Image Credit: Letshanaa Karuthevan FB
By Yong Soo Heong
If you’re a true follower of Malaysian badminton, you would have to admit that 2026 has been the turning point for Letshanaa Karupathevan, the 22‑year‑old former student of SMK Damansara Utama. In simple terms, she has made remarkable progress and can now hold her head high against higher‑ranked opponents — a far cry from her performances as recent as a year or two ago.
The change was most evident at the Uber Cup in Horsens, Denmark. Leading Malaysia’s women’s singles campaign, Letshanaa impressed in the group stage by pushing Japan’s world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi to 19–21, 17–21. In the quarterfinal, she fought valiantly against China’s world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi before bowing out 17–21, 18–21. These were narrow defeats, but they spoke volumes: she was no longer overawed, but competing toe‑to‑toe with the very best.
During her junior playing days in 2019, before the Covid pandemic, and watching her play a few years after that, right up till 2025, gave you the feeling that “she was not there yet” as she still searched for consistency.
Her major international exposure began with the Sudirman Cup in Vantaa, Finland, in 2021, where Malaysia emerged as bronze medallists. Individually, she was runner‑up to Yulia Yosephine Susanto at the Malaysia International 2022. But just as her career seemed to be taking off, she suffered a cruel setback: a serious back injury in February 2022 forced her to resign from BAM’s squad.
During this independent phase, she trained at the Fly Spirit Badminton Club in Selayang under the guidance of her brother, K. Jhotiswaran, and father, A. Karupathevan. It was a period of self-belief, rehabilitation and rebuilding confidence, where she had to manage physiotherapy, conditioning, and tournament entries largely on her own.
Her resilience paid off. In 2023, she bounced back by winning the Uganda International, defeating Turkiye’s Neslihan Yiğit. The following year, she was runner‑up at the Indonesia Masters (Super 100), losing narrowly to Ni Kadek Dhinda Amartya Prattiwi. In 2025, she contributed to Malaysia’s bronze‑winning team at the SEA Games in Thailand.
Then came her breakthrough. At the Indonesia Masters (Super 500) in January 2026, Letshanaa reached her first‑ever Super 500 semifinal. She defeated Taiwan’s Hsu Wen Chi in a three‑game thriller, stunned Canada’s Michelle Li (World No. 12) in straight games, and overcame Huang Yu‑Hsun of Chinese Taipei before bowing out to Thailand’s rising star Pitchamon Opatniputh. That run signalled her latent resurgence.
Her momentum carried into the Malaysia Masters 2026, where she upset world No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki 21–15, 21–17, before losing to Hina Akechi (WR24) in three games. At the Singapore Open (Super 750), she gave a scare to Olympic champion Chen Yufei, winning the first game 21–19 before falling 15–21, 17–21.
These results show she has begun to establish consistency at higher levels. While flashes of brilliance are now more frequent, maintaining form against top‑20 players remains her biggest hurdle. BAM’s role in giving her exposure to elite tournaments is crucial, especially in competing more regularly in Super 750 and Super 1000 events to stabilise her ranking.
A Story of Resilience
Letshanaa’s record since 2019 reflects a determined comeback story — from early exits and recovery to winning international titles and upsetting top‑10 opponents. She is now Malaysia’s leading women’s singles hope, poised to break into the world’s elite if she sustains form and fitness.
From the depths of injury in 2022 to her current standing as World No. 32 (May 2026), her trajectory suggests she is on the cusp of something greater. For Malaysian badminton fans, her journey is more than just scores and rankings — it is a testament to resilience, family support, and the belief that setbacks can be turned into stepping stones.
WE