The match-by-match approach has been chosen by national mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat–Shevon Lai as they navigate the 2026 season, with primary focus placed on physical recovery and mental stability to ensure consistent performances throughout the campaign.
Shevon, 32, admitted that the new season does not feel like a “fresh start” for them after enduring a packed tournament calendar last year, which saw them compete in nearly 22 tournaments with insufficient rest—affecting recovery and overall fitness levels.
According to her, the main challenge at the start of the season is not only competition on court, but also the body’s ability to fully recover, especially for older players like themselves who naturally require longer recovery periods.
“Honestly, it has been a very long season. Even though it’s the start of 2026 now, we went through a very long 2025.
“We competed in almost 22 tournaments overall, so I wouldn’t say this is a fresh start because we were playing throughout the year until the end and barely had any rest.
“We also played two major tournaments (Malaysia Open Super 1000 and India Open Super 750), which is quite exhausting, especially for older players like us who take longer to recover.
“That’s why we need to be smarter and focus more on recovery. There are no big targets for now, especially at the start of the year, because everyone is playing at their maximum level.
“So we will take it match by match, focus on our own recovery, and do our best on court every time we play,” said Shevon.
Shevon and her partner Soon Huat, 35, are scheduled to compete at the Indonesia Masters at Istora Senayan starting tomorrow, where they will face home pair Adnan Maulana–Indah Cahya Sari Jamil in the first round.
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