KUALA LUMPUR: Asian junior champion Leong Jun Hao and Soong Joo Ven must buck up if they wish to play in the Thomas Cup in Bangkok in May.
Both the shuttlers, who hope to be chosen as Malaysia’s fourth singles in the Thomas Cup, crashed out in the second round of the Vietnam International Challenge in Hanoi today.
So far, only three players are almost guaranteed of places in the Thomas Cup team. They are former World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, Lee Zii Jia and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin.
Joo Ven, who was part of the squad during the Thomas Cup qualifiers in Alor Star last month, failed to live up to his billing as the fifth seed.
He went down tamely 21-18, 21-18 to Indonesia's Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo.
"My performance has been poor of late, and I am aware of this,” he said.
“However, I wasn't expecting much from this tournament, as I had only just recovered from a viral fever.
"After six days of being on medical leave, I only returned to training on Saturday, and then straight here.
"I am not pleased, but I will not stop fighting. I think it is every player's dream to play at the Thomas Cup," Joo Ven lamented.
In similar fashion, 15th seed Jun Hao also lost to an Indonesian, Krishna Adi Nugraha, but the Malaysian put up a fight before succumbing 21-19, 13-21, 22-20.
The only Malaysian men's singles players who made it to the third round late last night were Tan Jia Wei, Chong Yee Han and independent shuttler Goh Giap Chin.
In the women's singles first round, Indonesia's Hana Ramadini was just too good for M. Thinaah. The Indonesian top seed needed only 30 minutes to see off the Malaysian, 21-9, 21-13.
The defeat of Thinaah, who won the Iran International Challenge last month, ended Malaysia's interest in the women's singles event.