Back in winning mode

THE title-winning machine that Lee Chong Wei is, has started to roll again when he captured the Japan Open crown but the BA of Malaysia (BAM) could be ruing its decision to allow Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong to play on as a pair for a year.
It was Chong Wei's 43rd career title, second only to the 50 won by Lin Dan of China, and was the Malaysian's 27th success in the super series.
Chong Wei has not shown any ill effects after losing the London Olympics final, so it is heartwarming to see him regain his momentum. However, fans will expect Chong Wei, as the World No 1 (a position he will retake from Lin Dan on Thursday) to win the World Championships next year.
While Chong Wei has shown he is still a force on the world stage, BAM may have been deceived by Kien Keat-Boon Heong's so called "sincere request" to allow them to play until the World Championships in August next year.
Going by their performance in Tokyo where they lost to fourth-ranked South Korean pair Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang, their second defeat in as many meetings, this only goes to show that the worst is yet to come.
The world's top pairs -- except for Denmark's Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen -- skipped the Japan Open and Kien Keat-Boon Heong had no business losing if they are truly targeting the World Championships.
Boe-Mogensen were also shown the exit in the second round by Indonesia's Yonathan Dasuki-Hendra Gunawan but despite that, Kien Keat-Boon Heong could not win their first super series title in 21 months and this is a clear indication they cannot hold their own when the top pairs are competing.
BAM can get tough by having a yearend review where it can carry on with its initial decision to split the duo and partner them with Lim Khim Wah and Goh V Shem respectively if they continue to dish out poor results after this.
While Kien Keat-Boon Heong failed to walk the talk, mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying didn't let their golden opportunity slip away by bagging their first super series crown in the absence of the powerful China pairs.
Consistency and hard work should also see Chong Wei Feng, who reached the last eight, and Liew Daren become quality internationals.
Courtesy of New Straits Times