KUALA LUMPUR – After breaking into the top 20 last June, national men’s singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong has set his sights on being among the world’s top 10 players this season.
Tze Yong also hopes to secure a ticket to the world’s biggest multi-sports games – the Paris Olympics from July 26-August 11.
“My New Year wish is no injury, top 10 and make it to the Olympics in Paris,” he told reporters after a training session, here today.
The world number 15 is in 13th spot in the Race to Paris ranking with 57,080 points behind professional shutter Lee Zii Jia, who is in 11th spot (62,126 points).
In the singles event, each country has a maximum of two quota places if the players are ranked within the top 16 of the Race to Paris rankings when the 2024 Olympic Games qualification, which began last May, ends on April 28.
Asked about the 2024 Malaysia Open, the 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s singles silver medallist said he is discussing with his coach to come up with a strategy to overcome Japan’s Koki Watanabe in the first round of the season opener next week.
“Hoping for a better performance this year (in the Malaysia Open). The first match is never easy as no one wants to go out early,” he said.
World number 23 Watanabe has a slight advantage over Tze Yong as he ousted the Malaysian 21-17, 21-14 in the second round of the 2023 Japan Open last July in their only meeting so far.
The 2024 Malaysia Open will be held at the Axiata Arena from January 9-14. – January 2, 2024