Badminton | Misbun sees great potential in Hatsun Badminton Academy players

Misbun Sidek, a former world number two, All England Open finalist, and former head coach of the Malaysian men’s senior badminton team, has begun his first coaching stint outside Malaysia by joining the Hatsun Badminton Academy in Thiruthangal as a high-performance coach. The 65-year-old will visit the academy three times a year.

Misbun, a key member of Malaysia’s 1992 Thomas Cup-winning team and a two-time World Championship bronze medalist (1983 and 1985), brings decades of elite competitive experience to Indian badminton and is keen to make his mark in the country.

talking to Hindu Here on Wednesday, Misbun praised the facilities of Hutsun Badminton Academy for the players and expressed hope that he could bring about a change for the better,

“When I was approached by Hatsun’s head coach, Mr. Rajinikanth, I was hesitant at first, as I had never coached outside Malaysia. But when I saw the team design at Hatsun, I decided to accept the role. I have produced three world No. 1 players – Lee Chong Wei (2006), Rashid Siddiq (1997), and Roselyn Hashim (2001). I am keen to produce the fourth. Moreover, the facilities at Hatsun are a really good team and their young players have potential. Great.

Rajinikanth emphasized the value of Misbun’s presence: “Having coached so many world-class players, we feel his tactical and technical inputs will definitely help our players reach world-class level. He will visit our academy three times a year. His energy levels at this age during training sessions are really motivating.”

(The writer was at Thiruthangal at the invitation of Hatsun Badminton Academy)