‘I love winning more than I love playing badminton. Winning is everything.’ – Saina Nehwal, Ex-India’s badminton star
In some ways, I agree (quote above) with Saina Nehwal, a one-time India Number One female shuttler.
We understand why she loves winning more than playing badminton. Because winning is everything and Nehwal was just being honest.
Badminton is now a professional career for many shuttlers. So, it is earning a living and that means you have to win the prize money to sustain your career. Ever wonder how Datuk Lee Chong Wei became a millionaire by being a badminton player? Not many are as gifted or lucky as Lee.
True, the Olympic creed exhorts that participating in the Games is more important than winning medals. It’s about pride and honour when athletes are representing their respective countries at the Olympics.
However, many sports tournaments today are focused on individual rather than team participation. Badminton is one. There are many individual tournaments all year round under the BWF (Badminton World Federation) calendar. Only a few, like the Thomas Cup and Asia Badminton Championships, are team events.
Nonetheless, even in an individual event like the just-concluded All England Open Badminton Championships, the players are aware that they were carrying their national flag too. Hence, expectations from Malaysian fans are high and if our shuttlers fail to perform, expect to face the wrath of badminton diehards.
Not only did they fail, but it was a complete wipeout—a disastrous outing at the All England Championships, etched in recent memory as a low point for Malaysian badminton.
Now, why are many badminton fans upset, including me, with the dismal display by our shuttlers at the All England? The All England Open is not just an ordinary tournament on the BWF calendar but a top-class and prestigious championship.
Before badminton was introduced as an Olympic sport, there were only two badminton tournaments every nation and every shuttler wanted to win desperately – the Thomas Cup and the All England.
The All England Open, established in 1899, is one of the oldest badminton tournaments in the world. Its long history gives it a unique legacy and prestige.
The tournament attracts the world’s best players, making it highly competitive. Winning the All England is often seen as a mark of excellence in a player’s career.
The tournament is part of the BWF World Tour Super 1000, the highest tier of the BWF events, along with other major tournaments like the Malaysia Open, China Open and Indonesia Open.
Winning the All England Open is a career-defining moment for many players and the tournament continues to be one of the most coveted trophies in badminton.
At the recent All England Open 2025, Malaysian shuttlers experienced early exits, with all players being eliminated in the first or second round. This outcome has raised concerns about their preparedness and performance.
Head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi described the campaign as one of the worst in his coaching career, with all three pairs – Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, and Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King – exiting in the first round.
It was particularly disappointing to see national men’s shuttlers Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani knocked out in the second round, losing in straight games to a much lower-ranked pair from South Korea.
The world No 2 pair lost 16-21, 13-21 to Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae, who are No 43 in the BWF world ranking. Now, this is not easy to swallow.
Top Women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan and M Thinaah only managed to reach the quarter-finals but were defeated by Japan’s Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto.
Former national champion Datuk James Selvaraj emphasised the need for Malaysian shuttlers to work with sports psychologists to reignite their desire to win and handle high-pressure situations effectively.
While injuries are part of sports, participating in prestigious tournaments like the All England Open requires athletes to be at their peak physical condition.
Competing without full fitness not only hampers performance but also risks further injury. Therefore, players should ensure complete recovery before participating in such high-stakes events.
What went wrong for Malaysian shuttlers at the recent All-England Open? I have to ask whether all of them were so ill-prepared. Those injured should stay home and not take part in such a prestigious event like the All England where the world’s top players are taking part.
The early exits of Malaysian shuttlers at the All England Open 2025 highlight the need for comprehensive evaluations, including tactical strategies, mental resilience and physical readiness.
Addressing these areas holistically is crucial for future success on the international stage.
As a badminton fan and a supporter of our Malaysian shuttlers, I earnestly hope that the Badminton Association of Malaysia will take the necessary action to ensure that Malaysian badminton will not sink to such a disappointing and embarrassing low. Let us not forget that we were once a badminton powerhouse, respected and feared by others.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
