KUALA LUMPUR: With the 2023 season all but over, men's singles Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong have only four more months to secure their spots in next year's Paris Olympics.
As such, both players must plan their tournaments wisely and avoid picking up any injuries.
Former international Ong Ewe Hock said both Zii Jia and Tze Yong must learn from reigning Olympic champion and world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen.
"This is a crucial time because both players have yet to secure their Olympic spots, so they need to still collect ranking points.
"However, with the hectic tournament schedule, injuries are sometimes inevitable.
"If you play in five or six tournaments in a row without proper rest, you risk getting injured.
"Zii Jia and Tze Yong can learn from Axelsen, who plans his tournaments carefully. He performs in one event and skips the next.
"South Korea's An Se Young, on the other hand, played in too many tournaments and couldn't escape injury," said Ewe Hock.
Meanwhile, 1996 Atlanta Olympics bronze medallist Rashid Sidek emphasised the importance of quality training and mental preparation.
"Avoiding injuries and being selective of events is one thing, but both Zii Jia and Tze Yong still need to play in tournaments.
"This season should have provided them a clearer understanding of what requires improvement and what they still lack.
"My advice is to focus on quality training. Another thing they need to work on is their mental preparation.
"The start of the new season marks the last leg of the Olympic qualifying process.
"This is when doubt starts creeping in. Do they have enough time? Can they go far?
"These are some of the questions a player will start asking themselves," added Rashid.
World No. 14 Zii Jia is currently ranked No. 10 on the Race to Paris standings, while world No. 14 Tze Yong is placed 12th.
A country can register two singles players for the Olympics if they are in the top 16 bracket at the end of the one-year qualifying period in April.
The next major assignment for Zii Jia and Tze Yong is the Super 1000 Malaysia Open on Jan 9-14.
