Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
NATIONAL shuttler Jaspar Yu Woon Chai will compete in his seventh competition of the year with next week’s Yonex Open Chinese Taipei 2017.
The 27-year-old, who is currently ranked 211, will be up against local boy Chen Chun-Wei in the first round of the June 27 - July 2 event at the Taipei Arena.
It will be no easy task as his opponent is ranked 105 and is coming off contesting at the ongoing Australian Open, where he picked up a a 21-14, 21-13 win over World No 39 Emil Holst of Denmark in the first qualifying round.
Jaspar Yu during a training session yesterday at the MPH of the Menglait Sports Complex. Picture: Yee Chun Leong
“He did quite well in the Australian Open and even defeated a Danish player. I will just go into this tournament and take it one game at at time,” said Yu in an interview yesterday at the MPH of the Menglait Sports Complex.
“Good thing is that I’m in the main draw and won’t need to start from the qualifying round. I’ll do some video analysis and come up with tactics,” added the 2016 Rio Olympian.
When asked about training preparations, Yu replied: “Training has been more limited during the month of Ramadhan. I go to the gym in the mornings and have around 1 1/2 hours of court time in the afternoon. That is not enough but I have to make do with what I have.”
Yu has been without a coach for the past three years - former national badminton coach Wu Xue Kai left his post after 15 years in 2010 - but is keeping himself afloat.
“It has been difficult without a coach. During crucial times, there is no guidance and it is important for a coach to give that confidence and assurance,” said Yu.
“Those are the benefits that I’m missing. When the game is tight, I don’t have that extra pair of eyes to see the situation. All of it is down to myself,” he concluded.
