KUALA LUMPUR: Last-minute inclusion Choong Hon Jian aims to make a lasting impression in the Thomas Cup Finals starting on Saturday in Chengdu, China.
Initially not in the 10-man squad, the 23-year-old doubles player got his big break after being called up to replace the injured Ng Tze Yong.
Hon Jian is determined to make the most of the opportunity as he intends to continue the momentum with partner Haikal Nazri. The duo has been in exceptional form since last year, clinching three World Tour titles.
Hon Jian-Haikal were also part of the squad that finished second at the Asia Team Championships (BATC) in Selangor in February.
"I'm thrilled to have secured a spot in the Thomas Cup squad, even though it came at the last minute," said Hon Jian.
"The coaches had the choice between selecting a player from either the singles or doubles, and fortunately for me, I was chosen.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to compete alongside Haikal in such a prestigious team event.
"When Haikal was initially selected and I wasn't, I wasn't discouraged because we qualified for the Finals together as a team. It's the coaches' prerogative to decide the squad."
It remains to be seen if Hon Jian-Haikal will feature prominently in the Finals, as the coaches are expected to favour Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei for the two doubles matches.
Even during the BATC, Haikal-Hon Jian played in only two matches, against minnows Kazakhstan and Brunei.
The coaches have the option to combine Hon Jian and Sze Fei as a scratch pair given their brief partnership last year. Hon Jian-Sze Fei's best outing was coming in second at the Thailand International Challenge in March.
