Malaysian badminton gets back in the swing of things with a new crop of stars
Once, badminton was Malaysia’s undisputed racquet sport of choice, driven by the prodigious talent of Lee Chong Wei, whose dominance on the world stage made him a household name and a hero to millions.
But in recent years, fresh challenges have emerged. The rise of pickleball and padel tennis has lured younger generations to air-conditioned courts and glossier facilities, threatening badminton’s long-held supremacy.
Lee’s retirement in 2019 after recovering from nose cancer left the sport in...
