KUALA LUMPUR: When Kunlavut Vitidsarn was an up-and-coming player, the Thai told his coach that one day he would conquer the world of men's singles badminton.
And the world No. 3 did it in style in Copenhagen yesterday — in only his third attempt in the World Championships.
Not bad for a shuttler who was in and out of the hospital when he was young due to allergies.
But all changed when his father introduced him to badminton at seven, and it helped him overcome health issues.
The 23-year-old is one of the many players who have made a perfect transition from junior to senior level.
Kunlavut was a three-time junior world champion before turning his attention to the senior world tour.
The Chonburi-born represents the next generation of shuttlers set to dominate badminton.
Kunlavut is not done yet
and is determined not to be a one-hit wonder.
In an interview with the Badminton World Federation in Copenhagen, Kunlavut said he has two other targets, which are the Olympic gold medal and the All England crown.
And the Thai definitely has the pedigree to achieve them all.
Kunlavut, who adores Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, is deceptive and plays difficult shots.
His game may not be entertaining but is effective, and the way he plays makes it very difficult for opponents to read his game.
For the record, Thailand is the third Southeast Asian country to produce world champion in men's singles after Indonesia and Singapore.
Maybe Malaysian players like Lee Zii Jia, Ng Tze Yong and others should learn a thing or two from Kunlavut on patience, persistence, work ethics and hard work.
Instead in Malaysia, fans get more off-court dramas from their top players thanks to social media.
Enough of singing a song to play the sympathy card and blaming other parties for your shortcomings via sarcastic posts on social media.
There are no shortcuts to becoming a world or Olympic champion.
It all boils down to what you do in training and how you handle expectations and pressure.
A down-to-earth shuttler with talent, who works hard and stays away from controversies will attain success as opposed to those who think they are bigger than the sport, his coaches and the national body.
Social media will earn you endorsement deals, but not the world and Olympic titles.
And the BA of Malaysia must find a solution to help its players make a transition from junior to senior badminton.
Many Malaysian stars, except for Tze Yong who competed against Kunlavut when he won the world junior titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019, have disappeared from the radar or are struggling to make the grade. But it is Kunlavut's moment and let's see whether he goes on to dominate badminton in the coming years.
* Ajitpal Singh is the sports editor of NST
