2023 JOHOR CLOSED BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS AS CURTAIN RAISER FOR SPORTS IN JOHOR

PONTIAN (3 January): Aspiring young shuttlers from Johor will be strutting their stuff once again at the 2023 Johor Closed Badminton Championship, which gets under way this week at DBC Sport Arena, Pontian.

The 11th edition, scheduled from 5 to 8 January, is set to be a battleground for more than 600 players competing in five age categories: Under-21, Under-16, Under-14, Under-12 and Under-10.

Johor Badminton Association (JBA) President Mat Rashid Jahlil said the championship mainly involves players under the age of 21, as its aim is to select players to represent Johor at national-level competitions and to nurture them for future editions of the Malaysia Games (SUKMA).

"The objective of this championship is to gather as many players as possible in the state of Johor for them to play competitively. This tournament is also a platform for us to evaluate and select players to represent the state of Johor at the national level.

"Besides that, this is also one of the association's preparations to assemble a group of players with the potential to represent Johor at SUKMA, as the participants are still young and have the opportunity to compete at the Games later.

"JBA would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ampang Jaya Badminton Club for generously sponsoring a total cash prize of RM10,000 for this year's edition. The club has also agreed to scout rising talents through this competition, with the aim of moulding them at their club," he added.

Dania Sofea, who stole the spotlight in the previous edition by winning the Under-16 girls' singles title, is determined to retain her crown this year.

The badminton prodigy, who recently excelled at the 2022 Asian Junior Championships in Bangkok, said, "A top tournament like this is indeed a perfect platform for me and other young players to compete every year in preparation to represent Johor at the national level."

Meanwhile, the rejuvenated Ariffin Nazri Mohd Zakaria aims to make up for last year's defeat by winning this edition's Under-21 singles title.

"After winning the national Under-18 championship in August, I'm determined to improve my game in every tournament I take part in," said Ariffin, who recently reached the round of 64 in the U-19 men's singles at the BWF World Junior Championships 2022 in Spain.

The 2023 Johor Closed Badminton Championship is supported by the Johor State Sports Council, YOUNG-International and DBC Sport Arena.