KUALA LUMPUR: Once hailed as a rising star in men’s singles, Justin Hoh is now under pressure to rediscover the form that made him a formidable force during his junior days.
His struggles continued at the Swiss Open, where he suffered a 7-21, 13-21 defeat to Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in just 31 minutes on Wednesday, crashing out in the first round.
Justin had earlier impressed in the qualifiers, securing wins over France’s Valentin Singer and India’s Sathish Karunakaran to earn his spot in the main draw.
Since winning the Saipan International in the Northern Marianas last July, Justin Hoh has struggled to make a deep run in tournaments.
However, his new coach, Kenneth Jonassen, has come to his defence, stressing that the 20-year-old has gained valuable experience by facing opponents with different playing styles. He believes these challenges will serve as important lessons for Justin to grow and improve in the future.
“He is not injured, but throughout the match, he struggled with his defensive movements. After two gruelling qualifying rounds yesterday, he lacked the speed to match Tanaka and was forced to adopt a more attacking approach, which carried greater risks.”
“During this period, Justin has not only faced opponents with different playing styles but also had to adapt to slower court conditions.”
“This is a crucial learning experience in his development as a player,” said Jonassen.
Unlike his compatriot Justin, Leong Jun Hao has shown promising signs of improvement, following his early exit at the All-England last week.
Jun Hao battled past Japan’s Koo Takahashi 21-19, 22-20 in the opening round and will now face another Japanese contender, Kenta Nishimoto, in the second round.
Meanwhile in mixed doubles,, top seeds Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie made light work of Taiwan’s Cheng Zhi-ray-Yang Ching-tun, cruising to a 21-8, 21-18 victory. The experienced duo will next take on Thailand’s Ruttanapak Oupthong-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat.
Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien also secured a commanding win, easing past Macau’s world No. 81 pair, Leong Lok Chong-Ng Weng Chi, 21-14, 21-10.
However, a formidable test awaits them as they go up against fourth seeds Delphine Delrue-Thom Gicquel in the next round.
Women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei also made a strong start, marking her first tournament appearance of the year in style.
Despite a lengthy absence from competition, she showed no signs of rust, delivering an impressive 21-18, 21-12 victory over Taiwan’s Pai Yu-po in just 34 minutes.
Her next challenge will be a tough one as she faces Thailand’s second seed, Supanida Katethong, in the second round.
