World Superseries Finals: Another Chong Wei and Lin Dan final will be fitting climax to season

Wednesday, 14 Dec 2011

By RAJES PAUL

Legend has it that eight dragons emerged from the sprawling Liu Jiang (Liu River) which flows through this beautiful city. Today, eight dragons from the badminton world will emerge to do battle for the prestigious Super Series Masters Finals men’s singles title.

They are world number one Lee Chong Wei; China’s Lin Dan and Chen Long; Indonesia Taufik Hidayat and Simon Santoso; Denmark’s Peter-Gade Christensen; and Japan’s Kenichi Tago and Sho Sasaki.

But the focus will be on the two most gifted and celebrated dragons of the era – Chong Wei and four-time world champion Lin Dan – as a final between them will be a fitting climax to the 12-leg Super Series season.

A meeting between archrivals Chong Wei and Lin Dan in the final is very much a possibility but young Chen Long could spoil the party.

In the draw released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) yesterday, top seed Chong Wei is in Group A with the evergreen Christensen, Simon and Sasaki. In Group B with Lin Dan are Chen Long, Taufik and Kenichi. The top two will play in the crossover semi-finals.

Gracious in defeat: Lee Chong Wei shaking hands with Lin Dan after losing to the China No. 1 in the World Championships final in October.

National coach Tey Seu Bock agreed a final showdown between Chong Wei and Lin Dan was what most fans wanted.

“And for Chong Wei to win the match,” he said with a broad smile.

“But in all honestly, it is going to be hard for Chong Wei. Both Lin Dan and Chen Long will have the crowd’s backing.

“The group matches won’t be easy either. Chong Wei has three in his group who can last the pace.

“Peter has shown that age is not a factor while both Simon and Sasaki are vibrant players full of energy.”

Seu Bock feels that the Masters Finals will also serve as a prelude to what could transpire at next year’s Olympic Games in London.

“I see three names – Chong Wei, Lin Dan and Chen Long – leap before my eyes when I think of the Olympic Games. The format will be similiar as the players have to go through the group stages first.”

At the Olympics, the qualifiers will be divided into 16 groups with only the group winners advancing to the elimination round.

On Chong Wei’s condition, Seu Bock said: “It has been a long and tiring but successful year for him. Let’s hope he has enough in the tank to end it well.”

Chong Wei was awarded the BWF Male Player of the Year award during a welcome dinner for the players on Monday. Despite losing to Lin Dan in the world championship, Chong Wei stood tall in winning five titles and reaching 11 consecutive finals.

The top female award went to China’s reigning world champions Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yuyang for reaching 12 consecutive finals and winning seven Super Series titles, which included all five Premier meets.

In the men’s doubles, Malaysia’s hopes rest on Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong who are out to redeem themselves with a good showing to make up for a disappointing year.

Courtesy of The Star

Kalah Menang, Adat Permainan

Ok, bola Piala Malaysia dah habis Terengganu kalah and Negeri Sembilan menang.. Tahniah Negeri Sembilan.. Jangan putus asa Terengganu.. Takmo sedih-sedih,ok.. Goal Negeri tadi pun sebab Sharbinee terlepas bola.. Ramai pula orang nak salahkan dia.. Bukan salah dia pun.. Dia tak sengaja... Ish2.. Korang ni, tak baik tau.. Negeri Sembilan menang 2-1.. Ok, lagi sekali, tahniah.. :)

Walau apapun, korang Malaysia.. So, saya sokong dua-dua pasukan.. :p

Ok.. Tutup kisah bola... Kita cerita yang happy-happy pula, ok? Setelah dikalahkan dua kali berturu-turut dalam final (Japan Open and Denmark open), akhirnya Lee Chong Wei berjaya mengalahkan Chen Long di semi-final (French Open).. Chong Wei menang.. Excited ! 23-21, 17-21, 21-16.. Tahniah LEE CHONG WEI.. See you in final tomorrow.. :)

 GOOGLE

GOOGLE

Tahniah and usaha lagi :D

Chong Wei says Chen Long is a threat to his Olympic hopes

Monday, 24 Oct 2011

By RAJES PAUL

World No 1 Lee Chong Wei suffered another heartbreak at the hands of China’s Chen Long when he lost 15-21, 18-21 in the men’s singles final of the Denmark Open here yesterday.

And immediately after the loss, Chong Wei declared that the 22-year-old Chen Long has now become a genuine challenger aside from Lin Dan of China for next year’s Olympic Games in London.

Chong Wei had hoped for a revenge after losing to Chen Long in the final of the Japan Open last month but to his surprise, the Chinese turned out to be a much tougher opponent.

While the Malaysian was slower than usual, the Chinese took full control of the match from the start with his excellent court coverage, superiority at the net and solid attacking play.

Undoubtly, top seed Chong Wei had some good tricks up his sleeve but it was Chen Long, who had held all the aces to romp home a convincing winner in straight games.

It was Chong Wei’s 10th final of the year but probably his weakest performances so far.

The Malaysian was disappointed that the world number three Chen Long had prevented him from winning his seventh title twice in a month. Chong Wei had won six titles – the Super Series Masters Finals, Malaysia Open, All-England, India Open, Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold and Indonesia Open this year

“I have to admit that he has turned out to be a tough opponent for me. He is so full of confidence and it has just become tougher to beat him,” said a dejected Chong Wei, who just turned 29th on Friday.

“He had read my game well. He displays better control and makes less mistakes. His game has become more polished.

“Right now, he has become a real challenger for me for the Olympic Games. My rival is no longer Lin Dan alone,” said Chong Wei.

Despite the setback, Chong Wei is ready to make amends at the France Open which begins in Paris on Wednesday.

“My priority is the major event. I will stay focused and try to bounce back from this defeat. Even Lin Dan lost to a unheralded player here in Denmark. So, it is time to put this defeat behind and stay focused in what is more important to me – the Olympic Games next year,” he added.

China, also went back home with two other titles when they maintain their supremacy in the women’s events when Wang Xin and Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang bagged the singles and doubles titles events respectively.

However, the badminton powerhouse were denied from making a clean sweep when Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen and Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung emerged as the mixed doubles and men’s doubles champions respectively.

Results

(All finals)

MEN

Singles: Chen Long (Chn) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-15, 21-18.

Doubles: Lee Yong-dae-Jung jae-sung (Kor) bt Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) 21-16, 21-17.

WOMEN

Singles: Wang Xin (Chn) bt Wang Yihan (Chn) 21-14, 23-21.

Doubles: Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) 22-20, 21-16.

Mixed doubles: Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt Xu Chen-Ma Jin (Chn) 22-20, 21-16.

Courtesy of The Star

Bertambah-tambah Kesedihan

Sedih... Sedih... Sedih...

Sabar jelah Aiisyah, nak buat macam mana? Adat pertandingan, ada menang ada kalah... Uwaaaaaaaaaa.. :(

Kenapa sedih sangat ni??

Manchester United kalah ! 1-6.. Kalah dengan Manchester City...

Ok, bola tak kisah sangat. Bukan minat bola sangat pun. Tapi sedih jugala..

Lagi bertambah-tambah sedih..... LEE CHONG WEI kalah dengan pemain China, Chen Long untuk Denmark Super Series.. Dah dua kali berturut-turut Malaysia kalah dengan pemain China ni... Kecewa :(. Kalah 21-15,21-18... Ahhhhhhhh

*gambar google*

*gambar google*

Sedih sangat !! Sabar-sabar

Takpe. Don't lose hope. You can do it. Try again :D Never Give Up !

Denmark Open: Will Lin Dan give another walkover? Can Chong Wei reach 10th final?

Wednesday, 19 Oct 2011

By RAJES PAUL

One is consistent. The other is unpredictable.

And that makes for an intriguing and exciting time when two of the world’s greatest shuttlers – Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei and China’s Lin Dan – take to the courts in the Denmark Open, which begins in Odense today.

World No. 1 Chong Wei is ready to get back to winning ways after losing to Chen Long of China in the final of the Japan Open last month.

The 29-year-old Chong Wei had said after the defeat that he does not want to lose by less than 10 points any more.

Chong Wei lost 8-21, 21-10, 19-21 to Chen Long – the first time he had lost to a player other than Lin Dan.

“The Japan Open defeat was a good learning experience for me. I guess it’s good to lose once in a while as it keeps me on my toes,” said Chong Wei.

“The first game defeat to Chen Long was demoralising. I could not believe that I only got eight points. I will try not to let that happen again.”

Chong Wei’s mission now is to reach his 10th final of the year – and prove that he is the most consistent player this year.

“I have not missed a single final appearance and, hopefully, I can keep the record intact. It will be great if I can win it,” said Chong Wei, who marked his supremacy on the local scene by winning his 10th national title in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

While Chong Wei has been consistent, Lin Dan has been taking everyone for a ride – playing superbly in some tournaments and conceding walkovers in others.

Lin Dan has cited different injuries for conceding walkovers in matches against his team-mates at this year’s Malaysia Open quarter-finals (back injury, against Chen Long), Singapore Open final (stomach problem, against Chen Jin) and Japan Open semi-final (toe injury, against Chen Long).

In Denmark, Lin Dan may meet Chen Long in the semi-finals. It will be interesting to see what Lin Dan will do – concede a walkover or flex his muscles.

“It does not matter what Lin Dan does. China want more people to qualify for the Olympic Games. Some of the things done may seem unsportsmanlike. But I would rather focus on myself and next year’s Olympic Games,” said Chong Wei, who faces India’s P. Kashyap today.

The other players in Chong Wei’s half are Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat; China’s Chen Jin and Wang Zhengming; and Denmark’s Peter-Gade Christensen, Hans-Kristian Vittinghus and Viktor Axelsen.

Second seed Lin Dan and Chen Long are in the lower half with compatriot Du Pengyu, Japan’s Sho Sasaki and Indonesia’s Simon Santoso.

Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei wants to leave domestic scene with another national crown

Tuesday, 11 Oct 2011

By RAJES PAUL

World number one men singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei is going for a perfect 10 at the National Grand Prix Finals which begin tomorrow at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.

But after that, his fans will not get a chance to catch him in action in local tournaments anymore.

“This will be my last local tournament and I am looking forward to winning my 10th national title. But 10 is enough for me,” said Chong Wei.

Last fling: Lee Chong Wei will be making his final appearance in the local circuit during the National Grand Prix Finals in Kuala Lumpur this week.

With no one good enough to break his stranglehold, top seed Chong Wei is the heavy favourite to lift his 10th national crown – a record, which will be quite impossible to break by the future generation of players.

Even though he has been ill with flu and fever and has stayed out of training for three days last week, Chong Wei should win the title that he has won since 2002, hands down.

The final of the premier local event is on Saturday. And as soon as he accomplished his mission, he will have to rush to catch a flight to Denmark for the Premier Super Series event in Odense.

The 29-year-old Chong Wei said that he had given total commitment to play in local and international tournaments over the last decade. And the time has arrived for him to move away so that others could make their mark in the local arena.

“It is not easy to juggle my time between the local and international tournaments. The schedule can be hectic sometimes. To me, both are important but the time has come for me to let go of one,” said Chong Wei.

“London Olympic Games is my priority tournament next year. I have decided not to play in any local tournaments next year.”

Chong Wei hopes that the second stringers like Liew Daren, Chan Kwong Beng, Chong Wei Feng, Goh Soon Huat, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif can give him a good fight in his last local tournament.

“This is their last chance to push me to the limit in a local tournament. I hope they will go the extra mile,” said Chong Wei.

“I have noticed that some of our back-up players have shown improvement in the last few Open tournaments. Liew Daren defeated Simon Santoso while Chan Kwong Beng upset Sony Dwi Kuncoro at the Indonesia Grand Prix Gold. I hope that their displays are not a one-off thing.

“They must build on this confidence and persevere on. The BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) are giving these back-up players more opportunities to compete now. So, they must take their chances well.”

In the GP Finals, Chong Wei is in Group A with Lok Chong Chieh, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin and Chong Yee Han and he will take on the winner of Group C in the semi-finals. Those in Group C are Arif, Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Yeoh Kay Bin and Goh Giap Chin.

The other semi-final will be between the top finishers from Group B and Group D respectively.

In Group B are Daren, Soon Huat, Mohd Syawal Ismail and Tan Kian Meng. In Group D are Wei Feng, Kwong Beng, Loh Wei Sheng and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayup.

Courtesy of The Star

Koo-Tan’s request granted

Sunday, 18 Sep 2011

By Rajes Paul

Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong’s request to train under coach Pang Cheh Chang has been granted.

Now, all that the men’s doubles pair have to do is step up and be counted in their bid to turn their game around before next year’s Olympic Games in London.

On Friday, Kien Keat-Boon Heong lost 21-15, 16-21, 13-21 to South Koreans Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae in a 66-minute match in the China Masters at Changzhou. It was their first tournament without Rexy Mainaky as their coach.

Looking ahead: Pang Cheh Chang will help Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong prepare for the Japan Open.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong came under fire after an uninspiring performance in the World Championships in England last month. They then parted ways with Rexy, their coach for the past five years, and asked the BA of Malaysia to allow them to train under Cheh Chang.

Yesterday, new doubles head coach Tan Kim Her said that Kien Keat-Boon Heong would officially train under Cheh Chang after next week’s Japan Open in Tokyo.

Cheh Chang was with Kien Keat-Boon Heong in China. He, however, will not join them in Japan. Cheh Chang will return home tomorrow to hold talks with Kim Her and Rosman Razak, the other doubles coach, on plans to beef up Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s training programme for the Olympics.

“Both the elite and back-up men’s doubles players will now train together in the first hour of the training session every day. After that, Kien Keat-Boon Heong will have a more personalised training under Cheh Chang,” said Kim Her.

“Cheh Chang will be responsible for their training but he will be in constant communication with me. Rosman will also be helping out in training. We will give Koo and Tan all the help that they need to get them all fired up. Their ultimate goal is the Olympics.

“These players have to play their part too by giving their all in training and tournaments.

“We have three coaches in the men’s doubles and I hope all players will show their eagerness to learn from us,” added Kim Her.

When contacted in China, Cheh Chang said he was happy he had a chance to watch Kien Keat-Boon Heong in action.

“They showed a strong desire to win. But there are still some areas that we need to work on. I will focus on improving their speed and power on court,” said Cheh Chang.

Cheh Chang added that he would help Kien Keat-Boon Heong prepare for the Japan Open.

“They asked me to train them yesterday (Saturday) and today even though it’s their birthdays (Kien Keat and Boon Heong will be 26 and 24 respectively). They are very committed. Hopefully, they will give a better account of themselves in Japan,” said Cheh Chang.

At the Japan Open, which begins on Wednesday, Kien Keat and Boon Heong are seeded third. They are in the same half of the draw as top seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China, Indonesians Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan and Japan’s Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata.

Courtesy of The Star

Time for a change, Koo-Tan want to revive their careers under Pang

Saturday, 03 Sep 2011

By RAJES PAUL

Malaysia’s top doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong have finally spoken their minds – they want to part ways with badminton coach Rexy Mainaky after a tumultuous five-year rollercoaster journey together.

The world No. 5 pair now want to revive their careers under coach Pang Cheh Chang, who is currently handling the women’s doubles department.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong had a heart-to-heart talk with Rexy yesterday to inform him of their decision at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.

The duo had come under severe fire following their meek quarter-final loss to South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong in the recent World Championships in Wembley. It was their fifth defeat by the Koreans over two years.

Top national doubles shuttlers Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong have decided to part ways with coach Rexy Mainaky after a tumultuous fi ve-year journey. The world No. 5 pair want to try their luck under coach Pang Cheh Chang as they seek to bounce back from the recent World Badminton Championships debacle in London.

Just a year earlier, the duo had showed such aggression to reach the final of the world meet before going down to Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China in Paris.

Kien Keat and Boon Heong, however, were quick to point out that they were not blaming Rexy for their recent failures and that they only wanted to find a new direction in their bid to be genuine contenders for medals at next year’s London Olympics.

Kien Keat even admitted that their failure at the world meet was “our own doing”.

“Boon Heong and I are not blaming Rexy. It’s obvious that Boon Heong and I are having problems and it resulted in our poor results at the world meet. We hope this decision to part ways with Rexy will not be misconstrued. We are not blaming him,” said Kien Keat.

“The outcome at the world meet showed that we cannot reproduce the same form that saw us achieve great results in the past. Rexy has done his best for us and we enjoyed good times together ... but we need something new now. We need a change.

“Perhaps another coach can help us. We have reached a plateau in our game. Boon Heong and I have run out of ideas on how to improve our game.”

“A new coach and a fresh training environment could bring back the excitement in our game. I am not saying that Rexy’s training is boring ... it’s just us. Boon Heong and I are ready to try something different.”

“Boon Heong and I had a chat recently and I was keen with his suggestion to train under his former coach Pang.”

Cheh Chang had coached Boon Heong during his junior days at the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS). In fact, it was under Cheh Chang’s guidance that Boon Heong and his former partner Hoon Thien How emerged as the world junior champion in 2005.

“I believe Pang will be able to help us. I remember my junior days with him and, hopefully, Koo and I will be able to do something different under him as senior players now,” said Boon Heong.

“It is the same as when you work in a company. If you have been a manager for some time and are not going anywhere, one option is to seek a fresh start elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with the present company but it is more about one’s own will to make a difference.

“Koo and I are not undermining Rexy by switching coaches. We realise that we are not going anywhere and we have to do something if we want to be winners again.”

“It was not easy for us to make this decision but we are happy that Rexy took it well when we spoke to him today.”

“I will always be thankful to him. We have won many titles but I will remember him for changing my lifestyle. I used to be lazy but he motivated me to work harder.

“We hope that our request to train under Pang will help us keep alive our dream of doing well in the Olympic Games. We want to win and we have to get our act right with just 11 months to go.”

Kien Keat-Boon Heong played in their first international tournament under Rexy at the Japan Open in September 2006 and reached the final. They nailed the Asian Games gold medal for the first time in three decades for the country at Doha in 2006 – marking their rise as the country’s top pair.

Despite the ups and downs under Rexy, Kien Keat-Boon Heong remained as the country’s best bet to win honours and, if given the right backing, they should return to London as one of the main contenders for the gold medal at the Olympic Games.

Courtesy of The Star

Cawan Sudirman

Sudirman Cup 2011

Qing Dao, China
22/05/2011 - 29/05/2011

• Draws/Results/Live Score
• Astro Live Telecast Schedule

Dengan ini, saya ingin mengucapkan all the best kepada pasukan negara MALAYSIA! MALAYSIA boleh!

*chan peng soon/goh liu ying*

*chin eei hui/wong pei tty*

*chong wei feng*

*hoon thien how*

*koo kien kiat/tan boon heong*

*lee chong wei*

*tee jing yi*

Semua gambar google.. Hehe.. ALL THE BEST!!!!!

Rexy: I’m not the bad guy

KUALA LUMPUR: National doubles coach Rexy Mainaky (pic) has clarified that he was not responsible for the decision on not to include Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen in the team for the world championships, which will be held in London from Aug 8-14.

The Indonesian said that he felt quite uneasy over being seen as the “bad guy” who denied the former national doubles shuttlers the right to compete in the championships and allowed his pair, Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Hoon Thien How, to compete by default.

Rexy, who attended a meeting with back-up coach Tan Kim Her, high performance director Datuk James Selvaraj, Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) general manager Kenny Goh and secretary Ng Chin Chai last Wednesday, said that a decision was already made when he was asked to name his best pair, based on current form, for the world championships.

Teik Chai-Bin Shen had qualified on merit for the championships together with Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong as the top 24 ranked pairs in the world at the end of a one-year qualifying period. A country can have a maximum of three pairs if all of them are in that bracket.

But Chin Chai, who is also the coaching and training committee chairman, made a shocking announcement last week on the decision to drop Teik Chai-Bin Shen in favour of Zakry-Thien How.

It drew strong reactions from Teik Chai-Bin Shen and some of the BAM council members from Kedah and Selangor even questioned the rationale behind the decision during an emergency annual general meeting last Saturday.

Some were concerned that the decision was not endorsed by the coaching and training committee and it was done in a haste by a select few.

“The doubles coaches were asked to attend a meeting,” said Rexy yesterday before leaving with the team for the Sudirman Cup mixed team championships, which will begin in Qingdao on Sunday.

“I want to make clear that we, the coaches, did not have the right to drop Teik Chai-Bin Shen because they were not players under our charge.

“The BAM had already decided and we were merely asked to find the replacements. Of course I named Zakry-Teik Chai when asked who were the next best pair to go based on current form and results. They had beaten several higher ranked pairs. And my comparison was only based on the players under my care.”

Rexy said that he wanted to set the record straight on the matter before shifting his focus on the Sudirman Cup in which Malaysia will bid to retain their position among the top four in Division One.

He hopes that his top charges, Kien Keat-Boon Heong, will be able to deliver a point in every tie.

“They are looking more confident after winning the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold (in Alor Setar last week),” he said.

“I hope that Koo and Tan will win every match. Their contribution to the team will strengthen our hopes to remain as the top four in this world mixed team event.”

The others in the team are Lee Chong Wei, Chong Wei Feng, Thien How, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, Tee Jing Yi, Lydia Cheah, Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui and Vivian Hoo.

Malaysia have been drawn in Group B of a 12-team Division One competition with Indonesia and Russia.

The top two teams from the four groups advance to the elimination round in which a fresh draw will be made.

Courtesy of The Star

Zakry vows to achieve best results with Hoon

Doubles shuttler Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif is getting a shot by default to represent Malaysia at the world championships.

And he has vowed to achieve his best results with Hoon Thien How to repay the faith the coaches have in them for the championships, which will be held in London from Aug 8-14.

The world No. 27 ranked pair did not make the cut for the championships at the end of the qualifying period. But the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in a controversial move selected them at the expense of former national shuttlers Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen.

The coaches felt that Zakry-Thien How will have the better chance of making their presence felt compared to the Apac and KLRC-sponsored pair.

Teik Chai-Bin Shen qualified on merit as the second Malaysian pair among the top 24 qualifiers to compete in the championships after Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.

“It was really a big surprise for me when I found out that Hoon and I have been selected for the world meet. I had already given up hope and was pondering over my future plans with Thien How,” said Zakry.

“Coach (Rexy Mainaky) confirmed that Thien How and I will be going. We now have to go all out to do our best to justify the faith that the coaches have in us.”

Zakry’s best outing in the world championships was a semi-final finish with former partner Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari in Hyderabad in 2009.

“I competed twice with Fairuzizuan (2007 in Kuala Lumpur and 2009 in Hyderabad) and we did well in India. We fought well before going down to the Chinese pair (Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng). This will be my first outing in the championships with Thien How and we hope to go as far as possible,” he said.

Zakry teamed up with Thien How last September when his partnership with Fairuzizuan hit a plateau after the Thomas Cup Finals in Kuala Lumpur.

“It took us some time to hit it off. But we are playing better now. Our problem is our weak finish towards the end of a match. We tend to make mistakes in our haste to win,” he said.

This was evident when Zakry-Thien How were levelled 19-19 against Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark in the quarter-finals of the All-England in March. The Malaysians buckled while the Danes went on to win their maiden All-England title.

“Thien How and I are determined not this waste this opportunity to prove ourselves in the world championships. We are bound to meet seeded players in the early round and we will be ready for them,” said Zakry.

Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei on winning path

Chong Wei said winning smaller events is the key to securing a major.

LEE Chong Wei has done what his fierce rival Lin Dan of China has failed to do in the past by reaching the final of all six tournaments he has played in so far, thus giving fresh hope that winning a major isn't far away.

Though winning the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold is nothing to shout about, it's the attitude Chong Wei brings into tournaments and the maturity he is showing of late which will help him overcome the big obstacles.

After his win on Sunday, Chong Wei said he has accepted the criticism thrown at him for not winning a major but claims it has helped him cultivate a winning habit.

The World No 1 also said winning smaller events will be the key to securing a major and his objectives of winning the World Championships in London in August and next year's London Olympics gold, begin with these wins.

Chong Wei is no longer the player who wins a title and is then bundled out in the preliminary rounds of a bigger event as the Malaysian is bent on justifying his status as World No 1 by winning as many titles as possible.

So far, he has won five of the six tournaments he has played in this year with the only defeat coming in the Korea Open in January when he lost to Lin Dan.

Chong Wei's consistent run has also boosted his confidence and of late he seems to be taking to court with a clear mind. If he maintains this approach at least until August next year, he can sign off as the world and Olympic champion.

It's no exaggeration to say Chong Wei no longer fears Lin Dan like he once did, so the reigning Olympic champion will not have it his way should the arch rivals meet on the international stage.

Chong Wei has limited the tournaments he will play in the run-up to the World Championships and will only feature in the Sudirman Cup on May 22-29 and the Indonesia Open on June 21-26.

The same should be maintained even after the World Championships as it will be difficult to peak whenever he needs to over the next 15 months.

Men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong may have solved a minor riddle by ending a 15-month title drought but winning the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold is not the end of their problems.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong were far from solid throughout the tournament and were up against mediocre opposition in the final.

So, there is plenty to do if they hope to remain among the world's top five pairs.

Kien Keat admitted that their attitude may not be right, and that's a step in the right direction.

Mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have proved they have the potential but still have a long way to go before they can rub shoulders with the world's elite.

Courtesy of New Straits Times

Misbun decides not to take up BAM’s lucrative offer

Dejection, pride and disappointment must have led Misbun Sidek to end his decade-long service as a national coach.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) deputy president, Tengku Kamil Ismail Tengku Idris Shah, confirmed after the exco meeting yesterday that Misbun had rejected a new contract with them to train the back-up shuttlers even though it offered good salary and perks.

Misbun: Did not state any reason for turning down the offer.

Kamil, who chaired the meeting in the absence of the president, Datuk Seri Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, said that Misbun did not state any reason for turning down the offer.

The decision of the 51-year-old Misbun marked an end to a colourful and controversial career as a national coach.

He now has an option to return to the Nusa Mahsuri professional club to train youngsters but close sources say that Misbun has had enough of badminton.

“The exco respected his decision and unanimously accepted it,” said Kamil.

“And we take this opportunity to appreciate him for his services and contributions to the many successes in Malaysian badminton over the years with the BAM.”

Misbun had remained silent since retracting his decision to quit the national team last month.

He must have felt very hurt when his prized player, Lee Chong Wei, announced that it was all right not to be under his charge.

His about-turn came as a shock because immediately after Misbun tendered his resignation as national coach last Dec 31, Chong Wei said that he would follow his coach.

It is learnt that Chong Wei had grown tired waiting for Misbun to make his return for more than three months and made a public declaration that he was comfortable under the guidance of Teh Seu Bock and Rashid Sidek and would like the arrangement to stay.

And BAM, who placed great priority on what their Olympic Games gold medal prospect wanted, offered Misbun to coach some of the back-up players, including his son Ramdan.

When asked whether Ramdan had also quit the team to join his father, Kamil said: “No.”

One of the exco member, Datuk Sayed Abu Bakar Abdullah, a good friend of Misbun, was disappointed that the latter had turned down the challenge to groom new stars for the country.

“Misbun should have accepted this offer. This was an opportunity for him to develop new talent and be a prominent coach in the national team,” said Sayed, who is also the president of the Terengganu Badminton Association.

“At this moment, any coach can train Chong Wei. He has reached a level that he does not need much help from a coach.

In fact, in the absence of Misbun, Chong Wei remained focused to win the Super Series Masters Finals, Malaysia Open and All-England (beating Lin Dan of China in the final).

“I think, Misbun has taken too long to think over all these and was distracted along the way. Misbun has the calibre and he should have stayed on with the BAM. It is a waste to see him leave like this.”

For the record, when Misbun was in charge, Chong Wei won the 2010 All-England title and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games silver medal.

Three other players – Rashid Sidek, Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Mohd Roslin Hashim – also enjoyed high points in their careers when they were under Misbun’s guidance.

Courtesy of The Star