PETALING JAYA: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen (pic) is open to welcoming top international players train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM), but he also wants the national shuttlers to gain from the opportunity.

Unlike the doubles department, which boasts a number of elite pairs ranked in the world’s top 10, the men’s and women’s singles squads currently lack players at that level.

This makes it harder for them to get quality sparring partners of world-class calibre.

Jonassen is not ruling out the possibility of inviting top players from other countries to train with his squad, especially if they happen to be in Malaysia preparing for a tournament.

One such example was the visit by world No. 3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark, who trained in Malaysia several weeks ago ahead of the Singapore Open, which concluded last Sunday.

Jonassen made full use of the opportunity, allowing not only the senior players but also junior shuttlers to experience training alongside the Danish star.

While Jonassen can share his knowledge and experience as a former top player and respected coach, he believes his players need to witness first-hand the training routines and mentality of world-class shuttlers during actual practice sessions.

“Whenever possible, we try to put together the best line-up to make it work, but I have to say it must be beneficial for us. That’s very important. I don’t mind giving, but I need to see that there’s an upside for our development, not just for the top players but also for the next generation.

“For example, our two young players had about an hour, maybe 75 minutes, on court with Antonsen. That’s something you can’t buy. You can’t just decide you want to spar with the world No. 3. These are the kinds of opportunities we want to create.

“If the timing is right, I would be more than happy to have them (top players) here because there’s a lot we can learn from each other. I believe they would also enjoy our training environment. My door and phone is always open for discussions. When everything aligns, we’ll make it happen,” said Jonassen.

The 50-year-old coach is currently in the midst of rebuilding the men’s singles squad, a process that will take time as he aims to guide the players back into the elite ranks of world badminton.

The national team’s top men’s singles player at the moment is Leong Jun Hao, but the world No. 25 is struggling with consistency.

Justin Hoh and Eogene Ewe are still being groomed for the big stage, while it’s another blow for Ng Tze Yong, who has now suffered a knee injury.