Cup, we must strengthen our singles. Our doubles are fine — we already have several solid pairs. But our singles are still not strong enough.”
The team needs at least three reliable singles players, not just relying on Lee Zii Jia,” Lee told Malaysian media.
Malaysia once again missed out on a major team title after falling in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Sudirman Cup (mixed team championships) in Xiamen, China last week.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Thomas Cup, scheduled for May next year, Lee emphasized the need for early and strategic preparation.
Build Depth Beyond Just One Star
Lee pointed out that players like Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh show promise, but they need much more international exposure to build their performance levels and mental toughness.
“Jun Hao and Justin must step up quickly. BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) needs to send them to more tournaments to build their confidence and improve their world rankings.”
“We can’t afford to rely on just one or two players, because when the Thomas Cup comes, we won’t know who will be fit or injured,” Lee added.
No More Last-Minute Planning
The badminton icon also urged BAM and the coaching team not to wait until the last minute to put together a detailed preparation plan, especially since the Thomas Cup is a biennial event with a fixed schedule known well in advance.
Malaysia has lifted the Thomas Cup five times, but the last victory came way back in 1992 on home soil in Kuala Lumpur. Since then, the national squad has finished as runners-up four times, most recently in 2014 in New Delhi, where Lee Chong Wei served as the team’s cornerstone.
