Letshanaa to dethrone Jin Wei as top Malaysian despite losing in US quarters
PETALING JAYA: K. Letshanaa's campaign at the US Open may have ended in the quarter-finals, but the ranking points she collected could soon make her the new Malaysian No. 1 in the women's singles.
The 21-year-old's impressive run was halted by India's Tanvi Sharma, who handed her a 13-21, 16-21 defeat in 33 minutes at the Mid American Centre in Iowa yesterday.
The result came as a letdown after Letshanaa had built strong momentum with a stunning upset over former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the first round, followed by a confident victory against India's Aakarshi Kashyap in the second round.
Despite the loss, Letshanaa's world ranking is set to rise.
Currently placed No. 50, she is expected to overtake Goh Jin Wei, the current Malaysian No. 1, who sits at No. 44.
National women's singles coach K. Yogendran believes Letshanaa has shown clear progress, although he acknowledged it was unfortunate she could not replicate her earlier performances against Sharma in her bid to reach her first Super 300 semi-finals.
'Overall, Letshanaa did well. She beat higher-ranked players, and from the very first round, every match was a challenge.
'We were hoping for a better showing in the quarter-finals, but her game didn't quite come together.
'It may have been due to fatigue from the earlier rounds,' said Yogendran.
Yogendran also brushed aside suggestions that the win over Okuhara was a stroke of luck, insisting it was a reflection of Letshanaa's hard work and steady progress in training.
He hopes the experience in Iowa will serve as motivation for Letshanaa to achieve even greater success in upcoming tournaments, particularly in the Canadian Open which begins next Tuesday.
'That win wasn't down to luck, she has worked hard and has shown clear improvement. What she needs now is consistency, and that's something we're focusing on in her development.
'I see this as a stepping stone for her.
'She must learn from this defeat, and hopefully, she'll bounce back and showcase her true game in Canada,' he added.
Letshanaa is scheduled to face the United States' Ishika Jaiswal in the first round of the Canada Open. Another representative Wong Ling Ching faces a tough task against fifth seed Line Christophersen of Denmark in the opener.
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