Malaysia Boleh!!!

訂下雙冠目標‧妙珠盼2010會更好

2010-01-05T19:53:00.003+08:00

（吉隆坡）走過經歷了傷病困擾的2009年，大馬羽球女單一姐黃妙珠在展望2010年時，期望自己能夠找回打球的快樂與贏球的喜悅。

對於新的一年新的開始，妙珠首先希望能遠離傷勢，健健康康地打比賽。

希望遠離傷病

去年，備受膝蓋舊患干擾的妙珠，在各項賽事提早出局，並且遭遇跌出世界排名前20位的低潮期，她希望今年可以不再受傷病困擾。

她說：“我對去年的經歷確實感到失望，我對自己的表現也不滿意，可能我那時經常擔憂膝蓋的傷勢，但現在的情況好多了。”

“雖然我現在還被迫顧及它，但我膝蓋的支撐能力已越來越好，因此，我要求自己在今年能夠取得更好的成績。”

雖然妙珠在2009年初表現下滑，但她在年尾的幾項賽事回勇，取得不俗成績，其中最值得銘記的，就是帶領大馬女子羽球隊奪得彌足珍貴的寮國永珍東運會女團金牌。

妙珠是在去年10月份的中國羽球公開賽開始恢復狀態，她在次圈讓人吃驚地將世界排名第一的中國好手王儀涵斬下馬，創造最大冷門成績；妙珠隨後又在年終超級系列總決賽臨時替補參賽，並一舉奪得冠軍，終於收獲了2009年的首個冠軍。

妙珠說：“我要在今年表現得比2009年更好，我很幸運地在去年最後階段奪得一個冠軍，今年，我希望至少贏得兩個冠軍。

“今年的賽程非常頻密，我們將非常忙碌，除了超級系列賽，還有多項大賽如世錦賽、共運會與亞運會，我希望有更好的表現，超越我此前的成績。”

星洲日報／體育‧2010.01.04

oh yeah!!!keep going mew choo!!!we are proud of u!!
2010,a new start,
wish all the best to mew choo and also mas badminton!!!
MALAYSIABOLEH!!

分手后李宗伟首度开口谈感情 09年留下三大遗憾

2010-01-05T19:46:00.001+08:00

搜狐体育讯下文为马来西亚媒体《星洲日报》对目前世界排名第一李宗伟的专访：

　　2009三大遗憾

　　挥别2009，迎来2010，在迎新送旧的当儿，也是大马体坛红人的李宗伟为自己去年的表现自评80分的同时，也希望新的一年是个十全十美的赛季，一切圆圆满满，不再留下遗憾。

　　尽管以7座冠军告别了2009年，这是李宗伟职业生涯至今收获最丰的一个赛季，但他回首过去的一年，心头仍有三大遗憾。

　　2010盼破大赛冠军荒

　　展望2010年，面对比赛任务更为繁重的一年，李宗伟许下了新年愿望，希望能夺下过去未曾收揽账下的冠军，并希望可实现参与中国联赛的目标。

　　他说：“有句话说十全十美，我希望2010年的到来，可让我迎向一个完美的赛季，也希望我的队友们同样有一个完美的赛季，我们一起努力，尤其是5月在吉隆坡举行的汤尤杯并肩奋战，取得所预期的目标。”

　　所谓一日之计在于晨，一年之计在于春，如今2010年伊始，李宗伟通过《星洲体育》为自己的2009年作了简短的总结，同时也列出了新年争冠大计，另外他无可避免的谈到了最大竞争对手林丹，亦少有地提起了自己的感情生活。

　　展望2010终极目标：争取大赛冠军

　　最艰巨的挑战：膝盖伤势，目前旧伤还未完全痊癒，我自去年底的超级赛总决赛之后就争取时间养伤，同时也在这段期间为新赛季做准备，希望新的一年不要再受到伤势纠缠，让我能发挥出自己的极限。

　　最想拿下的冠军：过去没有夺下的冠军，新的一年我都想尝试去争取，2010年比赛很多，全英赛、汤杯、亚运会、共运会（2006年夺取团体与男单双冠）、世锦赛我都会尽力去冲冠，希望今年能够有所突破。

　　最想打败的对手：我当然想打败所有对手，最想打败的还是他吧，林丹，他同样也想击败我。

　　谈中国联赛：希望今年加盟

　　李宗伟希望2009年底半途喊停的中国俱乐部职业联赛之旅，能在2010年成行。

　　李宗伟去年底在香港公开赛期间透露将加盟广州俱乐部，成为中国联赛身价最高的外援，一度引爆成为马中羽坛的热门话题。

　　不过，由于在去年12月中旬举行的中国联赛排名赛与寮国东运会撞期，在舆论压力下，李宗伟最终放弃飞往广州参赛，同时也在膝伤困扰下最后一分钟决定弃战东运会，留在吉隆坡养伤和备战新赛季。

　　盼与羽总达成协议

　　李宗伟表示，他希望新的一年能与大马羽总取得协议，以获准参加5月下旬展开的中国联赛，他认为这对他将是不错的体验。

　　“我希望可在不影响国家利益的前提下参加中国联赛，藉机与更多中国好手切磋，以赛代练，我在国家队缺少陪练是不争的事实。”

　　“我相信中国联赛在赛期的安排上不会与国际大赛撞期，因为中国的国家队主力们也将参加联赛，而他们也和我一样需要在国际赛期间为国效力。”

　　谈感情：目前处于空窗期

　　李宗伟首度开腔谈感情，他称自己目前处于感情空窗期，但他现仍专注于羽球事业，因此新的一年并不急于改变现状。

　　将于今年10月满28岁的李宗伟，去年底中国公开赛期间被爆与队友黄妙珠已结束长达11年的恋人关係，恢复单身。

　　李宗伟与黄妙珠过去曾是大马羽坛的金童玉女，和中国羽坛神鵰侠侣林丹与谢杏芳一样成为佳话，如今两人分手，他们的感情新动向也受球迷所关注。

2010-01-04T14:47:00.001+08:00

Eh-Hem

2010-01-04T14:46:00.001+08:00

hey readers,anyone of you met before badminton player at outside????

If yes,pls share with us in the shoutbox,thanks!

Happy new Year 2010

2010-01-01T14:31:00.002+08:00

Sorry guys,I've abandoned this blog for a few months... It’s just that I can’t find a spare time to update you guys .Hope you guys understand...

Anyway...i will try my best to give the latest news of our malaysia badminton team to u all!!

Wishes u guys all the best in this brand new year,2010,yea!!

okay,well...these are the latest news that i wanna share v u!

Chong Wei gets chance to start year on a high note

A favourable draw coupled with the absence of Olympic and world champion Lin Dan from the Korean Open has put Lee Chong Wei in a good position to secure a great start to the year.

The season-opening Super Series championships from Jan 12-17 in Seoul marks the return of the world No. 1 to competition after pulling out of the Laos SEA Games last month because of a knee injury.

For Lin Dan, he will make his first appearance for the year in the Malaysian Open, which will be held the week after the Korean Open.

However, China will still have a strong singles cast in the Korean Open with Chen Jin, Bao Chunlai and Chen Long in the fray.

Chong Wei: The world No. 1 will open his Korean Open campaign against Andrew Smith of England

Chong Wei is in the same half of the draw as third seed Chen Jin and he starts his campaign in Seoul against Andrew Smith of England. In the same quarter are Marc Zwiebler of Germany and Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand.

The other half of the draw has Chunlai, Chen Long, South Korean Park Sung-hwan and top Dane Peter-Gade Christensen.

It was Christensen who denied Chong Wei his first Korean Open title last year.

Chong Wei bagged a total of six titles last year, including a successful defence of the Super Series Masters Finals in Johor Baru last month and singles chief coach Rashid Sidek hopes the shuttler can continue from where he left off.

“It has not been easy for any player to achieve what he did last year even though he missed the major titles, including the world championship,” he said.

“Even in the absence of Lin Dan, the pressure is still on him as everyone is out to beat the world No. 1. Chong Wei had ample time to recover and should be ready for the challenges.”

Rashid also hoped that the back-up shuttlers would be able to make the most of the opportunities given to them.

Besides Chong Wei, Kuan Beng Hong and Chong Wei Feng are also in the main draw but they are staring at early exits.

Wei Feng has a first-round match against Christensen while Beng Hong meets a qualifier, who is likely to be Liew Daren, and has Sung-hwan in his path in the second round.

Tan Chun Seang and Mohd Arif Abdul Latif are likely to slug it out for a place in the main draw.

Super Series Masters Finals winner Wong Mew Choo is the only Malaysian in the women’s singles competition and she has a tough opening match against second seed Zhou Mi of Hong Kong. In the same half of the draw are upcoming Chinese talent Wang Shixian and world champion Lu Lan.

Malaysia are not represented in the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles events.

Courtesy of The Star

The Latest World Ranking:

BWF WORLD RANKING DATE: 31 DECEMBER 2009 MENS SINGLES Ranking BWF ID Lastname Firstname Gender Country Points Tour 1 50152 LEE Chong Wei M MAS 81771.06 15 2 50906 LIN Dan M CHN 71344.58 8 3 10337 HIDAYAT Taufik M INA 65060 12 4 6926 GADE Peter Hoeg M DEN 63455.18 12 5 51592 CHEN Jin M CHN 62260 10 6 51599 SANTOSO Simon M INA 56480.04 13 7 50427 DWI KUNCORO Sony M INA 55212.04 11 8 51274 Bao Chunlai M CHN 53500 11 9 51324 PARK Sung Hwan M KOR 52926.67 11 10 54431 Jorgensen Jan O M DEN 52307.81 17 11 14107 NGUYEN Tien Minh M VIE 50310 13 12 75787 CHEN Long M CHN 49620 12 13 11959 PONSANA Boonsak M THA 47391.75 14 14 4240 WONG Choong Hann M MAS 43650 18 15 51306 CHAN Yan Kit M HKG 42262.6 18 16 11691 ANAND Chetan M IND 41169 20 17 15751 HSIEH Yu Hsin M TPE 40330 14 18 51053 PERSSON Joachim M DEN 38050.49 11 19 14869 HU Yun M HKG 37930 13 20 6967 PALYAMA Dicky M NED 37806.64 15 21 63707 TAGO Kenichi M JPN 37461.6 14 22 50858 Zwiebler Marc M GER 37208.45 16 23 12370 HASHIM Muhammad Hafiz M MAS 36900 11 24 51613 Ouseph Rajiv M ENG 34383.33 18 25 8396 WACHA Przemyslaw M POL 34040.6 15 26 50905 SASAKI Sho M JPN 32707.37 14 27 10319 Pang Eric M NED 32640.06 16 28 52738 TEDJONO Andre Kurniawan M INA 32250 11 29 14078 SMITH Andrew M ENG 31937.22 21 30 66990 Rumbaka Dyonisius Hayom M INA 31560 10 31 15319 BHAT Arvind M IND 30731.51 20 32 55380 DU Pengyu M CHN 30040 9 33 53944 KASHYAP P M IND 29910 17 34 52968 Leverdez Brice M FRA 28861.11 18 35 53753 Vittinghus Hans-Kristian M DEN 28580 13 36 54513 SAENSOMBOONSUK Tanongsak M THA 28150 17 37 51310 SRIDHAR Anup M IND 27960 17 38 9662 NG Wei M HKG 27870 13 39 53119 Baxter Carl M ENG 27330 18 40 15453 Lang Ville M FIN 27232.62 15 41 15172 Mikkelsen Peter M DEN 26560 12 42 54346 SHON Wan Ho M KOR 25910 10 43 53825 Thomsen Christian Lind M DEN 25380 19 44 51598 PAWAR Anand M IND 24290 16 45 53011 Lo Ying Ping Matthieu M FRA 23765.75 19 46 54897 CORDON Kevin M GUA 23710 12 47 52030 CHONG Wei Feng M MAS 23550 11 48 52983 HSUEH Hsuan Yi M TPE 23360.72 12 49 9166 LEE Tsuen Seng M MAS 23250 10 50 51531 Must Raul M EST 23107.84 13

BWF WORLD RANKING DATE: 31 DECEMBER 2009 WOMENS SINGLES Ranking BWF ID Lastname Firstname Gender Country Points Tour 1 53938 Wang Yihan F CHN 76831.43 15 2 53937 Lin Wang F CHN 65472.2 13 3 10358 RASMUSSEN Tine F DEN 64068.7785 11 4 9699 PI Hongyan F FRA 63792.32 17 5 7821 ZHOU Mi F HKG 60812.16 14 6 14874 Yanjiao Jiang F CHN 59540 10 7 53057 Lan Lu F CHN 57490 10 8 52748 NEHWAL Saina F IND 55444.43 17 9 13475 Schenk Juliane F GER 45322.0345 17 10 51520 Wang Xin F CHN 45240 7 11 5882 WANG Chen F HKG 44127.2 11 12 83064 WANG Shixian F CHN 41600 8 13 5564 YAO Jie F NED 41525.313 13 14 50728 PONSANA Salakjit F THA 41495.11 14 15 12765 NEDELCHEVA Petya F BUL 41428.3138 19 16 14710 FIRDASARI Adrianti F INA 39657.23 13 17 51649 YIP Pui Yin F HKG 39451.82 18 18 50254 Xingfang Xie F CHN 39010 6 19 15409 HWANG Hye Youn F KOR 35131.35 10 20 11769 WONG Mew Choo F MAS 34626.23 12 21 53806 ZHANG Beiwen F SIN 34500 15 22 6115 Diehl Ella F RUS 34071.0502 14 23 77317 SATO Sayaka F JPN 33888.06 14 24 51396 BAE Seung Hee F KOR 33340 12 25 6964 Meulendijks Judith F NED 33120.48 15 26 54531 GOTO Ai F JPN 32640 15 27 66974 Kusumastuti Maria Febe F INA 32310 9 28 15417 HIROSE Eriko F JPN 31820 9 29 54357 KIM Moon Hi F KOR 31340 13 30 51281 Zhu Lin F CHN 29210 8 31 52103 CHEAH Lydia Li Ya F MAS 28490 12 32 12818 EGELSTAFF Susan F SCO 28468.38 13 33 54532 TARUNO Megumi F JPN 28120 14 34 51368 Griga Larisa F UKR 27928.3866 15 35 15712 WONG Julia Pei Xian F MAS 27840.94 7

BWF WORLD RANKING DATE: 24 DECEMBER 2009 MENS DOUBLES Ranking P1MemberID P1Lastname P1Firstname P1Gender P1Country P2MemberID P2Lastname P2Firstname P2Gender P2Country Points TOUR 1 14288 KOO Kien Keat M MAS 52703 TAN Boon Heong M MAS 74779.26 14 2 53426 JUNG Jae Sung M KOR 52774 LEE Yong Dae M KOR 69077.47 9 3 50420 KIDO Markis M INA 51074 SETIAWAN Hendra M INA 68888.79 11 4 50292 BOE Mathias M DEN 51304 MOGENSEN Carsten M DEN 65393.42 11 5 11354 CHANDRA Alvent Yulianto M INA 11401 GUNAWAN Hendra Aprida M INA 55230 16 6 7575 PAASKE Lars M DEN 9578 RASMUSSEN Jonas M DEN 51289.51 11 7 50251 CAI Yun M CHN 51729 FU Haifeng M CHN 51263.66 6 8 7759 CHOONG Tan Fook M MAS 7760 LEE Wan Wah M MAS 48570 13 9 14607 Guo Zhendong M CHN 51620 Xu Chen M CHN 48100 11 10 9819 CLARK Anthony M ENG 7572 ROBERTSON Nathan M ENG 44898.93 10 11 53613 CHEN Hung Ling M TPE 53614 LIN Yu Lang M TPE 43121.2 14 12 6783 Bach Howard M USA 3181 Gunawan Tony M USA 42674.6 10 13 12356 GAN Teik Chai M MAS 50714 TAN Bin Shen M MAS 42180 15 14 52749 AHSAN Muhammad M INA 52742 SEPTANO Bona M INA 41755 13 15 13137 ABDUL LATIF Mohd Zakry M MAS 50147 MOHD TAZARI Mohd Fairuzizuan M MAS 40450 9

黄妙珠情场球场两失意亲口证实已与李宗伟分手

2009-09-16T17:12:00.000+08:00

　　新浪体育讯　“是的，我跟李宗伟是分手了！”接近采访的尾声，还是有人将这个“残忍”的问题抛给了黄妙珠。在刚刚结束的2009年中国羽毛球大师赛上，她以17-21、13-21负于中国选手蒋燕皎，而球场失意的她也坦率承认自己已和相恋九年的男友李宗伟正式分手。

　　黑色的绷带牢牢缠绕在黄妙珠的右膝，自从2007年中国公开赛上连克五名中国选手问鼎女单冠军之后，她便陷入了与伤病的痛苦角力之中。

　　从2007年以来一直比较低沉，最好的成绩也不过是四强。“因为我的伤，影响到我的训练也不系统、步伐不到位、出球的质量也不高。到现在我的脚稍微好一些了，但由于老是输球，太久没有胜了，自信已经没有了，现在就是要慢慢找回那种信心，把自己好的东西找出来。”在首轮与东道主选手蒋燕皎的对决中，黄妙珠以0-2败下阵来。

　　她耐心分析了输球的关键所在，“多拍的时候精力下降了，自己也比较着急，不耐心；人有点累的时候她突然打快球，我一时反应不过来，就很容易失分了。比起前段时间，我的状况慢慢回来了，虽然这场输了但自己的水平还是打出来了，只是不耐球，回去让自己的能力再慢慢训练回来。”

　　尽管从其他渠道已经得知了马来西亚“情侣档”分道扬镳的消息，但大家都未从当事人口中得到相关的证实。在错过了李宗伟的采访之后，有记者抓住了最后的机会。“是的，我跟李宗伟是分手了！那时候还没有只是有点矛盾，现在是确实分手了。”向来对媒体有问必答的黄妙珠，这次也没有逃避，只是淡淡的忧伤依旧隐藏在她的神情之中她客气地回答道，“还好啦，都已经过去了……”说完了这句，黄妙珠仿佛陷入了对往事的回忆默默地拾起地上的球包，转身离去。

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Who can helps them to back together...

2009-09-16T14:25:00.001+08:00

李宗伟黄妙珠结束9年恋情同场练球再见亦朋友

2009-09-16T14:15:00.000+08:00

一个网前救球失败，球打飞滚到了球网外侧。两人同时跨步向前，抬头相视一眼，黄妙珠停住了脚步而李宗伟弯腰拾起了球。如果是在从前这一幕颇有些“郎情妾意”的默契，但如今已经确定分手的他们只留给了大家对其劳燕分飞的唏嘘不已。

作为马来西亚男女单打的头号选手，李宗伟和黄妙珠的恋情一直被广大球迷们津津乐道。“那时两人都还小，我17岁，她16岁了，因为都在国家队训练，每天都能见面，就这样认识了。”尽管两人最初的恋情并不被黄妙珠家人看好，最终仍顺利得到了祝福并在2007年时正式公布了恋爱关系。在2008年雅加达举办的汤尤杯期间，黄妙珠的父母还首次出国为女儿和李宗伟现场加油。

“将来的事情谁也不知道，年轻人变化很大的。以前他们还在学校时，她的姐姐告诉我他们在交往的事情，那时我是不同意的，因为那时两人都很小，应该专心读书。现在他们都大了，经常在外比赛，两个人在一起能互相照顾，也挺好的。”当时黄妙珠父亲接受笔者采访时曾经如是回忆道，没想到一年之后不幸言中了两人的“情变”。

尽管已经不再是情侣关系，但两人还需要一同出征各地的比赛。在今天下午的训练课上，两人更是同场进行训练。首先是李宗伟“以一敌二”面对教练米斯本和黄妙珠的挑战，中场短暂的休息后黄妙珠则与李宗伟更换了位置。

与李宗伟时而为某个好球大喝一声或者为判断失误而做怪表情不同，黄妙珠始终绷着一张脸，神情木然，更是难得见到一丝笑容。结束了一个多小时的训练，李宗伟和黄妙珠分坐地板两端进行着放松，全程没有任何交流。心理医生、物理治疗师、按摩师、技术分析师、赞助商和教练将李宗伟团团围住，黄妙珠则一人安静地拆着右膝的绑带。

“一会你们要采访宗伟吧”，倒是黄妙珠主动向笔者问候，相恋九年来的亲切称呼一时还难以改口。“(今年的世锦赛他输得挺可惜的。)没关系啦，过去了就往前看好了。”一丝礼貌性的笑容在她的嘴角浮现。“你们就不要再往她伤口上撒盐了。”一位向笔者证实两人分手消息的知情人这样说道。确实，现在的黄妙珠需要的是时间来慢慢抚平伤痛、走出情殇。

OMG!!!!!!!!!Is that real????????????I dun wan they break up!!!!

Choong Hann Knocked Out In Final

2009-08-31T12:32:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Wong Choong Hann had to be contented with runner-up position when he lost to Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh in the men's singles final of the Taiwan Open badminton championship here Sunday.

According to the tournament's website, Choong Hann lost to Tien Minh in straight sets of 11-21 and 14-21.

Yesterday, the 32-year-old Malaysian had succeeded in knocking out Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat in 21-18 and 21-16 in the semifinal.

Last week, Choong Hann also had to play bridesmaid when he lost to compatriot Datuk Lee Chong Wei in 21-15, 21-19 in the Macau Open final.

The last time Choon Hann won the Taiwan Open was in 2003 when he beat Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final.

The mixed doubles title was won by Indian pair Valiyaveetil Diju/ Jwala Gutta after they defeated Indonesian pair Hendra Aprida Gunawan/ Vita Marissa in 23-21, 21-18 in the final.

The hosts bagged two titles -- women's singles and mens doubles.

In the women's singles, Shao Chieh Cheng defeated Seung Hee Bae of South Korea in 17-21, 21-12, 21-15 while their men's pair of Hong Ling Chen/Yu Lang Lin defeated Hong Kong pair Yohan Hadikusumo Wiramata/Wai Hong Wong in 14-21, 21-12, 21-19.

China only took the women's doubles title when their world 17th ranked pair Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen defeated the Indonesian-United States combination pair of Vita Marissa/Mona Santosa in 21-14, 21-9.

-- BERNAMA

No future being in comfort zone

2009-08-27T10:26:00.001+08:00

2009/08/25

K.M. Boopathy

LEE Chong Wei and top doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong were back to winning ways in the Macau Open but in all honesty, it's nothing much to shout about.

Malaysian fans are used to seeing the national players achieve success on a regular basis in Super Series and grand prix events, so Macau was not that exciting.

Although it is good that Chong Wei, the World No 1, and Kien Keat-Boon Heong proved that their recent failure in the World Championships in Hyderabad didn't have a psychological effect on them, it also shows that they can perform when the pressure is off as most of the big guns were missing in Macau. This mentality will probably ensure they remain in their comfort zones and fail to meet the high expectations and the mental test one encounters in the Olympics or World Championships.

It looks impressive to see Chong Wei winning his fifth international crown in eight months but a major title is still missing from his resume.

And winning the Macau Open could have a reverse effect on Chong Wei as he may not want to come out of his comfort zone and this could stop him from achieving his true potential the bigger tournaments like next year's World Championships in Paris and beyond.

Where Kien Keat-Boon Heong are concerned, each an every one of their success only underlines the fact that they have been a wasted talent thus far and they too should start shooting for bigger titles.

While Chong Wei on his day can beat the best, the performances of Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong, and the elite back-up shuttlers have been found wanting yet again. They have been with the national squad for more than three years and are still struggling to make a breakthrough, some have even lost to China's junior players like Wang Zhengming and Gao Huan and this is a major cause for concern.

While recently hired Indonesian coach Hendrawan is known for turning average players into quality internationals, after being with the elite back-up shuttlers for a month, he knows he has his work cut out for him.

Hendrawan has to turn their fortunes around fast or start looking to younger talents like Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Zulfadli Zulkifli, Syawal Ismail and Misbun Ramdan Misbun instead of putting too much hope on the stagnant elite back-up shuttlers.

Players like Tan Chun Seang, Liew Daren, Chong Wei Feng and Arif Latif have had numerous chances over the last two years and if they continue to fail, should be phased out to make way for the younger players before they too fall into a rut.

Chance for Khim Wah-Peng Soon to establish their partnership

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000+08:00

Wednesday, 26 August 2009
By LIM TEIK HUAT

Attention will be on whether young Malaysian pair Lim Khim Wah-Chan Peng Soon can maintain the momentum of a fairy-tale run in the Thailand Open last month at the Taiwan Open beginning today.

In only their first appearance in a men’s doubles final of an Open tournament in Bangkok, Khim Wah-Peng Soon upset seasoned campaigners and top seeds Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah.

They defeated another former top Malaysian pair, Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng, in the quarter-finals and turned the tables on Malaysian Open runners-up Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan of Indonesia in the semi-finals.
Crucial test: The Taiwan Open will be Chan Peng Soon (left) and Lim Khim Wah’s second international tournament this year. — Bernama

The Taiwan Open is their second international outing for the year and Khim Wah-Peng Soon have another shot at proving why their partnership should be retained.

Ironically, they again have Chong Ming-Choon Eng and the third seeded Indonesian pair in their half of the draw.

Also in the same half are world championship runners-up and top seeded Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung of South Korea. And national doubles coach Pang Cheh Chang said that he would consider it an impressive outing if Khim Wah-Peng Soon could make it to the semi-finals.

“They won a Grand Prix title in their first appearance in a final but we should not read too much into that. Their consistency and mental composure are not as steady as our more established pairs, among them Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boong Heong,” he said before leaving with the players for Taiwan on Monday.

“They play without any pressure in the men’s doubles as they also have roles to play in the mixed doubles. Their partnership is not permanent and we will evaluate them after a few tournaments. It will be great if they can have another good run ... we are not putting too much pressure on them.”

The other Malaysian doubles pairs in the fray are Ong Soon Hock-Hoon Thien How, Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen, Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong and second seeds Tan Fook-Wan Wah.

In the men’s singles, seniors Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong together with four back-up players Liew Daren, Tan Chun Seang, Chong Wei Feng and Arif Latif, who are under the charge of Indonesian Hendrawan, will be out to make amends for their disappointing outing in the Macau Open last week.

Hafiz is not expected to face any trouble in the first round where he meets a qualifier while the second round should also be easy as he is likely to play against Japan’s Koichi Saeki.

However, he is not expected to get past the third round in a probable match against second seed Park Sung-hwan of South Korea. Hafiz was also shown the exit at the same stage in Macau.

Beng Hong should clear the first two rounds but it will be tough for him in an expected third round match against Indonesian Andre Kurniawan Tedjono.

Wei Feng, who plays against a qualifier in the first round, is not expected to get past the second-round match against Sung-hwan.

Daren is expected to face a tough time today against Hong Ji-hoon of South Korea while Chun Seang has an uphill task to get past top seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia. Macau Open runner-up Wong Choong Hann, seeded sixth, will be gunning for another final appearance from the same half of the draw.

Courtesy of The Star

Wong Choong Hann still BOLEH!!!

2009-08-24T10:38:00.003+08:00

WCH
Hooo~~finally I defeated Chen Jin..
Tired Man

In my opinion,although WCH defeated by LCW in Macau Open...but I think WCH was doing much better than LCW...WCH keep on smashing...smash...smash...GOOD JOB!!!WCH.!!!!KAMU MASIH BOLEH....

WMC is soo pretty

Macau Open...

2009-08-24T10:25:00.003+08:00

click 2 enlarge

World No. 1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei won the men's singles title at the Macau Open when he beat compatriot, veteran shuttler Wong Choong Hann in the final of the championship today.

In the first set, Chong Wei won 21-15 before Choon Hann put up a stronger fight, but Chong Wei denied him victory by scoring 21-19 in a match that took 36 minutes.

With this victory, Chong Wei redeemed his loss to Athens Olympics 2004 champion Taufik Hidayat in last year's Macau Open final.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's No. 1 pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong won the men''s doubles title when they defeated fellow Malaysians Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah with scores of 21-14, 17-21, 21-12 in 34 minutes.

The women's doubles title went to China's Du Jing-Yu Yang who beat another Chinese pair of Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen 21-16, 21-11 in a match that took only 23 minutes.

China took the mixed doubles title when their pair He Hanbin-Yu Yang beat the Indonesian pair of Hendra Aprida Gunawan-Vita Marissa in 21-14, 21-9.

The women's singles title also went to China Wang Yihan who beat compatriot Jiang Yanjioa in scores of 16-21, 22-20, 21-12 in 59 minutes. - Bernama

FINAL!!!!!!

2009-08-23T15:03:00.001+08:00

RESULTS -- (all S-Finals) Men's Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-18, 22-20; Wong Choong Hann (Mas) bt Chen Jin (Chn) 21-13, 6-21, 21-11.

Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Chai Biao-Zhang Nan (Chn) 21-14, 21-16; Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) bt Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan (Ina) 21-13, 21-15.

Women's Singles: Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) bt Wang Chen (HK) 21-9, 21-14; Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Juliane Schenk (Ger) 23-21, 21-7.

Doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Zhang Dan-Zhang Zhibo (Chn) 21-10, 21-17; Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) bt Gao Ling-Wei Yili (Chn) 21-13, 21-18.

Mixed Doubles: He Hanbin-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Mikkel Delbo Larsen-Mie Schjott Kristensen (Den) 21-14, 21-10; Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) bt Chen Zhiben-Zhang Jinkang (Chn) 24-22, 17-21, 21-13

Wohoo........i'm quite surprised dat Wong Choong Hann defeated Chen Jin in Semifinal..Good LUCK!!!

Macau Open 2009

2009-08-23T14:55:00.002+08:00

Lee Chong Wei(He is soo cute babe)
Misbun giving some advices 2 LCW
Lee CW in action..
kkk&TBH
These are the photos of Macau Open 2009...Wish them good luck in FINAL...AZA AZA FIGHTING!!!

Side News

2009-08-23T13:19:00.004+08:00

the top 2 pictures is our player's signature,cool right??N I think Wong Mew Choo is quite beautiful....do u guys think so??

Malaysians dominate Macau

2009-08-23T13:19:00.001+08:00

Sunday, 23 August 2009

K.M. Boopathy

IF only this was the World Championships held in Hyderabad last week.

That could be the thought of the national shuttlers as the men's singles and men's doubles will feature all-Malaysia finals in the Macau Open today.

World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, who crashed out in the quarter-finals of the world meet in Hyderabad, was unruffled as he snatched a 21-18, 22-20 win over former Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the semi-final encounter which lasted 38 minutes.

Wong Choong Hann seems to have turned back the clock when he toppled a tired-looking Chen Jin of China, silver medallist in last week's World Championships, 21-13, 6-21, 21-11 in 40 minutes to set up a clash with Chong Wei.
Wong Choong Hann surprised Chen Jin.
Wong Choong Hann surprised Chen Jin.

It was revenge for Choong Hann who was given a thrashing by Chen Jin in the third round last week.

Men's doubles World No 2 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, who fell in the semi-finals in Hyderabad, secured an easy 21-14, 21-16 win over Chai Biao-Zhang Nan of China. They will meet compatriots Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in the final.

Tan Fook-Wan Wah, dumped in the first round in Hyderabad, defeated Indonesia's back-up pair Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan 21-13, 21-15.

National team manager Hau Kim Tho, in a telephone interview from Macau, said Chong Wei looked exhausted but the title should be in his bag today.

"Chong Wei should not have problems although the two weeks probably have taken a toll on him. Choong Hann will be boosted by the win but an upset doesn't look possible tomorrow (today)," said Kim Tho.

"Chen Jin really looked exhausted and it is good that Choong Hann took advantage. The good thing is that we have already confirmed both titles and the only surprise we can expect is in the men's doubles which can go either way."

Tan Fook-Wan Wah started the event by beating the United States' Tony Gunawan-Howard Bach who had sent the Malaysian pair packing in the World Championships.

They won the India Open but lost in the Thailand Open last month. Wan Wah is looking forward to taking the fight to Kien Keat-Boon Heong.

"This is our third final of the year and hopefully, we can go on to win the title. However, Kien Keat-Boon Heong are playing very well here and have secured their victories so far in straight games and it is going to be tough," said Wan Wah in a telephone interview from Macau.

"We played them in the final twice in 2007 where we won at the Asian Championships but lost in Macau. We will try to turn it around this time."

RESULTS -- (all S-Finals) Men's Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-18, 22-20; Wong Choong Hann (Mas) bt Chen Jin (Chn) 21-13, 6-21, 21-11.

Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Chai Biao-Zhang Nan (Chn) 21-14, 21-16; Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) bt Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan (Ina) 21-13, 21-15.

Women's Singles: Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) bt Wang Chen (HK) 21-9, 21-14; Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Juliane Schenk (Ger) 23-21, 21-7.

Doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Zhang Dan-Zhang Zhibo (Chn) 21-10, 21-17; Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) bt Gao Ling-Wei Yili (Chn) 21-13, 21-18.

Mixed Doubles: He Hanbin-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Mikkel Delbo Larsen-Mie Schjott Kristensen (Den) 21-14, 21-10; Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) bt Chen Zhiben-Zhang Jinkang (Chn) 24-22, 17-21, 21-13.

Courtesy of New Straits Times

Showdown in Macau again

2009-08-23T13:18:00.001+08:00

Saturday, 22 August 2009

K.M. Boopathy

WORLD No 1 Lee Chong Wei, hoping to make up for the disappointment of last week's World Championships in Hyderabad, has set up a semi-final showdown with former Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the Macau Open.

Chong Wei, who fell in the quarter-finals in Hyderabad, faced no problems against India's Chetan Anand yesterday and secured a 21-10, 21-14 win in 26 minutes.

Taufik, whp had an easy 21-16, 21-14 win over Hsieh Yu Hsing of Taiwan in 31 minutes, will not lack confidence against Chong Wei, having beaten the Malaysian in the final last year.

Veteran Wong Choong Hann also put a forgettable World Championships campaign behind him by beating Arvind Bhat of India 21-19, 18-21, 21-6 in 52 minutes to enter the last four.
Lee Chong Wei (left) and Taufik Hidayat will meet in the semi-final of the Macau Open.
Lee Chong Wei (left) and Taufik Hidayat will meet in the semi-final of the Macau Open.

Choong Hann will set up a rematch today against second seed Chen Jin of China, whom the Malaysian lost to in the third round of the World Championships last week.

Chen Jin defeated Hu Yun of Hong Kong 21-10, 21-19 in a quarter-final match.

Men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, the World No 2, closed in on their fourth title of the year when they reached the semi-finals with a 21-13, 21-14 win over Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan of China in 23 minutes.

They will next meet another pair from China Chai Biao-Zhang Nan, who toppled Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng 19-21, 21-16, 21-17 in 53 minutes.

Veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah also continued their fine run by beating Hwang Ji Man-Kim Ki Jung of South Korea 21-15, 21-13 and will play Indonesia's Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan, who beat Sun Junjie-Tao Jiaming of China 21-19, 21-16 for a place in the final.

Razif Latif-Woon Khe Wei crashed out in the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles when they were beaten 21-12, 20-22, 21-15 in 44 minutes by Indonesians Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa.

Q-FINAL RESULTS -- (Malaysia unless stated) Men's Singles: Lee Chong Wei bt Chetan Anand (Ind) 21-10, 21-14; Taufik Hidayat (Ina) bt Hsieh Yu Hsing (Tai) 21-16, 21-14; Wong Choong Hann bt Arvind Bhat (Ind) 21-19 18-21 21-6; Chen Jin (Chn) bt Hu Yun (HK) 21-10, 21-19.

Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong bt Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan (Chn) 21-13, 21-14; Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah bt Hwang Ji Man-Kim Ki Jung (Kor) 21-15, 21-13; Chai Biao-Zhang Nan (Chn) bt Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng 19-21, 21-16, 21-17.

Women's Singles: Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Yip Pui Yin (HK) 12-21, 21-8, 21-17; Juliane Schenk (Ger) bt Sung Ji Hyun (Kor) 21-18, 21-5.

Doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Helle Nielsen-Marie Ropke (Den) 21-13, 21-7.

Mixed Doubles: Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) bt Razif Latif-Woon Khe Wei 21-12, 20-22, 21-15.

Courtesy of New Straits Times

Julia Wong's injury

2009-08-22T10:42:00.004+08:00

Still remember our women's single player-Julia Wong???Due 2 her leg injury,she could not participate any tournament for this year.Oh ya,she injured her knee when playing in Sudirman Cup..Sigh~~Hope she get well soon.Let's give her fully support!!!Julia Wong boleh!!!Malaysia Boleh!!

A Conversation with the Champion

2009-08-21T15:18:00.002+08:00

Part 1

The first name that pops into any Malaysian mind at the very mention of badminton is surely Lee Chong Wei. It's not surprising though, since he is the current World Number 1 singles player.

But how does the young 26 year old feel about the other title that he's recently picked up? "It's truly an honour to be
given the title 'Datuk' after my efforts at the Olympics. Though it still feels weird to hear myself being called that, I am getting used to it somehow," he quoted at an exclusive Maxis luncheon in La Bodega, Bangsar.

The luncheon, which preceded a private photoshoot with his coach Misbun Sidek, served as a casual 'chit chat' session with the young 'Datuk'. Relaxed in his sporty 'chill-out' attire, Chong Wei coolly chatted about his passions and his pursuits for the future.
What drives him forward?

Illustrious titles aside, Lee Chong Wei hasn’t had enough. The passion to keep going is what motivates him to strive forward. "What drives me is my constant need to reward myself. For example, before going to the Olympics I set myself
a goal of buying a house. By setting these goals, I will push myself harder to achieve a win. It’s hard work, but this attitude has taken me far."

His coach Datuk Misbun Sidek also plays a big part in keeping him motivated. An ex badminton champion himself, Misbun is well aware of what it takes to keep the positive energy flowing through a player."He always motivates and encourages me. He is my mentor, as well as a friend. I’ll always ask for his advice on what I need to achieve next."

His role models…

When asked who his badminton role model is, one name came to his mind - Ong Ewe Hock. "Watching him and the others player on the courts, was truly a humbling experience. It was because of them, that I made up my mind to train harder."

Chong Wei also finds inspiration in sports giants such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. "I constantly study their games and the way they handle their success. Their positive attitude and patience is inspiring to me."
Is it all about winning?

With a winning attitude and the lust
to learn and gain knowledge, it's no
doubt that Lee Chong Wei will rise
to the top no matter what profession
he's in. But is 'success' all that
matters to him? "I'll definitely feel
happy whenever I win game, and
upset when I lose. But it's always important to remember that the two will always come hand-in-hand. Sometimes winning isn't everything and we just need to let it go."

How did you feel after the Olympic Games?

The Olympic win for Chong Wei was one that made Malaysia truly proud. Winning Silver was a great achievement for the country, but how did the shuttler take the pressure? "The Olympic games was one of the most important ones in my life. I couldn't sleep the nights before every game. All I could think about was how to perform my best. I didn't want to disappoint the people back home. I was very happy that all I got was encouragement when I got back. This made my win more meaningful to me."

2009 resolution and wishes…

Satisfied with his wins so far and learning from his defeats, Chong Wei is looking forward to a greater year in 2009. His resolution is to exceed the successes of the previous year and double the knowledge and experience he has gained so far. Hoping the global crisis will end and the economy to recover swiftly, he also wishes for a stronger year for all Malaysians and that they’ll be able to come out from the crisis greater than before.

Part 2

If there is one thing fans might not know about Lee Chong Wei from the courts, is that he has a remarkable sense of humour. Always able to bring a room to laughter, Chong Wei feels keeping a sunny disposition is the best way to deal with the pressures of being World Number 1.

During an interview at La Bodega, Bangsar, he opened up and shared his thought about himself, his success and his motto for life.
Describe yourself…

So how does Lee Chong Wei
describe Lee Chong Wei? After a
quick chuckle, he simply replied,
"I'm very low profile and I love
to joke and make people laugh."
On dating and family…

So what does the star shuttler do when he's not in training? "Normally I’ll be with my girlfriend. We always attend training together and try to encourage one another to play better." Chong Wei's girlfriend is fellow Malaysian Squad shuttler Wong Mew Choo. He jokingly comments that his favourite dating spot with Mew Choo is "on the courts."

Chong Wei also shares a close bond with his family. "My family has been the driving force of support for me. It was my father who got me started in badminton anyways. I also spend a lot of time speaking to my godfather. Seeking his advice and learning from his experience."
Is there a motto
you live by...

"I still remember a coach told me once, failure is the mother of success. Every time I lost in a tournament, he will comfort me with these motivating words. I still live by these words today."
Money matters…

Lee Chong Wei has already achieved an annual income that exceeded RM1 million. When asked what he'd do with all the wealth in the world, he answered, "I'd go crazy (laughs). I wouldn't know what to do with all that money. To me, health is much more important than money or power."

But you could buy anything you want..."I guess if I had all the money in the world, I'd split it into half. The first half I'd contribute to charity and the second part I'd use to enjoy life

Do you consider yourself successful?

With the many wins and titles on his belt, Lee Chong Wei is undeniably a successful Malaysian sportsman. But what does he think of all his success?

"I consider being ranked as World Number 1 as a remarkable achievement for myself. But there are still others I've yet to achieve. I never let a win go to my head. I use it as fuel to push
me further."
If you weren't a badminton player, what would you be?

"I always imagined myself as a Manager of a business," Lee Chong Wei stated in reply to the question poised at him.
"I never gave serious thought to what
I'd be doing if I wasn't playing badminton. But if I were to think of it, I do see myself managing a business somewhere."

Is coaching on his mind?

Does Lee Chong Wei think of following his mentor’s footsteps into coaching? Right now he is just focused on his game and hasn’t yet heard the calling to coach.

"To me, sports is not a lifetime career. And I've never thought about being a coach when I retire. I might try myself out in another field of profession. But it's still too early to say."

What are his plans for the future?

Aware that a career in sports definitely has a short lifespan to consider, Chong Wei has taken time to plan for his future. With the help of a good friend, he has invested in an IT company.

"It's important for me to plan now for my future. My brother in law helps to run the company now, but when the time is right, I will join him."

2009-08-21T15:02:00.004+08:00

Sunday March 22, 2009
Keeping score with a champ
By ELIZABETH TAI

Datuk Lee Chong Wei may be the world’s top badminton player, but the shy young man prefers to keep his personal life out of the limelight. Here, he opens up about his game, his romance with a fellow shuttler and plans for the future.

DATUK Lee Chong Wei can be very intimidating.

Interrupt his practice session and you’ll get a stern look – as this reporter did when trying to get his attention during a brief break during a practice session in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur, recently.

But once the world No.1 singles player puts aside his racquet, it’s a different story.

“Sorry for that,” says Lee with an apologetic smile. “But my coach (Datuk Misbun Sidek) is very strict. I’m scared of him!” he jokes.

The 27-year-old Penangite may be a “terror” on the badminton court, but Lee is a different person away from it: He’s known for his easy-going nature and laidback sense of humour.
His father persuaded Lee Chong Wei to take up badminton although he preferred basketball. Here, the ace plays at the men’s singles second-round match at the All England Badminton Championships on March 5. – AP

Perhaps this is one reason why he is said to be uncomfortable with being called “Datuk”. After he bagged a silver medal in the men’s singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lee was conferred the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri award, which carries the title. According to a report in The Star, Lee thought that his eldest brother, Lee Chong Hoon, was joking when he told him he had received the award – he figured it would only be awarded to gold medalists!

“The first few months (after obtaining the title) I felt a lot of pressure ... I’m just not used to people calling me Datuk,” he says sheepishly in Hokkien.

Well, its certainly been one high-flying year for the youngster. Malaysians have been aware of his feats on the court for some years now – Lee has bagged five Malaysian Open titles and numerous international honours, but it seems winning that prestigious Olympics silver has propelled him right onto the centre of the stage.

A natural talent

With his skills, one would think Lee was weaned on badminton, so the last thing one would expect to hear is how he didn’t like the game when he first started playing at age 12.

“My father liked badminton and taught me how to play. I preferred basketball. But my mother didn’t like me playing (that) because I became so tanned from being out in the hot sun!” he says, grinning.
Lee and Wong Mew Choo have been an item since their school days. Here, the duo wear clothes from Top Shop and Top Man.

“So, my father suggested, ‘Why don’t you play badminton? At least it is indoors.’ So that’s how I started playing – I eventually grew to love it,” he tells.

Lee, who has two brothers and a sister, was the surprise fourth child for Lee Ah Chai, now 56, and his wife, Khor Kim Choi, 55. Many friends and relatives offered to adopt Lee but Khor refused. Her husband was also told by a fortune teller that her youngest son would bring luck to the family.

And how true that prediction has turned out to be. Lee’s talent was apparent from the start and with his father’s encouragement, he joined and won many local tournaments. His hard work paid off when former badminton champ Misbun noticed him and asked him to join the national team in 1997 when he was 17.

As a national player, he studied at Sekolah Sri Garden in Kuala Lumpur with other players. They lived in hostels near the school and had to wake up at the crack of dawn to train until 8am. They then attended classes until 3pm and trained again at 4pm.

But perhaps that crazy schedule has prepared Lee for an even busier one now. Apart from competing in tournaments, the shuttler has to keep in tip-top shape with practices almost every day. He wakes up early and hones his skills in two practice sessions per day, with each session lasting about three to four hours. (Except for Thursday and Saturday, when it’s a “half day’’.)

“Oh, this is the thing I hate most – having to get up so early,” Lee moans.

At school was also where he met then 16-year-old Wong Mew Choo, who would eventually become Malaysia’s No.1 women’s badminton player... and his love interest.
Penang’s Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas conferring the Datukship on Lee after his Olympic win.

“He always borrowed my pen and books, and disturbed people in the class,” says Wong, now 26.

“I didn’t like to study,” retorts Lee, mischeviously.

The two began dating a year after they met in school and have been a couple ever since. But over the years, they have kept their relationship low key until Lee decided to unveil it in a Sept 2008 post on his blog (blog.lee chongwei82.com) under the attention-grabbing headline, “My love story”.

So are there wedding bells for the King and Queen of Malaysian badminton?

“We still don’t know about our future plans,” says Lee. “Mew Choo and I want to concentrate on badminton for the next few years.”

It has certainly been a hard climb to the top for the both of them, but “there’s no choice ... it’s my job, after all. It’s something that needs to be done,” Lee says matter-of-factly.

Wong, adds: “Ninety percent of our life is dedicated to badminton. To get something you must give something. We eat and sleep badminton. Sometimes we feel pressured. But badminton is our nation’s hope.”

Although the sport allows them to travel around the world for tournaments – the duo have been to Beijing, Japan and South Korea together – they do not have much time for sightseeing.

“After finishing (a match), I want to return to KL,” Lee says.

But Lee does make time for friends, however. When he is in Indonesia for a match, he’ll make it a point to hang out with his good friend, top Indonesian badminton player and former world champion, Taufik Hidayat, 27.

“We’ll have dinner or go shopping. We may be opponents in the badminton court, but outside we’re good friends,” he says.

Lee and Wong only get Sundays off, so this is a precious day for the couple.

When asked about what he does during his free time, Lee says, simply: “Rest. And when I watch TV, I’ll nod off soon after.”

“I love shopping, sleeping and watching movies and Korean dramas,” says Wong, happily.

The couple sometimes prowl the shopping malls but being public figures, both are easily recognised by their fans and are often stopped for photographs.

Lee is uncomfortable with the attention and feels torn between the gratitude he feels for his fans’ support and his desire for privacy.

“Sometimes, when I’m resting, I don’t really want to think about badminton,” he explains.

Last year, Lee played in 14 international tournaments – including the Olympic Games.

“Yes, it’s non-stop, right? I am tired, but what to do?” says Lee.

Lee and Wong will be competing next in the India Open in Hyderabad on March 24-29.

Life after badminton?

Despite his achievements, Lee feels uncomfortable about being a “national hero”.

“I feel a lot of pressure ... especially when I lose! But this is the nature of sports,” he says.

It doesn’t help that Malaysians can be quite critical about their badminton players, but Lee takes it in stride.

“People can scold me when I lose, but I accept what people say because everyone’s opinions are different,” he says.

Lee plans to retire after the 2012 London Olympics to run the IT business he has with his brother-in-law. He wants to be a businessman like his father, who once ran an electronics store.

But when asked whether he’ll continue in the badminton world by becoming a coach, Lee first says that he’ll “think about it”. Then shaking his head, he says, “Probably not!”

“I’m too scared of badminton – it’s been 10 years already!” he quips.

Sweet revenge for Wan Wah-Tan Fook

2009-08-21T14:59:00.002+08:00

Friday, 21 August 2009
By LIM TEIK HUAT

Seasoned doubles campaigners Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah avenged last week’s World Championships first round defeat to Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan in style by beating the Americans in straight games to enter the quarter-finals of the Macau Open last night.

Wan Wah-Tan Fook, who lost to the 2005 world champions in rubber games last week, turned the tables this time for a 21-15, 21-17 win in just 21 minutes.

The second seeded Malaysians will face South Koreans Hwang Ji-man-Kim Ki-jung, who ousted Indonesian siblings and sixth seeds Candra Wijaya-Rendra Wijaya 24-22, 15-21, 21-11.

Wan Wah said they had done their homework well after they were humbled by the American top pair, who went on to reach the quarter-finals in Hyderabad.

“We knew we could be facing them in the Macau Open this week and we studied their game on the video.”

It was a good day for the Malaysians as Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng and top seeds Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong also advanced.

Chong Ming-Choon Eng defeated Germany’s Michael Fuchs-Ingo Kindervater 21-15, 21-18 while Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the World Championships bronze medallists, trounced fellow Malaysians Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong 21-9, 21-18.

Chong Ming-Choon Eng and Kien Keat-Boon Heong will bid to make it an all-Malaysian semi-final line-up when they meet Chinese pairs Chai Biao-Zhang Nan and Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan tonight.

In the men’s singles, world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei and Wong Choong Hann marched into the last eight with relative ease but it was the end of the road for Chan Kwong Beng and Mohd Hafiz Hashim.

Chong Wei, who suffered a quarter-finals exit in Hyderabad, took just 29 minutes to beat Gao Huan of China 21-9, 21-7 while Choong Hann chalked up a 21-13, 21-9 win over Hsueh Hsuan-yi of Taiwan.

Chong Wei and Choong Hann have Indian hurdles waiting in the last eight – Chetan Anand and Arvind Bhat – respectively.

Back-up shuttler Kwong Beng’s gallant run ended when he went down fighting 15-21, 21-13, 15-21 to Taiwan’s sixth seed Hsieh Yu-shing while Hafiz lost 19-21, 21-23 to Hong Kong’s Hu Yun.

Malaysian women’s singles player Wong Mew Choo’s campaign ended with a 19-21, 12-21 loss to Wang Chen of Hong Kong.

Mixed doubles pair Mohd Razif Abdul Latif-Woon Khe Wei are the only Malaysians in the quarter-finals after beating Chinese qualifiers Zhang Nan-Xie Jing 15-21, 21-19, 21-14.

(Matches involving Malaysians only)

Men’s singles third round: Lee Chong Wei bt Gao Huan (Chn) 21-9, 21-7; Hsieh Yu-shing (Tpe) bt Chan Kwong Beng 21-15, 13-21, 21-15; Hu Yun (Hkg) bt Mohd Hafiz Hashim 21-19, 23-21; Wong Choong Hann bt Hsueh Hsuan-yi (Tpe) 21-13, 21-9.

Women’s singles second round: Wang Chen (Hkg) bt Wong Mew Choo 21-19, 21-12.

Men’s doubles second round: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong bt Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong 21-9, 21-18; Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng bt Michael Fuchs-Ingo Kindervater (Ger) 21-15, 21-18; Lee Wan Wah-Choong Tan Fook bt Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan (US) 21-15, 21-17.

Mixed doubles second round: Mohd Razif Abdul Latif-Woon Khe Wei bt Zhang Nan-Xie Jing (Chn) 15-21, 21-19, 21-14; Ko Sung-hyu-Yoo Hyun-young (Kor) bt Ong Jian Guo-Chong Sook Chin 21-12, 18-21, 21-11.

Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei’s biggest threat on the big stage is himself

2009-08-21T14:59:00.001+08:00

Tuesday, 18 August 2009

THE World Championships in Hyderabad went on smoothly despite an alleged terrorist threat and fears of the spread of the flu (H1N1) virus.

But in competition, Malaysia’s world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, who was seen as Malaysia’s great hope to nail the elusive world championship title, did not survive a threat from within himself and bowed out tamely again to Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro, this time in the quarter-finals.

Coach Misbun Sidek said that his worst fear came true when the 27-year-old Chong Wei could not handle the high expectations on him and lost focus in his eagerness to win so badly for the country.

“This has been the only concern of the coaches. He has all the skills and techniques but what goes through his mind during a match is beyond the control of anyone, except himself,” said Misbun.

The result was disappointing indeed, considering that the coaches and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) had met all of Chong Wei’s demand to prevent him from getting distracted in the few months in the run-up to the championships.

Chong Wei went to South Korea for a 10-day stint. He also had the full assistance of sports psychologist Frederick Tan.

In fact, he even had a suite for himself in Hyderabad. All these were done in a bid to help him stay focused.

The coaches defended that Chong Wei tried his best but if only he had shown more aggression or better fight in his game. Chong Wei knew more was expected of him. He did take the responsibility of his failure and has promised to come out of the disappointment with better performances. One has to be fair to Chong Wei. It is not easy being the only player to be depended on for honours, year after year.

The back-up shuttlers are still not up to the mark and hopefully, the new coach, Hendrawan of Indonesia, can turn things around for Malaysia.

China had more than one player to fight for the honours and it was underlined yet again in an all-China final between eventual champion Lin Dan and Chen Jin.

The doubles department also failed to end the barren run for Malaysia in the championships with Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif coming narrowly close to making it an all-Malaysian final.

It was also a disappointing outing for the world No. 1 women’s pair of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty. They failed to reach the quarter-finals of the championships for the first time in four outings. And they are still hounded by their lack of consistency.

National doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky said: “Winning and losing are part and parcel of the game.

“What is important is to learn from the defeat and come out as stronger players.”

If only Chong Wei and his team-mates were strong enough, they could have withstood internal or external pressures to succeed and become world champions.

Courtesy of The Star

Rexy must give more opportunities to the back-up pairs

2009-08-21T14:58:00.002+08:00

Tuesday, 18 August 2009

K.M. Boopathy

IT is hard to believe Malaysia, given the talents at its disposal, has failed to reach the men's doubles final of the World Championships since 1997, and if the performances of the top two national pairs in the semi-finals in Hyderabad are anything to go by, it is easy to understand why.

Winning a major title needs plenty of character and resilience and this is where the Koreans, Indonesians and Chinese have a huge advantage. While Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Zakry Latif-Fairuzizuan Tazari are immensely talented, they are sadly lacking in that department.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong have remained an enigma as this is the pair who took the world by storm in 2007 and made their top three rivals -- Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae of South Korea and Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China -- eat humble pie for several months before their careers took a dive.

Markis-Hendra are now Olympic and world champions, Cai Yun-Haifeng have added an Olympic silver medal to the world title they had already won and Jae Sung-Yong Dae have featured in several World Championships finals.
Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong crumble cave in crunch situations and don’t have the grit to fight back when they are trailing.
Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong crumble cave in crunch situations and don’t have the grit to fight back when they are trailin

Determination and confidence have been the key elements behind the success of these three pairs in close battles while Kien Keat-Boon Heong crumble in crunch situations and don't have the same grit to fight back when they are trailing.

Their coach Rosman Razak aptly put it when he said that "having it (determination and grit) are special traits to succeed in difficult circumstances which cannot be taught and they have to be cultivated by the players themselves."

Kien Keat-Boon Heong must sharpen their killer instincts and at the same time remain cool to battle on until the last point is won (or lost) and should never settle for just average success.

Yong Dae is a special talent and he has the ability to conjure up effective combinations with any player and is already an Olympic winner with Lee Hyo Jung in the mixed doubles.

Yong Dae and Jae Sung are the favourites for the 2012 London Olympics doubles title and they will only get stronger over the next three years.

Kien Keat, 24 and Boon Heong, 22, have already wasted two golden years of their careers and if they are to have a shot at titles over the coming two World Championships (2010 and 2011) and the 2012 Olympics, they should start believing in themselves more and inculcate the ability to stare down their opponents in a do-or-die situation.

Both players also have the tendency to treat the Olympics and the World Championships like any other event and this must stop although it is meant to reduce the pressure.

There is no way the pair can rise to the occasions if they think a tournament is not important and these are the minor details Kien Keat-Boon Heong should change in order to become champions.

Zakry-Fairuz must also use the surprise bronze they won in Hyderabad as a launch pad and become a more consistent pair. If they can perform well, it will also boost the confidence of Kien Keat-Boon Heong as it will be easier for them to attack the major events.

Also, it is unwise to just concentrate on these two pairs and head coach Rexy Mainaky must start giving more opportunities to the back-up pairs under the guidance of Pang Cheh Chang.

There have been too many experiments throughout the year and it has to stop as the coaches should know by now which combination can click.

The settled pairs should instead start focusing on qualifying for next year's World Championships which end on April 30, 2010.

Our doubles pairs go down fighting in semi-finals

2009-08-21T14:58:00.001+08:00

Sunday, 16 August 2009

THERE were sheer dejection on the faces of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif as they walked off the courts yesterday.

Both pairs had given a fight of their lives but it was not good enough to create history for Malaysia in the World Championships at Gachibowli Stadium here yesterday.
Great delight: Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng celebrate after their semi-final win yesterday.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong were beaten 21-16, 14-21, 20-22 by South Korean Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung in one of the most thrilling match of the day while Fairuziuan-Zakry went down fighting at 21-18, 22-24, 15-21 to former world champions Cai Yun-Hai Feng of China in another nail-biting semi-final match yesterday.

With their defeats yesterday, Malaysia’s challenge in the World Championships came to an end and the country, proud of their badminton tradition, will have to wait for another year to nail the elusive world crown.

Lanky Tan Boon Heong was a shattered man after the painful loss.

“We gave our best out there today. It is really frustrating to lose out at deuce. It was so nerve-wracking but we tried to remain calm,” said Boon Heong. “It was all about who had more confidence and luck during the match. Maybe, I was not as stable as I should have been.

“We were just unable to kill the shuttle. We were just not as fortunate as them. Koo and I were really determined from the start to get a good result for the country,” he lamented.

Second seeds Kien Keat-Boon Heong were in devastating form to take the first game and the Koreans replied with another show-stealer in the second game.
There was also joy for the Koreans when Jung Jae-sung (left) and Lee Yong-dae make it to the men’s doubles final.

The third game was action-packed when Kien Keat-Boon Heong raced to a 10-6 lead. Then, the Koreans powered their way back into the game and it was from this stage that both pairs played their hearts out to outfox each other.

At 18-18, it was all about the service and service returns and eventually, it was the Malaysians, who failed to come good at the end.

“I sent a high flick service and it caught Yong-dae by surprise. But after that, he served one and I did not get it right. They got the confidence to romp home for the win.”

Fairuzizuan-Zakry also had Cai Yun-Haifeng on the backfoot and should have wrapped up the match in straight games but they just failed to finish them off.

“I feel so frustrated. We had them in our hands today. We played the right tactics and they could not match our game. We did not lift the shuttle high for them and they struggled,” said Fairuzizuan.

“We should have won the second game. We caught up from 13-16 to take a 17-16 lead. It was really tight after that,” he said.

The Chinese reached game point first but the Malaysians turned on the pressure to level the score at 20-all. It was a neck-and-neck fight but the Chinese managed to force the rubber.

Said Zakry: “It is such a waste when we could not kill them off. We tried to hold them but we made mistakes and that gave them the confidence.

“We let slip a golden opportunity to reach the final and I feel so disappointed about the way we lost,” he added.

In the decider, Zakry-Fairuzizuan were slow to get into rhythm and Cai Yun-Haifeng hung on for a place in the final and a shot at winning their second world title.

Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei still not a solid top player, says Misbun

2009-08-21T14:56:00.003+08:00

Sunday, 16 August 2009

WORLD number one Lee Chong Wei’s body was cold when his coach Misbun Sidek hugged him after his shocking men’s singles quarter-final exit in the World Championships at Hyderabad on Friday.

And that was the reason for his 16-21, 21-14, 12-21 loss to Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro – Malaysia’s blue-eyed boy of badminton froze at the wrong time.
Down and out: Lee Chong Wei tumbles while trying to retrieve a shot by Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the men’s singles quarter-finals on Friday. Sony won 21-16, 14-21, 21-12. — AP

But Misbun, disappointed that he has failed yet again to produce a world champion for the country, is confident that Chong Wei will bounce back.

“He was quite nervous even before going into the court. The only fear of every top class player is to calm the raging battle within themself and Chong Wei failed to do that,” said Misbun.

“After the one-hour battle with Sony, I felt his hands and body. They were cold. He was unable to produce his best form.”

Misbun said that Chong Wei burst into tears in the room and kept to himself and even turned down food after the defeat.

The loss was unexpected as Chong Wei had the best of preparation, including a 10-day stint in South Korea, while Sony had to juggle between training and his wedding preparation for the whole of last month. In fact, Sony had trained without a coach for a month.

“Chong Wei wanted to win so badly especially after the two Malaysian men’s doubles pairs had reached the semi-finals before his match. And that added pressure on him to perform,” said Misbun.

“Sony is a tricky player. He waited patiently for Chong Wei to make mistakes.

“And it worked as Chong Wei was totally blanked out and did not know how to get back to his normal game.”

The outcome of the World Championships showed that Chong Wei is still struggling to stabilise his game as the world number one player. And that to Misbun is understandable.

“There is no doubt that Chong Wei is a world class player but he is not as solid as we wanted him to be at the top.

“His techniques and skills are there but he has to make the right decision when he is on court and no one can help him on this except himself. And this is not easy for any player in the world.”

Even National Sports Institute (NSI) psychologist Frederick Tan, who is also in Hyderabad, had tried his best to keep Chong Wei’s motivation high from the start of the tournament but to no avail.

Misbun said he would give Chong Wei the long break he wanted but with a condition attached — the Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist must return to training at his usual best.

Courtesy of The Star

Malaysian doubles shuttlers do it better at World meet

2009-08-21T14:56:00.001+08:00

Saturday, 15 August 2009

IT was a glorious day for Malaysia when Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif powered into the men’s doubles semi-finals of the World Championships at the Gachibowli Stadium yesterday.

Second seeds Kien Keat-Boon Heong survived a nail-biting decider to beat 2005 world champions Tony Gunawan-Howard Bach of United States 22-20, 13-21, 21-17 in the quarter-finals.

Fairuzizuan-Zakry didn’t have it easy either, being forced to claw back from an opening game disaster to beat South Koreans Cho Gun-woo-Yoo Yeon-seong 17-21, 21-12, 21-14 to reach their first semi-finals in an international tournament this year.

By reaching the semi-finals, the pairs have assured Malaysia of at least a bronze medal.
Leap of joy: Tan Boon Heong celebrating as Koo Kien Keat looks on after their men’s doubles quarter-final win over Americans Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan o Friday.

Today, Kien Keat-Boon Heong and Fairuzizuan-Zakry have a chance to make it an all-Malaysian final for the first time when they take on the formidable combinations of South Koreans Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung and China’s Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng respectively.

The last time Malaysia had two men’s doubles in the semi-finals was at the 2001 world meet in Seville. Then, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng failed to make it to the final.

Yesterday, however, Kien Keat-Boon Heong were staring at defeat before they came alive in the final stages of the decider.

“We played a better attacking game in the first game and had the confidence to go for the kill. But we slowed down a little and they took that opportunity to turn the game around,” said Kien Keat.

After a convincing first game win, the Malaysians were bombarded with leaping smashes by the stocky Bach and Tony. That rattled the Malaysians, forcing them to concede a rubber game.

The Americans continued to pound the Malaysians to take a 10-6 lead. Then, the fightback started.

It was tense as the lead changed hands until 17-17. That’s when, with an eye on Howard as their target, the Malaysians picked up four quick points to romp home.

A delighted Kien Keat said their never-say-die attitude saw them through into the last four.

“Our attacking game was good but we were surprised with a similiar approach by the Americans. Howard can jump really high while Tony is a master tactician,” said Kien Keat.

“We took a gamble and our net shots worked wonders. The situation was tense but we just did not want to give up.”

Boon Heong, however, is not satisfied. “This is not the best from us. I will not be satisfied with a semi-final appearance. We have a 50-50 chance tomorrow and we promise to give our best,” he said.

As for Fairuzizuan and Zakry, it was a day of breakthrough.

Said Zakry: “We are so happy today. Both of us had some problems on the court before coming into the tournament but we proved today that everything is behind us.”

“We really played well today. After so many quarter-final finishes this year, we’ve finally made it to our first semi-finals. This is the breakthrough we wanted.”

Said Fairuzizuan: “This has been an amazing outing for us so far. Everything is working out well for us.

“It will be tough against Cai Yun-Haifeng but we hope to play even better than today.”

The pair have beaten Cai Yun-Haifeng once in three outings – in the second round of the China Open in 2007.

Men’s singles: Chen Jin (Chn) bt Simon Santoso (Ina) 21-10, 21-13; Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-16, 14-21, 21-12; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Peter-Gade Christensen (Den) 22-20, 21-16; Taufik Hidayat (Ina) bt Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 21-19, 21-19.

Men’s doubles: Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) bt Han Sang-hoon-Shin Baek-cheol (Kor) 21-16, 21-18; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan (US) 22-20, 13-21, 21-17; Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (Mas) bt Cho Gun-woo-Yoo Yeon-seong (Kor) 17-21, 21-12, 21-14; Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung (Kor) bt Guo Zhengdong-Xu Chen (Chn) 21-17, 28-26.

Women’s singles: Pi Hongyan (Ger) bt Juliane Schenk (Ger) 15-21, 21-15, 21-19; Xie Xingfang (Chn) bt Zhou Mi (Hkg) 21-15, 21-18; Lu Lan (Chn) bt Tine Rasmussen (Den) 21-15, 21-13; Wang Lin (Chn) bt Saina Nehwal (Ind) 21-16, 21-19.

Women’s doubles: Ma Jin-Wang Xioali (Chn) bt Lee Hyo-jung-Lee Kyung-won (Kor) 21-18, 21-13; Zhang Yawen-Zhao Tingting (Chn) bt Ha Jung-eun-Kim Min-jung (Kor) 21-9, 21-10; Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Cheng Wen-hsing-Chien Yu-chin (Tpe) 11-21, 21-11, 21-8; Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (Jpn) 21-17, 21-8.

Mixed doubles: Lee Yong-dae-Lee Hyo-jung (Kor) bt Xie Zhongbo-Zhang Yawen (Chn) 21-16, 21-16; Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) bt Zheng Bo-Ma Jin (Chn) 22-20, 11-21, 22-20; Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt He Hanbin-Shen Ye (Chn) 21-10, 21-17; Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) bt V. Diju-Jwala Gutta (Ind) 21-16,

Courtesy of The Star

Indon ends Chong Wei’s World title bid

2009-08-21T14:51:00.002+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:40:00.007+08:00

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

Worry over mistakes led to Pei Tty-Eei Hui defeat

2009-08-21T14:37:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:33:00.003+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:27:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:08:00.001+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:05:00.001+08:00

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

2009-08-21T14:04:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:45:00.002+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:15:00.002+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:15:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:11:00.003+08:00

They had a motivation camp during CNY in Sarawak..

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

2009-08-21T13:10:00.001+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:08:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T13:01:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T12:54:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T12:53:00.001+08:00

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’

2009-08-21T12:52:00.000+08:00

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

2009-08-21T12:51:00.002+08:00

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

2009-08-21T12:51:00.001+08:00

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

2009-08-21T12:50:00.001+08:00

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

hey

2009-08-21T12:16:00.002+08:00

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!!!

Malaysia Boleh!!!

訂下雙冠目標‧妙珠盼2010會更好

分手后李宗伟首度开口谈感情 09年留下三大遗憾

Eh-Hem

Happy new Year 2010

黄妙珠情场球场两失意 亲口证实已与李宗伟分手

李宗伟黄妙珠结束9年恋情 同场练球再见亦朋友

Choong Hann Knocked Out In Final

No future being in comfort zone

Chance for Khim Wah-Peng Soon to establish their partnership

Wong Choong Hann still BOLEH!!!

Macau Open...

FINAL!!!!!!

Macau Open 2009

Side News

Malaysians dominate Macau

Showdown in Macau again

Julia Wong's injury

A Conversation with the Champion

Sweet revenge for Wan Wah-Tan Fook

Chong Wei’s biggest threat on the big stage is himself

Rexy must give more opportunities to the back-up pairs

Our doubles pairs go down fighting in semi-finals

Chong Wei still not a solid top player, says Misbun

Malaysian doubles shuttlers do it better at World meet

Indon ends Chong Wei’s World title bid

1 BIG Family

Worry over mistakes led to Pei Tty-Eei Hui defeat

黄妙珠输球影响李宗伟心情 大马一哥心疼女友

Doubles pairs to know if they are good enough for quarters

It’s over for shuttler Mew Choo

Malaysian coach quarantined after coming down with fever

Choong Hann survives but Lydia stumbles at first hurdle

Chong Wei can end long wait

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

Koo’s cool about comparisons with Yong-dae

Side news

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

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

Rashid: Lydia must not let herself down

Players’ rivalry set to climax in Hyderabad

Go forth and make history

By RAJES PAUL

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

By RAJES PAUL

Hafiz puts up good show before losing

Fairuzizuan and Zakry hit rocky patch in their partnership

By RAJES PAUL

A great Wei to escape from distractions

hey

黄妙珠情场球场两失意亲口证实已与李宗伟分手

李宗伟黄妙珠结束9年恋情同场练球再见亦朋友

黄妙珠输球影响李宗伟心情大马一哥心疼女友