KUALA LUMPUR: Many are not putting any hope on Goh Jin Wei at the Paris Olympics.
However, the two-time world junior champion believes she has a shot at beating South Korea's world No. 17 Kim Ga Eun in Wednesday's must-win Group H match.
The winner will advance to the round of 16.
World No. 32 Jin Wei believes she will be better prepared for her final group match after struggling slightly during her win over South Africa's Johanita Scholtz at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena on Monday. Jin Wei won 23-21, 21-11.
"I am looking forward to the match as I last played against her two years ago. I have nothing to lose and just want to enjoy the game," she told the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
On paper, Ga Eun has a slight advantage, having won two of their three previous encounters, including their most recent meeting at the 2022 Korea Open.
Without her coach, Nova Armada, due to limited accreditation quotas issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jin Wei was assisted by Rexy Mainaky, the coaching director of the Badminton Association of Malaysia, and Tan Bin Shen, the national men's doubles coach, during her match against Scholtz.
Jin Wei admitted she was nervous in her first Olympic match, which affected her performance in the first game.
"I think the excitement made me nervous; my hands felt stiff even though they were not shaking.
"To be honest, I thought I would lose the first game and was already preparing for the second. However, luck was on my side, and I managed to win in straight games," she added.