Strong fight: Leong Jun Hao hits a return to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka during their second round match of the Japan Open last week. — AFP
PETALING JAYA: Patience is a virtue that Leong Jun Hao must possess if he wants to become a top 10 player.
The Malaysian world No. 29 lacked that quality when he became desperate after losing a comfortable lead in the first game against Japan’s Takuma Obayashi, ranked No. 34, and ended up losing 20-22, 14-21 in the first round of the Korean Open in Seoul.Jun Hao had led all the way in the first game where he was 17-9 up but at 20-16, he allowed Obayashi to secure seven points on the trot to steal the win.
Obayashi’s remarkable comeback boosted his confidence in the second game where he did not allow Jun Hao to make any inroads, winning 21-14 to book his berth in the second round after a 43-minute contest.
Jun Hao, who was the only Malaysian in the singles competition, was disappointed to let slip a commanding lead in the first game which went on to cost him dearly.
“I was impatient although I was leading in the first game and ended up chasing Obayashi and started making unforced errors,” said Jun Hao.
“I started well today but I started changing my game in the middle and that suited him.
“The Hong Kong Open is the next tournament and after that, I need to return home and start rectifying my errors and also recover from my injury.”
What made it more frustrating for Jun Hao was the fact that he defeated Obayashi in straight games (21-15, 21-17) in the first round of the Japan Open in Yokohama last week.
Jun Hao then offered strong resistance to Japan’s world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka in the second round before losing 21-23, 21-10, 21-15.
The Kuala Lumpur-born shuttler has been playing well recently where he had beaten world No. 10 Anthony Ginting of Indonesia to reach the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open.
In the super 1000 Indonesian Open a week later, he upset world No. 3 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia and world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan to also reach the last eight.
However, he has been troubled by a back injury previously and now has to deal with a leg injury which affected him during his match against Naraoka in the Japan Open.
Jun Hao must now learn to be a more patient performer on court while a good rehabilitation should help him recover from his injury issues.
