Indon ends Chong Wei’s World title bid

Saturday, 15 August 2009

WORLD No. 1 Lee Chong Wei was crushed by Sony Dwi Kuncoro yet again in the World Championships at the Gachi­bowli Stadium yesterday.

Surprisingly, though, the Malaysian did not take the defeat too badly.

The top seed was hailed as Malaysia’s great hope to end the country’s elusive chase for a world title but yesterday Chong Wei showed the ugly side of his game to lose 16-21, 21-14, 12-21 to Sony in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles match that lasted an hour.

Ironically, it was Sony who dashed Chong Wei’s dream of a first world title at the previous world meet in Kuala Lumpur, stopping the Malaysian in the third round.

And yesterday, Sony showed the same drive and determination while Chong Wei looked lost and out of sorts from the start.

“I gave it my all. After the first game defeat, I fought back. But it was not to be my day today,” said Chong Wei, who hardly showed any signs of being terribly upset.

“My strength is in net play but it worked against me. I was sending half court returns and my defence was weak.

“I have to accept this defeat. I know people will be angry with me but it just seems that I am not lucky when it comes to the World Championships.”
What a win: Sony celebrates after beating Chong Wei in the quarter-finals on Friday. Sony won 21-16, 14-21, 21-12. Starpic by S.S. Kanesan

His best achievement in four world outings thus far has been a semi-final finish in Anaheim in 2005.

When asked why he was all smiles despite the defeat, he said: “I am putting on a brave front here, but inside I am hurting. I wanted, as much as anyone else, to do well here.”

A confident display by Sony in the first game ripped Chong Wei’s confidence into tatters right from the start. The Malaysian was slower than usual and did not show any urgency in his game, giving room for Sony to take control of the game.

Chong Wei, who has won four Open titles this year, sparked hopes of a great fightback after taking the second game but it all fell flat when he adopted a cautious approach in the decider, hardly showing any aggression.

The Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist said he would discuss with coach Misbun Sidek about taking a long break from competition.

“I have been listed for the Macau Open but I will talk with my coach to skip the tournament. I need a break. I may come back refreshed after a break to continue my chase for a world title and an Olympic title,” said Chong Wei.

Sony’s reward for taking out Chong Wei is a semi-final date with Lin Dan of China.

Lin Dan was pushed to the limit before prevailing 22-20, 21-16 over the evergreen Peter-Gade Christensen.

The other semi-final will be between second seed Chen Jin and Indonesian Taufik Hidayat, who is eyeing his second world crown.

Courtesy of The Star

1 BIG Family

They are nt juz teamates,but they are also good friends..

Worry over mistakes led to Pei Tty-Eei Hui defeat

Friday, 14 August 2009

A MISUNDERSTANDING in the final game resulted in the sad exit of Malaysia’s world No. 1 Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty from the world championships women’s doubles competition yesterday.

The top seeds crashed to a 19-21, 21-19, 12-21 defeat by 2008 Olympic Games semi-finalists Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna of Japan in a 65-minute third-round match.

It was the first time in the world series that Eei Hui-Pei Tty failed to reach the quarter-finals since they made their debut in the championships in Anaheim in 2005. And they dejectedly left the court at the Gachibowli Stadium, accompanied by the coaches, Rexy Mainaky and Chang Kim Wai.

A poker-faced Pei Tty expressed her disappointment for the failure to make it to at least the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive time.

“Honestly, we knew it was a tough mission for us against them (Maeda-Suetsuna),” she said.
End of the road: Malaysia’s Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty leaving the court with coach Rexy Mainaky after losing to Japan’s Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna in the third round of the World Badminton Championships at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. — S.S.KANESAN / The Star

“We should have been more relaxed but we were tense and did not seem to enjoy the first game. We could not defend as well as we should. It rattled us and we made so many errors.”

The Japanese raced to a 5-1 lead in the opening game and kept the pressure on throughout to win it.

Eei Hui, who was struggling to get her act right in the first game, did better in the second game.

“I was making too many mistakes and fortunately, I was able to get a better grip of myself. And I think that turned the tide to our favour in the second game when we were trailing 15-19.”

It all seemed well and good for the Malaysians in the decider when they caught up from 7-10 to take a slim 11-10 lead. Then, everything fell to pieces.

Their aggression in the game was replaced with weak returns and poor judgment. And the Japanese gained in confidence to claim their place in the quarter-finals.

Pei Tty agreed that they were a letdown and the top ranked pair in the world.

“Whether we like it or not, we are still the world No. 1. Our problem is our inconsistency. We can play so well and beat a top pair and we can also play below par and lose to a lower ranked pair,” she said.

Rexy said that the duo would have to work on their communication skills, especially when things were not going their way.

“There is nothing wrong with their skills. In the decider, they were in control after taking a 11-10 lead. The Japanese broke their rhythm by slowing down the game,” he said.

“Instead of holding on together and playing their game, they were more worried over the mistakes made by each other. They have to learn to support each other in good or bad times.”

Courtesy of The Star

黄妙珠输球影响李宗伟心情 大马一哥心疼女友

体坛网记者李婷海德拉巴报道作为马来西亚的一姐，黄妙珠的女单比赛被马来西亚民众寄予了厚望，但是在首轮比赛中她就意外遭到了淘汰，而这场比赛，她的男朋友李宗伟也在现场观战。回到酒店后，李宗伟不停地安慰着女朋友：“输赢谁都会有，这一次输了，下次赢回来就好了。”在随后的几天，尽管自己比赛任务繁重，但李宗伟都没空余时陪伴在女友身旁。

“以前去哪儿比赛我都会陪她逛街的，但是在印度肯定不行，而且我上次又拉肚子，所以我一直在提醒她得小心一点。”说起女友的失利，李宗伟不无心疼地说道：“还是因为她的伤病，劳损性的伤病一直都好不了，每天训练结束她都要很长时间的治疗，我看着挺难受的，带着伤打比赛，心里肯定有顾虑，打不好是自然的。”中国传统的七夕快到了，李宗伟对黄妙珠的祝福就是：“希望她的伤病能减轻点，这样我心里也会好过。

Doubles pairs to know if they are good enough for quarters

Thursday, 13 August 2009

HOTSHOTS Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong say that their real tests in the world championships begin today while Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif feel that they have regained their touch after winning their opening round matches.

The action in second-round matches in the men’s doubles competition yesterday also saw the exit of third seeds Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark.

For Kien Keat-Boon Heong, they were hardly tested against Nigerians Ola Fagbemi-Jinkan Ifraimu, romping to an 21-5, 21-16 win in just 17 minutes.

The easy win was a blessing in disguise for Kien Keat, who had twisted his ankle during training.

“It is just a slight twist but I am being very careful about it. I do not want this minor problem to affect my game tomorrow,” he said.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong will play against Japanese Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato today for a place in the quarter-finals. The Japanese had eliminated former Malaysian No. 1 Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng in the opening round on Monday.

“We have not played against them and we will not take them lightly. Our match will get tougher from here and we will be ready,” said Kien Keat.

Zakry-Fairuzizuan, who had been having problems to complement each other on the court, got their acts right yesterday when they defeated Yoshiteru Hirobe-Hajime Komiyama of Japan 21-14, 23-21.

But they courted letting each other down in the second game while trailing 15-19 but quick communication saw them covering for each other well to escape with a narrow win.

And for Zakry, it has given them a huge dose of confidence to take on Indonesians Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Rian Sukmawan for a place in the quarter-finals.

“There was a stage in the second game that I lost focus. Fortunately, I regained the rhythm. But this is my weakness and I cannot afford to do this tomorrow,” said Zakry.

“This win is important as it had given Fairuzizuan and I some confidence after going through tough times. We hope to play even better tomorrow.”

On the match against Yonathan-Dasuki, Fairuzizuan said: “We have won all three previous matches against them but we will not be over confident. We know a lot is stake on our performance here and we will give our best.”

The big upset in the event yesterday was the elimination of former champions Paake-Rasmussen, who were beaten 19-21, 21-15, 17-21 by South Koreans Han Sang-hoon-Shin Baek-cheol.

Courtesy of The Star

It’s over for shuttler Mew Choo

Thursday, 13 August 2009

MALAYSIA’s hope to see a great comeback from Wong Mew Choo went up in smoke at the World Cham­­pionships in Hyderabad yesterday.

The national women’s singles No. 1 was beaten 21-18, 12-21, 21-23 at the Gachibowli Stadium by Japanese Ai Goto in a 55-minute second round match in which fitness failed her.

Malaysia’s challenge in the women’s singles event ended with the defeat.
Distraught: Malaysian coach Misbun Sidek trying to console Wong Mew Choo after the shuttler’s defeat by Japan’s Ai Goto in the second round of the World Badminton Championships at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad Wednesday. — S.S. KANESAN / The Star

Lydia Cheah crashed out in the opening round on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mew Choo sparked off hopes of a quick win when she played superbly to beat the pint-sized Japanese in the first game. But she ran out of battery in the second game and gave up easily.

“I just could not take her rally game at that stage. She was punishing me and taking me to the front and back of the court,” said Mew Choo.

“I was really tired. I made mistakes and that frustrated me even more. Then in the decider, she took a comfortable 17-11 lead.

“I told myself that I had worked so hard in training and I was not about to give up. I was tired but I pushed myself and fought for every point.”

Mew Choo managed to overtake Goto at 18-17 but failed to press home at the crucial stages.

Mew Choo was disappointed that she could not produce the same form that resulted in a great comeback to beat Xie Xingfang of China en route to reaching the quarter-finals of the championships for the first time in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

“It’s disappointing but this is not the end of me. I know I can still improve,” said Mew Choo, who will take part in the Macau Open next month.

Although the world No. 1 women’s pair of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty defeated Sweden’s Emelie Len­nartsson-Emma Wengberg 21-13, 21-11 to reach the third round, it was not an impressive win.

“We took it easy in this first game and did not play that aggressively.

“We were saving our energy for tomorrow,” said Eei Hui of their next match against Japanese Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna, who were the semi-finalists at the Beijing Olym­pics last year.

“The last time we played against them was two years ago. They certainly have improved but we will be ready for them.”

Courtesy of The Star

Malaysian coach quarantined after coming down with fever

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

MALAYSIA’S mixed doubles coach Jeremy Gan was rushed to hospital after coming down with fever and sore throat.

Jeremy has been admitted to the isolation unit of the Chest Hospital in Hyderabad for a 48-hour observation.
Masked protector: Malaysia’s Sabrina Chong and Ong Jien Guo walking past a masked security personnel after losing to Chinese mixed doubles pair He Hanbin-Yu Yang yesterday.

And the organisers of the World Championships have got down to work on preventive measures over the fear of the influenza A (H1N1) virus that is spreading in India.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) and organisers also had a meeting with all team managers to brief them on the do’s and don’ts during the competition to curb the virus.

In Kuala Lumpur, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek assured parents of shuttlers in Hyderabad that they were safe.

“The Indian government has given us 200% guarantee on safety at the venue,” he said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Malaysian team manager Peter Yeow said that Malaysians are taking all preventive measures.

“Jeremy had fever and sore throat. He has a sinus problem and we thought this was common. He sought medical treatment on Monday night and the doctor sent him to the hospital,” he said.

“He was sent by an ambulance at about 10pm (on Monday) to the isolation unit. He has to be there for at least two days. There is nothing to panic. It is the required procedure that we had to follow.”

Peter said that it was a requirement that players and officials from the country affected by the epidemic to be referred to hospital immediately if they show symptoms of fever and flu.

He said he had briefed the team on precautions to take.

“There will be body checks and their temperatures will be taken daily. We have also instructed them to wear a mask everyday and they have been told to be disciplined to maintain good hygiene.

“The players are following our instructions and we are keeping in touch with the BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia), NSC (Natio­nal Sports Council) and NSI (National Sports Institute).”

Peter said that the other coaches would help guide the mixed doubles players in the absence of Jeremy. The other coaches are doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky, Rosman Razak, Chang Kim Wai and singles coaches Rashid Sidek (chief) and Misbun Sidek.

Courtesy of The Star

Choong Hann survives but Lydia stumbles at first hurdle

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

IT was a day of mixed fortunes for Malaysia’s Lydia Cheah and old-timer Wong Choong Hann a the World Championships yesterday.

Lydia, hoping to come good in her second world outing, fell flat when she was blown away by Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in the first round losing 16-21, 18-21 in just 25 minutes.
One for the oldies: Wong Choong Hann making a return in the win over Finland’s Ville Lang yesterday.

In the first game Lydia’s play was strewn with errors. She put up a fight in the second but it was not good enough to beat the talented Thai.

“It did not go as well as I planned. This is really disappointing,” said a frustrated Lydia.

“All that I had learnt in the training did not come out today. On top of that, my knee was hampering my movement too,” added Lydia, who rushed to national coach Misbun Sidek after the match seeking for answers on what had gone wrong.

In the men’s singles, Choong Hann hardly raised any sweat when he tamed Finn Ville Lang 21-7, 21-10.

He now joins world number one and top seed Lee Chong Wei in the second round today where they will take on Estonia’s Raul Must and Nigerian Ola Fagbemi respectively.

Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei can end long wait

Monday, 10 August 2009

K.M. Boopathy

FOR 32 years, World Championships success has eluded Malaysia but going by the experience and form of World No 1 Lee Chong Wei and men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, the wait should come to an end in Hyderabad, India, when the tournament begins today.
Lee Chong Wei will play Dieter Domke of Germany today.
Lee Chong Wei will play Dieter Domke of Germany today.

Malaysian fans have had enough of failures and excuses from the national players. This time, Chong Wei and company have no other option but to deliver.

Chong Wei carries our hopes despite the presence of Olympic gold medallist and world champion Lin Dan of China as he has been Malaysia's most consistent performer on the international circuit throughout the year.

Chong Wei said he is 85 per cent prepared for the tournament and lamented that there is heavy draught at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium.

But these factors should not stop Chong Wei, who is top seeded, from making a strong attempt at dethroning Lin Dan.

The Penangite begins his campaign against Dieter Domke of Germany today and this will be followed by another easy match against Ola Fagbemi of Nigeria in the second round.

He is expected to face some resistance from Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam in the third round before meeting the occasionally brilliant Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia in the quarter-final. But Sony is no longer in Chong Wei's class.

This will lead to a mouth-watering semi-final encounter between Chong Wei and Lin Dan, seen as the title clash. The China ace has a slight edge due to his domination of the major events over the last two years.

This is the match which will test Chong Wei's resolve to the limit and also an opportunity to put the supremely confidence Lin Dan in his place. Lin Dan has often claimed that though Chong Wei is the World No 1, he (Lin Dan) is the best player on the planet.

If Chong Wei upstaged Lin Dan, this will give him a clear run to the world crown as he is likely to meet second seed Chen Jin of China or Indonesian Taufik Hidayat, both of whom he has excellent track records in recent years.

For Chong Wei, it is particularly frustrating to remain as the World No 1 for almost a year but yet not winning a major event. A world crown will make up for all that.

Asian Games gold medallists Kien Keat-Boon Heong have turned out to be the country's biggest underachievers despite their immense talent They should have won the world crown two years ago in Kuala Lumpur if not for their habit of self- destruction.

Ranked World No 2, Kien Keat-Boon Heong have gone from being the most explosive pair in the game to being average performers. And this paved the way for Indonesians Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan to win the 2007 world title and the 2008 Olympics gold.

However, Markis' illness has led to the Indonesian pair pulling out of the tournament and this means Kien Keat-Boon Heong are in a favourable position to triumph in Hyderabad.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong have an easy ride to the last eight where they meet the inconsistent Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark.

But the Malaysians will be in a make-or-break situation in the semi-finals against title contenders Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae of South Korea. Should Kien Keat-Boon Heong prevail, they have a good chance of going all the way to glory.

China's veterans Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng could be a handful but Kien Keat-Boon Heong have youth and desire on their side.

Zakry Latif-Fairuzizuan Tazari have good reasons to be optimistic since Markis-Hendra, who they are supposed to meet in the quarter-finals, are no longer around.

They are expected to play Koreans Cho Gun Woo-Yoo Yeon Seong in the last eight and Cai Yun-Haifeng in the semi-finals.

Malaysia's women's doubles World No 1 Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui have a difficult draw where they must overcome Japan's Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna in the third round and Olympic champions Du Jing-Yu Yang of China in the quarter-finals.

They are not expected to be among the medal winners but decent performance from them will justify the BA of Malaysia's decision to send the country's largest squad to the World Championships.

Courtesy of New Straits Times

Chong Wei frets about wind on court Sunday, 09 August 2009 PLAYING in the Gachibowli Stadium can be quite tricky, says world No. 1 men’s singles shut

Sunday, 09 August 2009

PLAYING in the Gachibowli Stadium can be quite tricky, says world No. 1 men’s singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei.

“There is draught in the stadium from all directions. But all the players will have to get used to it,” he said.

Yesterday, Chong Wei and the Malaysian team spent two hours at the venue for the World Championships, which will begin tomorrow.

“Everyone will have to learn to adapt. But it is certainly not as windy as in the Indian Open (in April),” he said.

“So far, everything is okay and we are well taken care of. Our team chefs served us with a good meal today.”

National singles coach Misbun Sidek was also pleased to see that the players had adapted quickly to the situation in Hyderabad.

“No one has any complaints so far. They have been diligently doing what is required of them. They had a good workout today,” he said.

Koo’s cool about comparisons with Yong-dae

Sunday, 09 August 2009

THEY are both are young, stylish and talented. While one is a hotshot in Malaysia, the other is a household name in South Korea.

Koo Kien Keat and Lee Yong-dae seem to have a lot in common although the Korean youngster looks to be the more successful one.

Kien Keat does not like to be compared with the Korean but agreed that Yong-dae had set a high benchmark as far as striking a balance in both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles events are concerned.

Kien Keat and Yong-dae will be taking part in two events at the World Championships, which will begin at the Gachibowli Stadium tomorrow.

Kien Keat partners Tan Boon Heong (men’s doubles) and Ng Hui Lin (mixed doubles) while Yong-dae forms a lethal combination with Jung Jae-sung (men’s doubles) and Lee Hyo-jung (mixed doubles).

Yong-dae won the All-England men’s doubles title in 2006 with Jae-sung and the 2008 Olympic Games mixed doubles crown with Hyo-jung.

Kien Keat and Yong-dae are capable of playing exceptionally well with some out-of-this-world shots and both have a lot of followers – especially young girls – in their own countries.

The 24-year-old Kien Keat insists that he is different from Yong-dae.

“He is 21 years old and has been playing in both the men’s and mixed doubles since he was much younger. I have not been consistently playing in these two events,” said Kien Keat. “So naturally, he is more solid in playing in both.

“Physically, I think he is fitter but, with more effort, I think I can be as fit as him. Tactically, though, we are unique. He has his own speciality and I have mine.”

Kien Keat is also pleased to see Yong-dae doing well in both events.

“He has a set the benchmark and it is something that I can work towards achieving too,” he said.

In the world meet, Kien Keat stands a better chance of victory in the men’s doubles than the mixed doubles.

Second seeds Kien Keat-Boon Heong are likely to take on fourth seeds Yong-dae-Jae-sung in the semis if there are no early upsets.

The Malaysians have a first-round bye before facing Nigerians Ola Fagbemi-Jinkan Ifraimu.

They are likely to meet Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng in the third round and either sixth seeds Mathias Boe-Carsten Morgensen of Denmark or Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in the last eight.

In the mixed doubles, Kien Keat-Hui Lin are set to meet second seeds Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir in the third round and that is as far as they are likely to go.

“This is my fourth world meet campaign. I have a bronze in the men’s doubles (with Chong Ming in Anaheim in 2005) and a bronze in the mixed doubles (with Wong Pei Tty in Madrid in 2006). Hopefully, I can do better this time,” said Kien Keat.

Courtesy of The Star

Side news

They had a motivation camp during CNY in Sarawak..

Malaysian shuttlers dream of achieving all-time high at world meet

Saturday, 08 August 2009
By RAJES PAUL

The bulk of the Malaysian shuttlers left for the World Championships in Hyderabad, India, yesterday dreaming of achieving an all-time high in the world series.

Malaysia have never won more than two medals in a world meet and have never bagged the gold medal since the tournament’s inception in 1977.

This time, on paper at least, Malaysia should make it to three finals if men’s singles top seed Lee Chong Wei, men’s doubles second seeds Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and women’s doubles top seeds Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty can live up to their billing.

Judging by Chong Wei’s cool and confident approach in training over the last few days, the world No. 1 looks a sure bet for a medal – which many are hoping will be a gold.

The 27-year-old Chong Wei is determined to come good in his third world outing.

At the last world meet, Chong Wei was the top seed but he went down to Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the third round.

“I have learnt from my mistakes. It is not easy going into the world meet as a top seed.

“But I have learnt to handle the pressure that comes with it,” said Chong Wei, who is in the same half as Vietnamese Nguyen Tien Minh, Sony and Olympic champion Lin Dan.

“It is all about mental strength. I promise to give my best. And I think the team’s also in high spirits and everyone has worked hard.”

Barring any upsets, Chong Wei is expected to meet his arch rival Lin Dan in the semi-finals.

National doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky agreed that Kien Keat-Boon Heong and fourth seeds Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif should go far based on their world rankings and the absence of top seeds and defending champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan.

But Rexy is afraid that other factors could spoil their chances.

“I am confident that the men’s doubles can get it right at the world meet if they can maintain the commitment shown in training,” said Rexy.

“The coaches have advised the players to take care of their health, especially with the A (H1N1) flu scare going around. They have been told to eat proper food. It is good that we have two cooks with the team. The players have also been advised to drink lots of water.”

Eei Hui, meanwhile, said that her world No. 1 ranking with Pei Tty did not reflect their true strength – not yet.

“We still have a big fight in our hands in our bid to win a medal at the world meet. Our draw is not as easy as it seems,” said Eei Hui, who has reached the quarter-finals with Pei Tty in the last three world meets.

“Win­ning a medal would be nice but we aim to take it one match at a time.” Yes­­­ter­day, before leaving for Hyde­rabad, the players were treated to a dinner at the Kuala Lumpur Inter­national Aiport (KLIA) by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Courtesy of The Star

Sabrina, Khe Wei hope to be nation’s No. 1 one day

Friday, 07 August 2009

Women’s doubles shuttler Sabrina Chong Sook Chin will be renewing her partnership with Woon Khe Wei at the World Championships, which will begin in Hyderabad, India, on Monday.

And the back-up shuttlers hope to take over as the nation’s No. 1 pair when current world No. 1 Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty retire one day.
Warming down: (From left) Sabrina Chong, Woon Khe Wei, Marylen Ng Poau Leng and Lim Yin Loo doing some stretching after a training session at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara Thursday. — KEVIN TAN / The Star

Sabrina-Khe Wei will leave for Hyderabad today to compete in their first world meet.

Sabrina and Khe Wei will also feature in the mixed doubles event with Ong Jien Guo and Mohd Razif Abdul Latif respectively.

The 22-year-old Sabrina admitted that it would be a tall order for them to clear the opening round, insisting they were instead looking beyond the world meet.

They have been drawn to play South Korea’s top pair and third seeds Lee Kyung-won-Lee Hyo-jung in the second round, which will be an opening round match for both pairs.

“We know our opponents will be far too strong for us. But we have trained hard and we will give our best. We are not scared of them,” said Sabrina. She hoped that the experience of playing in their first world meet would give them the confidence to strengthen their partnership.

“I used to partner Khe Wei a long time ago. But we were split up. Then, we came together because I had to replace the injured Goh Liu Ying in the Uber Cup Finals (in Jakarta last year),” said Sabrina.

“We parted ways again this year. Later, we found out that we had qualified for the world meet and our coach decided to keep us together. We play well as a pair. We hope to be one of the top women’s pairs in the country. For now, Eei Hui-Pei Tty are the best and we want to narrow that gap.”

The other women’s doubles pairs bound for the world meet are Lim Yin Loo-Marylen Ng Poau Leng and Liu Ying-Ng Hui Lin.

Khe Wei, who twisted her ankle prior to the Thailand Open last month, said it was getting better.

“There is a slight pain but I am managing well. This is my first world meet and I do not want to miss it. I am still young and I should not have any problems concentrating on both the women’s and mixed doubles events,” she said.

Courtesy of The Star

Rashid: Lydia must not let herself down

Thursday, 06 August 2009

K.M. Boopathy

LYDIA Cheah got her ticket to the World Championships because Julia Wong was floored by a serious knee injury and national singles chief coach Rashid Sidek wants the former to make full use of the opportunity to turn her career around.

Lydia, seen as one of the most skillful players in the women's singles squad, is often undone by her laid-back attitude and has not achieved her true potential since becoming the runner-up in the 2006 Asian Junior Championships.

She even beat China's current All England champion and one of the title contenders in the World Championships in Hyderabad, Wang Yihan.

Rashid, who has been frustrated by the 20-year-old under-performing despite her immense talent, said the experience she will gain in Hyderabad may turn things around.

Senior shuttler Wong Mew Choo, if her injury-prone career is anything to go by, may not be in condition to make an impact, so the onus will be on Lydia but she must negotiate a tough draw.

"The tournament can be a launch-pad to better things for Lydia. She is just 20 but already gets a chance to play in the World Championships so she must make full use of the opportunity," said Rashid.

Courtesy of New Straits Times

Players’ rivalry set to climax in Hyderabad

Thursday, 06 August 2009

The intense and healthy rivalry among the three back-up doubles shuttlers – Chan Peng Soon, Ong Jien Guo and Mohd Razif Abdul Latif – is expected to reach its pinnacle at the World Championships, which will be held in Hyderabad, India from Aug 10-16. All three are determined to make a name for themselves with their mixed doubles partners – Goh Liu Ying, Sabrina Chong and Woon Khe Wei respectively – and next week’s world meet will be an ideal platform to gauge where they stand. The trio have had their share of good results this year but the one holding a slight edge is Peng Soon, who reached the Thailand Open semi-finals with Liu Ying last month. Peng Soon will be competing for the second time in the world meet, having lost in the third round with Haw Chiou Hwee at Bukit Jalil in 2007. Razif and Jien Guo, meanwhile, will be making their debuts. Peng Soon, who aspires to be like former South Korean great Kim Dong-moon, said he was bracing for a tough time in Hyderabad. That is understandable as Peng Soon-Liu Ying will take on China’s formidable combination of Zheng Bo-Ma Jin in the second round. “After a first round bye, we will be playing against a China pair for the first time. At the last world meet, I lost to Zheng Bo too. Then, he partnered Gao Ling,” said Peng Soon. “Liu Ying and I have played together for nine months but we have never come up against a Chinese pair. We are studying Zheng Bo and Ma Jin’s game through video sessions (compiled by coach Jeremy Gan). “There is no pressure on our shoulders but we will be happy if we can give them a good fight.” Jien Guo said that the rivalry among the back-up shuttlers was intense but it had done them a world of good and keeping everyone on their toes. “We are all good friends. But it is good to have this competition among us. It helps us to raise our game to a higher level,” said Jien Guo. “This is my first major tournament with Sabrina. We have a tough draw but the most important thing is to play without any fear.” Jien Guo-Sabrina’s opening match in the tournament will be against fourth seeds He Hanbin-Yu Yang in the second round. Of the three, Razif probably has the easiest draw. And he is bent on capitalising on the opportunity to make it a memorable outing. “The draw is not too bad. There is a fighting chance for us in the early rounds and, hopefully, we will clear the hurdles,” said the 24-year-old Razif, who is the younger brother of elite player Mohd Zakry. Razif-Khe Wei are expected to face 12th seeds Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Kostiuczyk of Poland in the second round. If they make it, they should take on either India’s V. Diju-Jwala Gutta or England’s Nathan Robertson-Jenny Wallwork for a place in the quarter-finals. “This is my first major tournament. Khe Wei is recovering from an ankle injury and we are playing better as a pair every day. I hope this outing will be a memorable one,” said Razif. Besides the three pairs, Malaysia’s other mixed doubles pair in the draw are the country’s top combination of Koo Kien Keat-Ng Hui Lin. Courtesy of The Star

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Go forth and make history

Wednesday, 05 August 2009

By RAJES PAUL They may have gone down different paths in their careers but former national women’s doubles pair Lim Pek Siah-Chor Hooi Yee have one common wish for their former team-mates and current world No. 1 Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty. They want Eei Hui-Pei Tty to do better than them and create history at the world championships which will be held in Hyderabad, India, from Aug 10-16. Pek Siah and Hooi Yee believes that Super Series Masters Final champions Eei Hui-Pei Tty have what it takes to make a breakthrough. Eei Hui-Pei Tty have equalled the feat of Pek Siah and Hooi Yee by reaching the last eight three times at the world meets in United States (2005), Madrid (2006) and Kuala Lumpur (2007). Pek Siah and Hooi Yee were the first Malaysians to reach the women’s doubles quarter-finals in the world championships in Glasgow in 1997. They, however, left the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2003 to join KLRC Bhd. Now, they are on their own. The 30-year-old Pek Siah has been sparring with Eei Hui-Pei Tty for the last two weeks at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara. “I will be playing for a professional club in Japan (Tricky Panda) in September in Osaka. I have the permission from Rexy (Mainaky) to spar with Eei Hui-Pei Tty,” said Pek Siah. “I am proud of their achievements so far. They have done well to raise the image of the women’s doubles. “I think, they have quite a good draw. And I hope that they will take advantage.” Seeded top for the first time, Eei Hui-Pei Tty are in the same half with fourth seeds Ha Jung-eun-Kim Min-jung of South Korea; fifth seeds Du Jing-Yu Yang of China; 11th seeds Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna of Ja­­pan and 13th seeds Nitya Krishin­da Maheswari-Greysia Polii of Indonesia. “They are expected to take on Du Jing-Yu Yang in the quarter-finals. They are not that good as they have not played for a while. But the pair from Japan could be tough,” said Pek Siah. The Malaysians may meet Miyuki-Satoko in the third round. Hooi Yee, who recently became the first women shuttler to open her own badminton shop – Hooi Yee Sport in Taman Maluri – also feels that Eei Hui-Pei Tty could get the monkey off their backs. “Eei Hui-Pei Tty were ranked as the third pair when Pek Siah and I were at the top. They certainly have come a long way,” said Hooi Yee. “It will be a proud moment for all the women’s doubles players if Eei Hui-Pei Tty can clear the quarter-finals for the first time. They have done well as a pair so far and I wish them the best of luck.” Eei Hui-Pei Tty, the 2008 Danish Open champions, are certainly working extra hard to make an impact in their fifth world meet. They will leave with the national team for Hyderabad on Friday. Courtesy of The Star

Mew Choo warns Zhou Mi she won’t be her ‘play thing’

Monday, 03 August 2009

By RAJES PAUL Hong Kong’s feared women’s singles shuttler Zhou Mi loves to toy with her opponents on court. But Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo does not plan to become one of Zhou Mi’s ‘play things’ in the World Championships, which will begin in Hyderabad, India, from Aug 10-16. Miss no-nonsense: Wong Mew Choo is focused on the World Championships. Barring any major upsets or injuries, Mew Choo is expected take on the world No. 1 and top seed Zhou Mi in the women’s singles third round of the world meet. Mew Choo will face American Shannon Pohl in the opening round and probably Japan’s Ai Goto in the second round. Having lost twice to Zhou Mi, the 26-year-old Mew Choo admits that it would be a tall order for any player coming up against China’s former top national star. “Her skills are amazing. She likes to toy with her opponents and break their rhythm of play,” said Mew Choo. “In one of the tournaments, she took a 14-0 lead against me. It almost broke my resolve. “Many do not like to play against her. She can retrieve any kinds of shots. She may be much older than most of the players but she certainly can make life difficult for us.” Mew Choo’s only hope is to go all out against Zhou Mi if their paths cross in India. “I will not take my early round matches easy. I may face Ai Goto in the second round. I have not played against her but the Japanese are runners and I will be wary of her,” she said. “It will be great if I can set up a meeting with Zhou Mi. The odds are against me but it does not matter whether I win or lose ... the most important thing is to fight all out.” The others in the same draw with the 30-year-old Zhou Mi and Mew Choo are China’s Xie Xingfang and Wang Yihan. In the lower half of the draw with Wang Lin of China is compatriot Lu Lan, Hong Kong’s Wang Chen and Yip Pui Yin, Denmark’s Tine Rasmussen and India’s Saina Nehwal. The participation of Indonesian Open champion Saina, however, is in doubt after the former contracted chicken pox last week. Mew Choo said she hoped that her injuries would not derail her hopes of achieving another memorable outing in the world meet. At the world meet in Malaysia in 2007, Mew Choo stunned Xingfang to reach the quarter-finals. In the same year, she went on to beat several of China’s top guns to win the China Open. “I was quite confident with my game at one point and now I am re-building myself to become a better player. “I am glad that my injuries (both knees) are under control,” she said. Courtesy of The Star

Hafiz puts up good show before losing

Friday, 31 July 2009

The focus was on the World Championships-bound players but it was Mohd Hafiz Hashim who stole the limelight – well in the first game at least – of the men’s singles final in the badminton competition of the Mini Olympic Games at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara yesterday. Although Hafiz eventually went down 17-21, 10-21 to world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, the former All-England champion showed great determination with his improved attacking play. Both shuttlers entertained the crowd with some their brilliant shots, exchanging the lead right up to 14-14 before Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist Chong Wei pressed on to take the first game. Hafiz ran out of steam in the second game, allowing the speedy Chong Wei to seal an easy win. Chong Wei was full of praise for Hafiz and hoped that the latter’s fighting display was an indication of his seriousness in making a comeback. “Hafiz showed improvement in his game. In fact, I was surprised by his attacking game from the start. Usually, he takes time to get into the game,” said Chong Wei. Obviously, there has been a change in Hafiz’s approach to the game since training under former world champion Hendrawan of Indonesia from July 2. Hafiz, who is being given a second chance by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to revive his flagging career, has been put through a strenuous physical training programme by Hendrawan. On his preparation for the world meet in Hyderabad, India, from Aug 10-16, Chong Wei said that it was systems go. “The next few days are crucial. My main concern right now is to stay injury-free during training,” he said. National women’s doubles shuttler Wong Pei Tty was the biggest winner yesterday – emerging champion in the mixed doubles with Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and women’s doubles with Chin Eei Hui. Courtesy of The Star

Fairuzizuan and Zakry hit rocky patch in their partnership

Friday, 31 July 2009

By RAJES PAUL Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif’s partnership has hit a rocky patch. And it is threatening to derail their hopes of winning the men’s doubles title at next month’s World Championships, which is less than 10 days away. Mixed fortune: Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Wong Pei Tty in action en route to the mixed doubles title. Pei Tty later paired up with Chin Eei Hui to win the women’s doubles gold medal in the Mini Olympic Games at the Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara yesterday. And the duo are set to hold clear-the-air talks with national doubles coach Rexy Mainaky either today or tomorrow to settle their differences ahead of the world meet, which will be held in Hyderabad from Aug 10-16. It was evident that something was wrong with their two-year partnership when they went down tamely – 18-21, 14-21 – to back-up shuttlers Goh Wei Shem-Vountus Indra Mawan in the quarter-finals of the Mini Olympic Games at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara on Wednesday. They did not complement each other and there was no semblance of understanding in their game at all in that defeat. In fact, the pair have been struggling to regain their form since their good showing in the semi-final tie against China in the Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta last year. This year, their best results in the Super Series events have been quarter-finals finishes at the All-England and Indonesian Open. Fairuzizuan admitted that his partnership with Zakry had hit a rocky patch. But he is determined to stick with Zakry until the day he calls it quits. “We are not as compatible as before. We do not seem to have the same understanding when we are on court. Both of us are at a loss as to what has gone wrong (with our game),” said Fairuzizuan yesterday. “Sometimes I play my own game and Zakry his own. And sometimes we complement each other so well. “Zakry was injured for a while (early this year). He is an explosive player and does most of the attacking. But, due to injury, he has slowed down. I am a setter and I found it difficult to go on the attack. “I think this has affected our performances as a pair this year. But Zakry and I have come a long way and we are determined to work things out.” Fairuzizuan hopes that things would change for the better once he and Zakry discuss their problems with Rexy. “I want this partnership with Zakry to work. I have no plans to go separate ways after the world meet. I want to play with Zakry until I retire,” said Fairuzizuan. “I want to put this behind us and work towards doing well in the world meet.” The eighth-seeded Fairuzizuan-Zakry are in the same half with top seeds and defending champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the world meet. Barring an upset, the duo are likely to face Markis-Hendra in the quarter-finals. “Zakry and I have practically crashed out in the quarter-finals of most of the tournaments this year. We hope that we will be able to make a breakthrough in this world meet,” said Fairuzizuan. Besides Fairuzizuan-Zakry, Malaysia’s three other Hyderabad-bound pairs are second seeds Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng. Courtesy of The Star

A great Wei to escape from distractions

Thursday, 30 July 2009

A 10-day distraction-free training stint in South Korea has put world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei in the right frame of mind for the World Championships, which will be held in Hyderabad, India, from Aug 10-16. He also managed to get two things done while in Seoul – get tips from his former coach Li Mao and consult his former physician Zhou Wen Wu about his back injury. Chong Wei said that he also sparred with South Korea’s top singles shuttler Park Sung-hwan and compatriot Chan Kwong Beng. “I am happy that my coach (Misbun Sidek) took me to South Korea. It is not that I do not enjoy training here but I just wanted some time to relax my mind,” said Chong Wei. “You will not believe this but my handphone was silent most of the time. There were no major activities and I did not have to entertain many requests for meals and drinks. It was simply all about badminton.” He was also full of praise for the hospitality of the Koreans. “I was treated as one of them there. The coaches – Misbun and Li Mao – have a good relationship. It was also good to be exposed to the Korean way of training. “Now I understand their culture better,” he said. China-born orthopaedic Wen Wu was with the National Sports Council (NSC) when he treated Chong Wei two years ago. He is now a doctor with the South Korean team. “It was good to catch up with Dr Zhou. “He had a look at my back injury (which Chong Wei picked up during the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold in Johor Baru last month). I am almost 90% better now,” he said. Chong Wei also refuted claims that he undermined Misbun’s credibility as a coach with his request to train in South Korea. “I’ve always had confidence in my coach. Misbun has always been an important figure in my career and he will always be. If not, he would not even have followed me to Seoul,” he said. “Overall, the trip to Seoul has been beneficial in my preparation for the world meet.” A day after arriving from Seoul, he competed in the Mini Olympic Games at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara yesterday and reached the final without any problems yesterday. He beat former internationals Mohd Roslin Hashim and Sairul Amar Ayob to set up a meeting with Mohd Hafiz Hashim in the final. Hafiz, who is currently training under Indonesian Hendrawan, showed more urgency in his wins over Kuan Beng Hong (quarter-finals) and Wong Choong Hann (semi-final) yesterday. Courtesy of The Star

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Hi guys,I hope that I can help u guys to know more about our Malaysian badminton player through this blog.I will try my best to post everthing about our players everday.Remember! I will be fair!!!Although some of our players like Kuan Beng Hong,Chan Kwong Beng,Chong Wei Feng,Tan Chun Seang,Lim Yin Loo etc are not as popular as Lee Chong Wei,Wong Mew Choo,Koo K.k Tan Boon Heong,Chin Eei Hui etc.....but I will still post about their things(If I got their news) Hope u guys like dis blog!!Support me!!!