KUALA LUMPUR — If there is one thing Kenneth Jonassen hopes to replicate from his successful coaching career in Denmark, it is the development of a strong collective of high-performing singles players at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
In an exclusive interview with Scoop, the former Danish head coach shared insights into the early careers of two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and reigning European champion Anders Antonsen.
Widely credited for their success, as well as Denmark’s rise on the world stage, Jonassen revealed that Axelsen and Antonsen progressed steadily thanks to regular training and sparring with top players like Jan Ø. Jørgensen and Hans-Kristian Vittinghus.
This is the system Jonassen hopes to establish in Malaysia, especially once Ng Tze Yong returns to full training. Currently, Malaysia’s senior squad features two lead players, former Asian junior champion Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh.
“When Viktor was developing, he trained alongside Jan and Vittinghus. Later, Anders joined that group and grew from there,” said Jonassen, who took charge as ABM singles head coach in January.
“Jun Hao and Justin have great potential. If we can get them working alongside Tze Yong (once he recovers) every day, we could see something special.
“This collective approach is what shaped Denmark’s best players. The top players trained together almost daily, pushing each other forward. It wasn’t just about individual progress – we moved forward as a group,” he added.
Jonassen believes forming a strong training collective will also inspire Malaysia’s younger players to follow suit.
“If we can build this collective and keep players healthy over a long period, our junior players will see the same pathway.
“It’s about creating an environment and system that doesn’t just produce one great player but many over time.
“The internal competition will be intense, but we must believe that it’s us against the world.
“I’m very optimistic. Each player has their own targets, and my job is to help them achieve those goals,” said Jonassen.
For now, Tze Yong, who sustained a lower back injury last year and underwent two surgeries, is following a structured rehabilitation programme. The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver medallist is currently training on court three times a week.
The 24-year-old will miss all tournaments in March but is expected to return to competition fitness in April—just before his protected world No. 18 ranking expires.
Separately, it was heartbreak for Jun Hao and Justin in Qingdao, China, as Malaysia, for the first time in the history of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships (BAMTC), failed to clear the group stages this week.
On Wednesday, Malaysia went down 3-2 to Hong Kong before suffering another defeat by the same scoreline to Indonesia yesterday. Only the top two teams advance to the quarter-finals. — February 14, 2025