Kuala lumpur: The appointment of former national men’s singles shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin as the new women’s singles head coach is expected to instil stronger discipline and character development among players on court.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, national player Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi, who is preparing for her debut at the World University Games (Universiade) in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany later this month, expressed her excitement about Iskandar’s arrival. She believes his international experience will be beneficial to the team. Siti Zulaikha remarked, “I’m really excited. perhaps because he’s coached elsewhere before, I feel there’s a lot we can learn from his experience.” She added that she admired Iskandar’s skills as a player and is optimistic about his potential to enhance their on-court character and discipline.

Regarding her prospects at the upcoming Games in Germany, Siti Zulaikha mentioned that her focus remains on training, especially since the tournament draw has not been released yet. She acknowledged the strength of teams like China, which are typically strong competitors in international tournaments.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) announced that Iskandar will officially commence his coaching duties on October 1, marking a new chapter for the women’s singles team.