Rexy Mainaky, the national coaching director of Malaysia, made a bold decision by fielding a weakened team at the Asia Mixed Team Championships. Although the team’s early exit was disappointing, Rexy stands by his choice. Malaysia’s team failed to advance past the group stage. They lost 2-3 to both Hong Kong and Indonesia. As a result, Malaysia couldn’t reach the quarter-finals, marking the first time since 2017 that this happened.
Despite the team’s early elimination, Rexy does not regret his decision. He believes in focusing on the long-term development of younger players. Rexy explained that while selecting top players might have improved the immediate outcome, giving opportunities to backup players was more important. Team events provide valuable exposure, and this would help the younger players grow. Moreover, Rexy emphasized that the players needed to learn from their defeat. This experience would prepare them for future competitions, such as the Sudirman Cup.
Rexy Highlights Need for Emerging Talent
Rexy pointed out that, eventually, these younger players would need to take over from their seniors. Experienced players like Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and Leong Jun Hao were in the team, but others were less experienced. Even players like Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun had never been the main men’s doubles pair in a team event. Rexy stressed that relying only on the top players is not sustainable. Instead, giving emerging talent a chance is essential.
While Malaysia didn’t qualify for the Sudirman Cup based on this tournament, Rexy remains optimistic. Malaysia can still make the cut by virtue of being ranked fifth in the world team rankings. However, Rexy expressed concerns about the mixed doubles performance. Soon Huat-Shevon and Pang Ron-Su Yin both lost their matches against Indonesia and Hong Kong. This outcome contributed to Malaysia’s failure to advance. Rexy mentioned that the mixed doubles matches were crucial. Malaysia had hoped one of the pairs would win, but both struggled with consistency.
Rexy's Comment on Women's Singles and Doubles
Additionally, Rexy acknowledged the need for improvement in women’s singles and doubles. K. Letshanaa won against Hong Kong’s Saloni Samirbhai but lost to Indonesia’s Komang Ayu. In women’s doubles, Teoh Mei Xing-Go Pei Kee lost to both Hong Kong and Indonesia. Rexy stated that Malaysia could not keep relying on Pearly and Thinaah. Therefore, other doubles pairs must be developed to support them. He has spoken to coach Rosman Razak about finding alternative pairs.
Rexy also noted Letshanaa’s mental challenges during her loss to Komang Ayu. She lacked confidence after her earlier victory, which hurt her performance. In summary, although Malaysia’s performance in this tournament was disappointing, Rexy sees it as a learning opportunity. The focus remains on building a strong team for the future. Rexy believes that in three to four years, the current backup players will be ready to step into senior roles. With continued support and development, the team will perform better in the Sudirman Cup and other major events like the All-England.
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