KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the team's underwhelming campaign at the Uber Cup in Chengdu, professional shuttler Goh Jin Wei remains positive.
The 24-year-old is eager to build on the progress she has made of late and elevate her competitiveness ahead of her Paris Olympics debut.
Overall, Jin Wei fared considerably well as the first singles player, giving world No. 5 Tai Tzu Ying a run for her money before succumbing to a 21-19, 22-20 loss in Malaysia's 4-1 defeat to Taiwan on Sunday.
After being rested for the match against Thailand, Jin Wei returned on Wednesday to spearhead Malaysia to a 4-1 victory over Australia, where she secured an easy 21-6, 21-12 win over Tiffany Ho.
"The Uber Cup outing has helped beef up my preparations for the Olympics. It's a major tournament, and I've gained from it," Jin Wei told the Malaysian media in Chengdu.
"The most important aspect I must address is my focus, especially during crucial stages. Other than that, I have to work on my speed and endurance.
Indeed, Jin Wei must address her ability to secure crucial points, especially against top-10 players.
Against Tzu Ying, Jin Wei paid the price for a lapse in concentration.
She had led 18-15 in the first game and then 20-18 in the second. However, Tzu Ying clawed back and won 21-19, 22-20.
Jin Wei suffered a similar fate during her first-round loss to former world champion P.V. Sindhu of India at the Asian Championships.
After mounting a gallant fightback where she saved four match points in the deciding game, Jin Wei eventually lost 18-21, 21-14, 21-19.
At the Paris Games, Jin Wei will need to be at the top of her game to reach the last-16 stage.
Jin Wei will likely be drawn with one of the top-10 players in the group stage of three shuttlers in Paris.
No Malaysian has reached the last 16 of the women's singles since the introduction of the round-robin stage in the Olympics at London 2012.
The best achievement by a Malaysian women's singles shuttler at the Olympics was by Wong Mew Choo, who made it to the quarter-finals of the Beijing 2008.
