KUALA LUMPUR: Leong Jun Hao may be the world junior No 2, but at senior level he still has much to learn.
The 18-year-old admitted so after losing to his older compatriot Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin in the Malaysia International Challenge final yesterday.
Jun Hao, who is also the Asian Junior champion, admits that playing at senior level is tougher.
“It’s not easy but I was excited to be competing at senior level for the first time,” said the Kuala Lumpur-born Jun Hao.
“The pressure is not as great as when I compete in the final of junior competitions.
“Maybe those playing at the Grand Prix and Super Series levels are different. But what’s important to me is to keep training hard to reach the next level.
“After this, I will concentrate on two tournaments in India, the International Challenge and International Series.
“But that will also depend on my injury, which causes muscle cramps, that I suffered in Johor.”
Meanwhile Iskandar Zulkarnain pointed out that both Jun Hao and Lee Zii Jia have the potential to replace Lee Chong Wei as Malaysia’s flag carrier.
Translated from Harian Metro