PETALING JAYA: Junior shuttler Eng Ler Qi has a unique way of relaxing away from the badminton court.

The reigning Under-18 national girls’ singles champion loves to bake cakes and pastries in her free time.

Ler Qi learnt to bake all by herself and the hobby helps her to mentally reset before returning to training.

“Usually, I like to bake some pastries and cakes to take my mind off badminton for a while,” said Ler Qi.

“I learnt to bake myself and it is a soothing hobby. I feel calmer after baking. Training every day can be tough, so it’s good to have a hobby like this.”

Ler Qi is currently preparing to make her debut in the Asian Junior Championships from July 18-27 in Solo, Indonesia.

The 17-year-old from Selangor will join Oo Shan Zi, Lim Zhi Shin, Low Zi Yu and Lee Mun in the girls’ singles.

“I’m excited about my first Asian meet and I will give my all,” said Ler Qi.

“There’re about three weeks left and I’m working hard in training every day to be able to perform well in the tournament.”

Ler Qi, who trains under Misbun Ramdan, gained some valuable experience after competing in a few lower tier senior European tournaments last month.

Her best performance came in the Slovak Open where she reached the semi-finals.

“Playing in Europe gave me a chance to test myself in senior tournaments,” said Ler Qi.

“They were not high level events but I still gained lots of experience. My performances were not consistent, so there’s room for improvement.

“I need to work on my strength and power and I’m working on these with coach Ramdan.”

The youngster knows she needs to raise her game to have a chance of winning a medal in the Asian Juniors.

In last year’s edition, Siti Zulaikha Azmi won bronze in the girls’ singles.