National men's doubles player Mohd Haikal Nazri has ended his partnership with Choong Hon Jian due to a poor run of form and recurring injuries, opting to team up with Bryan Jeremy Goonting. Haikal aims to break into the world's top 32 by the end of the year with his new partner. The split was initiated by Haikal after seeking advice from the coach. He highlights the benefit of a left-right handed combination with Goonting. Both new pairings will debut at the Thailand Open in May.
Saturday, 04 Apr 2026 | 4:52 PM MYTPETALING JAYA: National men's doubles player Mohd Haikal Nazri has opted to hit the reset button on his career after a difficult run of results, deciding to part ways with Choong Hon Jian in a bid to rebuild from the ground up.
With the pressure off as he begins anew, Haikal is targeting a place in the world's top 32 by the end of the year alongside his new partner, Bryan Jeremy Goonting. Haikal admited that he was unable to endure slide in form with Hon Jian, and took the initiative to seek advice from men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi. "I was actually the one who requested it from the coach after Hari Raya," said the 23-year-old Haikal."We were mostly losing in the first round and injuries affected us on both sides at different times.Haikal and Hon Jian, who formed their partnership in 2023, initially showed strong promise after finishing runners-up at the Indonesian Masters before going on to clinch titles at the Syed Modi International and Guwahati Masters. They continued their fine form by capturing the Orleans Masters crown in 2024 and even rose to a career-high world No. 18 at one stage. However, recurring injuries to both players at different periods disrupted their momentum, leading to a dip in form and a loss of confidence."Confidence-wise, there’s no pressure right now because we’re starting from scratch again," said Haikal. "My target for this new partnership is to break into the top 32 in the world rankings by the end of this year." Haikal also pointed to a key difference in his new partnership with Bryan, particularly in their on-court combination and roles."Now, I’m left-handed and Bryan is right-handed."Tactically, I think it’s quite similar, not a huge difference from my previous partnership.Hon Jian will now partner Wong Vin Sean and both pairs will make their debut at the Thailand Open from May 12-17, followed by Malaysian Masters and Macau Open .
Badminton Mohd Haikal Nazri Bryan Jeremy Goonting Choong Hon Jian Doubles
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nepal Doubles Aviation Fuel Prices Amid Global Energy CrisisNepal nearly doubles aviation fuel prices due to rising global energy costs, raising concerns for its tourism-dependent economy. The price increase, driven by the war in Asia and reliance on India for fuel, comes before the peak tourist season.
Read more »
High-speed chase through Ipoh neighbourhood ends after suspected cable thieves in BMW hit roadside poleIPOH, April 3 — A high-speed pursuit through the streets of Bercham ended in a crash and the arrest of two men early this morning, with police discovering suspected drugs and...
Read more »
Hon Jian and Haikal split, play with new partners in ThailandKUALA LUMPUR: Here is a recap of the announcements that made headlines in Corporate Malaysia.
Read more »
Nadia Brian Beri Amaran, Percaya Karma Akan BerlakuPelakon Nadia Brian dilihat memberi amaran kepada seseorang individu, percaya karma akan membalas perbuatan buruk. Dia tidak mendedahkan identiti individu tersebut, tetapi netizen mengaitkan kenyataan itu dengan bekas kekasihnya, Nedim Nazri.
Read more »
Injury no worry: Toh Ee Wei ready for BAC test as Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah brace for tough drawKUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — National women’s mixed doubles ace Toh Ee Wei isn’t too worried about the injury she has sustained, saying it’s part and parcel of being a...
Read more »