Talk about proving people wrong, from the get go.
Zulfadli Zulkifli was on absolute fire yesterday, as he clinched a first round victory over Taiwan’s Tien Chen Chou. The win was brilliant, but the manner in which it was executed was equally astounding. Considering that he was up against a player that is ranked sixth in the world, many would be forgiven for expecting Zulfadli to crumble under pressure due to his inexperience. But the former World Junior champion did the exact opposite, sealing a straight sets victory.
Prior to the tournament, Badminton Association of Malaysia’s Morten Frost had urged members of the public to be cautious with attaching any forms of expectations towards Zulfadli. He even went on to suggest that Zulfadli isn’t good enough to win the entire competition, which to be fair, is a reasonable comment to make.
He may have been crowned the world’s best junior at one point, but the senior level competition is a whole different test and it requires experience to be able to deal with it. So if you are entirely angry at Morten Frost’s comments, I’d suggest you to get back to reality. But while the comment is entirely fair, it could also be precisely what Zulfadli needed ahead of the World Championship.
Any singles shuttler within the country never has it easy, as the shadows of Lee Chong Wei, more often than not, forces amplified expectations on their shoulders. They are never judged purely on their ability alone, it’s always in comparison to Chong Wei and it’s always relative to the impressive achievements of Chong Wei. Can’t recall? Remember the months in which Chong Wei was sidelined due to his doping scandal?
But Zulfadli is at a crucial stage. He’s 22, has plenty of potential and would be a much-needed boost for the national badminton scene, should he flourish and actualize the potential in him. It’s easy to just accept the reality of being a second fiddle to Lee Chong Wei and go along with the tide, but what he needs is a constant reminder of what he should be pushing for, even if he’s not entirely there yet.
So when Frost proclaimed that expectations placed on Zulfadli should be managed carefully, it’s a direct challenge to prove him wrong. The Danish legend is BAM’s technical director – any form of success for Zulfadli would only be in his best interest. So while fans out there may cringe at the fact that Frost does not have confidence in individuals that carry our expectations on their shoulders, the former shuttler will be sitting at his desk, continuously smiling, if his statements motivates Zulfadli to perform like he did yesterday.
Question is, can Zulfadli continue do so, ahead of his second round tie against Ireland’s Scott Evans?
Featured Image Credit: Reuters
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