Jonassen on spying mission in Tokyo
The Dane will be on a spying mission there ahead of the Paris World Championships on Aug 25-31.
Apart from being on duty during the first round clash between Jun Hao and France's world No. 8 Alex Lanier, Jonassen will observe the potential rivals in Paris.
He said it is vital to study players form Japan and China in the preparation for the World Championships.
"I'm there (in Tokyo) to gather more information about how to approach the World Championships."
World No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn will be under scrutiny from the rival camps. The Thai hotshot faces China's skilful but inconsistent world No. 13 Weng Hong Yang in the first round.
The Japan Open will also be a testing ground for Denmark's world No. 2 Anders Antonsen and China's world No. 3 Shi Yu Qi ahead of the World Championships.
Jonassen is not hyping up the expectations on world No. 24 Jun Hao in his match against Lanier. The Frenchman is well ahead in ranking and is the Japan Open defending champion.
"This is the case of an unseeded player (Jun Hao) facing a world top eight player. I want Jun Hao to get the most out of his game, enjoy the challenge of the physical game that is coming," said Jonassen.
"Jun Hao is a tricky opponent for anybody and he has done well at the Singapore and Indonesia Opens."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Pearly-Thinaah wrap up red-hot day for Malaysia at Japan Open
KUALA LUMPUR: Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah wrapped up a smashing day for Malaysia by storming into the women's doubles quarter-finals at the Japan Open on Thursday. The world No. 3 outclassed Taiwan's world No. 11 Hsieh Pei Shan-Hung En Tzu 21-14, 21-16 in just 35 minutes in the second round at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Pearly-Thinaah will next take on world No. 68 Jeong Na Eun-Lee Yeon Woo of South Korea on Friday - the same pair they beat to win the Thailand Open title in May. But the Malaysians are bracing for a sterner test this time. Na Eun-Yeon Woo have been in sizzling form, having shocked Japan's world No. 8 Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto 21-17, 21-19 in the first round before brushing aside Taiwan's world No. 19 Chang Ching Hui-Yang Ching Tung 21-10, 21-13 in the second round. Meanwhile, Malaysia will have four representatives in the men's doubles quarter-finals - world No. 1 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, world No. 7 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, world No. 26 Nur Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong and world No. 30 Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi. In the mixed doubles, world No. 4 Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and world No. 7 Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying will also be in action in the last eight on Friday.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Pearly-Thinaah complete Malaysia's quarter-final line-up in Japan Open
PETALING JAYA: Women's doubles, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah wrapped up a stellar day for Malaysia by booking their spot in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open. The world No. 3 pair were in commanding form as they dispatched Taiwan's Hsieh Pei-shan-Hung En-tzu 21-14, 21-16 in just 36 minutes in their second-round match on Thursday (July 17). Their win rounded off a solid day for the national camp, with Pearly-Thinaah joining four men's doubles pairs (Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, Tan Wee Kiong-Nur Azriyn Ayub)and two mixed doubles pairs (Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei) in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open. They will next take on South Korea's Jeong Na-eun-Lee Yeon-woo as they continue their push for a spot in the semi-finals.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Top rider Azizul returns to training mode as he eyes racing comeback
PETALING JAYA: The fire still burns as Malaysia's top cyclist Azizulhasni Awang has returned to where he belongs. After almost a year away from the track, the two-time Olympic medallist has made a stirring return to training at the National Velodrome in Nilai this week, slipping on his racing gloves once more with quiet determination. He has been working out with the rest of the cyclists under the national set-up, trying to shake off the rustiness after a long lull. And if his determination is anything to go by, it won't be too long before Azizul gets back into racing mode. Technical director John Beasley stressed that Azizul should be allowed to ease back into the environment in his own pace. After leaving fans in the dark since his heartbreaking exit from the Paris Olympics last year, Azizul cleared the air in May regarding his future by announcing that he will continue racing. Azizul, who had previously hinted at retiring, will continue on as a professional rider while receiving backing from government in the form of a RM200,000 grant from the Youth and Sports Ministry through the National Sports Council. The grant is to help him with training and competition expenses for the 2025-2026 period. "We can see from his eyes how he misses the time training with his teammates," said Beasley. "Azizul will likely spend half his time training in Melbourne (where he studies) and the other half here in Kuala Lumpur. "When he is there, he will be following the fitness programme under Martyn Girvan, who is one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in Australia. "We have put him through physical tests at National Sports Institute before we allowed him to do the training sets on the track. "He is healthy and fit, though not fit enough for track races as of yet, and there is no race to get him ready this year," said Beasley. They will assess Azizul's readiness and make a decision a month before the World Championships in Santiago, Chile from Oct 22-26. Malaysia are in the running to secure a quota slot for the men's elite team sprint event at the world meet but it depends to be seen if Azizul will be ready to make the team. Beasley has already indicated that in the event Azizul is to be considered, it will only be for the team sprint and not the individual events (keirin and sprint). "I want him to have a slow build up to be at his best next year. If things come together and I think he will be competitive by the time the World Championships in Chile in October. "His main focus has always been to get ready for the Asian Games in Japan next year where he is supposed to go as a contender."
