Ling Ching’s Rise in World Rankings Fuels Pursuit of Top Spot, But Global Ambitions Loom Larger
PETALING JAYA: Wong Ling Ching’s recent surge in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings is positioning her as a strong contender for the national No. 1 spot in women’s singles, tho the 22-year-old maintains her primary focus extends beyond domestic rankings.
Ling Ching climbed seven places to world no. 42 in the latest BWF rankings, propelled by quarter-final appearance at the Japan Masters and a second-round finish at the Australian Open.This advancement places her just one ranking position behind current national No. 1 K. Letshanaa, who remains at world No. 41.
Despite the progress, Ling Ching emphasized her commitment to consistent enhancement over simply overtaking Letshanaa. “I’m quite happy with my improvement. I hope that I can be consistent and keep progressing step by step,” she said. “For me, I want to move up the rankings but it’s not about becoming national No. 1. Letshanaa and I are both representing Malaysia. I want our country’s women’s singles to be at the top one day. It’s more important to be world No. 1 than national No. 1.”
Ling Ching’s immediate goal is to break into the world’s top 32,which would guarantee direct entry into World Tour Super 750 and 1000 competitions. Her potential was highlighted by a notable victory over Canada’s world No.14 Michelle Li in the second round of the Japan Masters, leading to her frist quarter-final appearance in a Super 500 tournament.
This breakthrough followed a quarter-final finish at the Super 300 Canada Open in July, the Slovenian Open title in May, and a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Super 100 in October, where she lost to former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan.
The Sarawakian attributes her recent success to a shift in mindset. “The difference this year is I have been more patient. Last time, I tend to think too much about what I should do but this year, I just focus on training and enjoying my game in tournaments,” Ling Ching explained. She also credited coach Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin for providing motivation. “The win over Michelle has boosted my self-confidence and I hope to maintain my form.”
Ling Ching acknowledged areas for improvement, notably her stamina. “When I was playing in Australia,it was my third tournament in a row and my fitness levels had dropped,” she said. “The explosiveness in my legs was gone and it was hard to play my own game. So, I need to improve my stamina. I also need to be more flexible tactically and mentally.”
Ling Ching will next compete at the SEA Games in Thailand, from December 9-20, alongside Letshanaa, Siti Zulaikha Azmi, and Eng Ler Qi in the women’s singles competition.
