Kemenangan pertama Malaysia dalam kempen Kejohanan Badminton Campuran Berpasukan Asia menentang Sri Lanka bukan sahaja mencerahkan peluang Malaysia untuk ke peringkat seterusnya, malah turut meningkatkan motivasi pemain yang rata-ratanya dibarisi pemain muda.
Barisan kejurulatihan negara membuat percaturan bijak dengan menurunkan hampir keseluruhan barisan muda ketika menentang Sri Lanka.
Nama-nama seperti Soong Joo Ven, Lee Ying Ying, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani antara yang diberikan tanggungjawab menggalas tugas negara dalam perlawanan pembukaan.
Mereka membalas kepercayaan itu dengan memperagakan aksi meyakinkan di dalam gelanggang ketika membenam Sri Lanka 5-0.
"Saya gembira sebab dapat menyumbang mata pertama buat negara dan mencipta kemenangan pertama dalam kempen ini," kata Joo Ven, yang mudah menewaskan Niluka Karunaratne, 21-8, 21-17.
Justeru, aksi menentang Indonesia esok bakal menyaksikan persaingan merebut tempat dijangka sengit selepas barisan muda negara menampilkan aksi cemerlang.
Skuad negara berehat hari ini sambil menantikan keputusan pertemuan Indonesia -- yang akan turun dalam aksi sulung -- menentang Sri Lanka.
"Sebenarnya, hari ini bukanlah aksi terbaik yang dipamerkan saya.
"Lawan yang dihadapi saya memiliki semangat juang yang tinggi, jadi ia bukanlah perlawanan yang mudah.
"Apapun, saya masih gembira dengan persembahan saya sebab dapat menyumbangkan satu mata untuk Malaysia," ujar Ying Ying yang menundukkan Thilini Pramodika Hendahewa, 21-19, 21-11.
Shaiful Shamsudin
Tue Feb 14 2017
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