Jonassen: Getting 'squashed' by world's best is part of the process

National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has advised his Malaysian women's badminton players to view their recent setbacks as a necessary part of the learning process rather than losing confidence. Jonassen noted that the team has achieved positive breakthrough performances but must now face world-class opposition regularly at higher-level tournaments.

He stressed that setbacks are a normal part of growing pains and encourage his players to view defeats at the hands of elite opponents as opportunities for learning and improvement. Jonassen emphasized the importance of listening to players' emotions and thoughts before providing guidance. He also urged players not to assume they are fundamentally flawed when facing superior opponents and to accept that not performing at their best against world-class players is a common occurrence.

Jonassen believes that understanding and adapting to the demands of top-level badminton could take two to three years, and believes that young players may initially question themselves, but that with consistent improvement, significant progress will eventually be achieved.