On a day when the majority of the Malaysian shuttlers made it to the second round of the French Open, Leong Jun Hao was once again made to lick his wounds after yet another early exit.

The country’s highest ranked shuttler was sent packing 16-21, 15-21 by Viktor Axelsen at the Glaz Arena.

Leong faced an Axelsen that looks to be getting back to his best after a long injury layoff, but the manner of his defeat was indeed a sorry sight.

The 26-year-old looked void of confidence, composure and a gameplan to trouble the two-time Olympic champion, who simply strolled to victory.

Leong’s meltdown was evident in the second game.

Leading 4-3, there were signs he was going to give Axelsen a fight.

Instead, Leong melted and conceded the next eight points as Axelsen turned the game in an instant.

Even more worrying, during the interval Leong did not engage with his coach Kenneth Jonassen on how to turn the game around.

Jonassen did his job by giving Leong instructions, which the shuttler simply nodded.




His lack of communication showed after the break, as the lanky Dane continued to charge ahead.

This becomes a third consecutive first-round defeat for the world number 20, who also lost tamely against Li Shi Feng at the Denmark Open and to Alwi Farhan at the Korea Open.

In fact, in his last 10 tournaments, Leong only has two quarter-finals as his best results which came at the Singapore Open and Hong Kong Open.

Injuries to Ng Tze Yong and Lee Zii Jia had presented the KL-born with the opportunity to prove his worth as a reliable men’s singles shuttler, but Leong has flattered to deceive thus far.

He will be hoping for a much better outcome when he sees action at the Hylo Open next week.