Friday, March 30, 2012

1st Semis Axiata Cup

Indonesia Garuda            2 - 1          Malaysia Tiger

Taufik Hidayat           21-19, 21-9    Daren Liew

Hendra Setiawan             21-17         Lim Kim Wah
Mohamad Ahsan             21-17         Goh V Shem

Sony Dwi Kuncoro    13-21, 19,21  Hafiz Hashim

FANS CONTEST! Win signed copies of Lee Chong Wei's autobiography

In our first ever fans contest, three signed copies of world number 1 Lee Chong Wei's autobiography (limited edition) are up for grabs - exclusively for our fans!
Stand a chance to win a copy (in either English or Chinese) in just three simple steps:
1. Show us you are a fan by following us on either our Facebook or Twitter platforms
2. Answer some simple multiple-choice trivia questions on the OSIM BWF World Superseries
3. Then fill in your particulars to be part of the draw
Ready?
Head over to this "Fans Contest Corner!" page on the OSIM BWF World Superseries official website for more details and to take part in this contest now!
This fans contest ends 1 April 2012. The draw will be conducted in April. The three lucky winners will be notified by email and the book will reach them by post. And to show our appreciation to badminton fans, look out for more fans contests coming your way in 2012

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Koo-Tan’s lack of focus laid bare again during defeat by Indonesians

At the end of the day, it was yet another woeful performance by Malaysia’s top pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong that resulted in the surprise 2-1 loss to a second-string Indonesia Rajawali team in the Axiata Cup on Sunday.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who have been heavily criticised of late, were under pressure to deliver a point following Mohd Hafiz Hashim’s loss to Dionysus Hayom Rumbaka in the first singles.
Taking on Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra, the Malaysian pair appeared to be all fired up after smashing their way to a 10-2 lead in the first game before wrapping it up 21-10.
Young guns: Indonesia’s fourth ranked pair of Ryan Agung Saputra (left) and Angga Pratama celebrating their 10-21, 21-18, 21-13 victory over Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong in the Axiata Cup on Sunday. – Bernama
Everything was going fine in the second game until the score was tied at 16-all.
That was when their game went to pieces as they lost 21-18.
The third game was a foregone conclusion as the young Indonesian pair attacked relentlessly, forcing Kien Keat-Boon Heong to commit one unforced error after another, to win 21-13.
The defeat sealed victory for Rajawali and relegated the Malaysian Tigers to second spot in the group – and a dreaded semi-final match-up against a first-string Indonesia Garuda team.
The result also marked a new low for Kien Keat-Boon Heong – it was their first loss to the fourth ranked Indonesian men’s doubles pair.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who are No. 8 in the world, have also lost to the fourth ranked pairs from China and South Korea since last year.
Truth is Kien Kean-Boon Heong have only themselves to blame for the demoralising defeat as it is not the first time that they have performed below expectations on home ground.
Last year, they were beaten in the second round of the KL Open by Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming and they also lost to the scratch Korean combination of Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang in the second round of the Malaysian Open earlier this year.
It seems like they find it difficult to focus on their game on home ground. The pair also struggled to beat Thailand’s Maneepong Jongjit-Patiphat Chalardchalaem in their first match in the Axiata Cup on Saturday.
“We know we didn’t play well because we were taking this tournament as part of our training and we were not in our tournament mindset,” explained Kien Keat after beating the Thai pair.
Boon Heong said that since their training was geared towards the Thomas Cup and Olympics, they couldn’t find their rhythm over the weekend.
But that is no excuse for such a weak performance and, with the Olympics just four months away, Kien Keat-Boon Heong really need to buck up.
Meanwhile, the Tigers now have to do it the hard way – beat the Garudas next week – if they aim to win a share of the lucrative US$1mil prize money.
Courtesy of The Star

Kim Her finally ready to stop experimenting with doubles partnerships

National doubles coach Tan Kim Her is finally ready to stop experimenting and start building a squad for the future.
The only solid pair in the national squad are the much-maligned Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong combination as Kim Her has been experimenting with the other partnerships under his charge.
His job was made even more difficult when several players – Teo Kok Siang, Chooi Kah Ming and Mak Hee Chun – suffered injuries last year, thus forcing him to reshuffle the doubles line-ups repeatedly.
Now he has a full squad available at his disposal, following the successful returns of long-term knee injury victims Kok Siang and Kah Ming.
After tinkering with the line-up the past few months, Kim Her has finally decided to build solid doubles partnerships for the long run.
Goh V Shem and Lim Khim Wah, who have forged a strong combination and are currently ranked 29th in the world, will remain as a pair.
The changes, however, will see Tan Wee Kiong (pic) teaming up with Hoon Thien How while 2008 world junior champions Hee Chun-Kok Siang will be reunited.
The other pairs in the squad will be Mohd Lufti Zaim-Vountus Indra Mawan and the two world junior pairings of Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yi and Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han.
“This is to build the squad to focus on the future. There will be no more trials and experiments,” said Kim Her.
“The Australian Open next week will be the last experimental tournament. After that, the players will have to stick to the combinations that we have decided.
“Most importantly, however, is that they’re happy with their partners and comfortable playing with one another.
“I’ve spoken to each player and they are happy with the arrangements.
“For now, we have an important four-month period where everyone in the doubles squad will help Kien Keat-Boon Heong in their preparations for the Olympics as well as the Thomas Cup.”
Kim Her also said that three pairs – Thien How-Wee Kiong, V Shem-Khim Wah and Lufti-Vountus – will be entered for the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC), which will be held in Qingdao, China, from April 17-22.
Courtesy of The Star

Daren overtakes veteran Hafiz as the national No. 2

The much-improved Liew Daren is surprised to learn that he has taken over as the new national No. 2 shuttler in the country.
The 24-year Daren, whose lack of results had been heavily criticised over the past few years, enjoyed his best run on the international stage by reaching back-to-back quarter-finals in the All-England and Swiss Open earlier this month.
And Daren, ranked 43rd in the world at the start of the month, has now shot up to No. 28 – surpassing veteran Mohd Hafiz Hashim, who is No. 32.
Liew Daren: Jumped up to No. 28 in the latest world rankings.
The KL shuttler admitted that it was a pleasant surprise and acknowledged that it would spur him to push harder for better results.
“I honestly did not expect to climb the rankings so fast ... it’s really a nice surprise,” said Daren.
“I’m really glad to have been give the break in Birmingham and the Swiss meet because that has boosted my confidence significantly.
“I now believe that I can do even better and my next target will be to break into the top 20. But, for that to happen, I need to work harder and achieve even better results in tournaments.”
The lanky shuttler, who maintained a perfect record in the Axiata Cup preliminary stages, is preparing for the Australian Open GP Gold which starts in Sydney from April 3-8.
But Daren will not have the easiest of draws Down Under despite facing a qualifier in the opener as he is tipped to meet second seed Sho Sasaki of Japan in the second round.
If he manages to pull off an upset, he could be up against ninth seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong in the third round.
“It will not be easy because I’ve lost to Sasaki the last two times ... he’s a very good player,” said Daren.
“But I’m feeling good about my game and I just need to keep on believing in myself and hopefully I’ll pull off an upset.”
Besides Daren, the other Malaysian singles shuttlers in the fray are Hafiz, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Chong Wei Feng, Chan Kwong Beng, Zulfadli Zulkifli, K. Yogendran and Lok Chong Chieh.
Courtesy of The Star

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Indonesia and Malaysia on top

Indonesia Garuda and Indonesia Rajawali went top of their respective groups in the inaugural Axiata Cup with convincing victories in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Malaysia Tigers and Malaysia Leopards are currently second, but all four teams are assured of reaching the semi-finals with one more round of group matches to play.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tigers defeated Thailand 3-0, but not before a scare for former world No. 1s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, who were taken the distance by scratch Thai pair Maneepong Jongjit-Patiphat Chalardchalaem.
Many had expected them to have an easy time, but the young Thais showed no fear against their more experienced opponents and took the first game 27-25.
That was the signal for the Malaysians to up their game and they took the next two games 21-9, 21-16 to give Malaysia an unassailable 2-0 lead.
“This was our first game of the tournament and I took some time to warm-up,” said Kien Keat. “We got better as the match progressed and managed to pull out a win.”
Earlier, Hafiz Hashim, like Kien Keat-Boon Heong, a former All England champion, was stretched by Boonsak Ponsana before claiming a 21-19, 21-16 victory in the opening tie.
Liew Daren, who is the new Malaysian No. 2, then thrashed Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-14; 21-18 to give the hosts a 3-0 victory.
Indonesia Rajawali defeated Philippines 3-0 with Tommy Sugiarto outplaying Paul Jefferson Vivas 21-13, 21-8, Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra hammering Mathias Boe-Ronel Estanislao (above), 21-16, 21-7 and Hayom Rumbaka beating Antonio Benjamin Gadi (right), 21-9, 21-18.
Indonesia Rajawali and Malaysia Tigers have four points each with the former taking top spot as they have a 12-0 games record as opposed to a 12-1 record for Malaysia.
Over in Jakarta, Zulfadli Zulkifli was the hero for the Malaysia Leopards as he tamed Nguyen Hoang Nam in three games to help them to a 2-1 victory over Vietnam in a Group J match.
The world and Asian junior champion, who lost concentration in the second game after disputing some line calls, eventually carved out a 21-19, 16-21, 21-14 victory to hand the Malaysian team a place in the semi-finals.
Earlier, Misbun Ramdan Misbun suffered a 10-21, 15-21 defeat to Nguyen Tien Minh before Ow Yao Ha-Chooi Kah Ming levelled the match by beating Bui Bang Duc-Dao Manh Thang 21-8,  21-8.
Joining the Leopards in the final four are hosts Indonesia Garuda, who trounced Singapore 3-0, meaning their match with Malaysia tomorrow will decide the group champions.
For more information, click here.

RESULTS
Group J

Indonesia Garuda 3 Singapore 0 (Taufik Hidayat bt Robin Gonansa 24-22,  21-13; Hendra Setiawan-Markis Kido bt Terry Yeo-Yi Liu 21-12,  21-16; Sony Dwi Kuncoro bt Huang Chao 21-19,  21-6)
Malaysia Leopards 2 Vietnam 1 (Misbun Ramdan Misbun lost Nguyen Tien Minh 10-21, 15-21; Ow Yao Ha-Chooi Kah Ming bt Bui Bang Duc-Dao Manh Thang 21-8,  21-8; Zulfadli Zulkifl bt Nguyen Hoang Nam 21-19,  16-21, 21-14)

Group K
Malaysia Tigers 3 Thailand 0 (Hafiz Hashim bt Boonsak Ponsana 21-19, 21-16; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong bt Maneepong Jongjit-Patiphat Chalardchalaem 25-27, 21-9, 21-16; Liew Daren bt Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-14; 21-18)
Indonesia Rajawali  3 Philippines 0 (Tommy Sugiarto bt Paul Jefferson Vivas 21-13, 21-8, Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra bt Mathias Boe-Ronel Estanislao 21-16, 21-7; Hayom Rumbaka bt Antonio Benjamin Gadi 21-9, 21-18)

Axiata Cup: Victory brings tears

he death of shuttler Ow Yao Han’s father overshadowed the Malaysian Leopards’ semi-final qualification after a hard-fought win over Vietnam in the Axiata Cup in Jakarta.
Yao Han’s father died minutes before his son took to the court.
His father was at home in Malacca watching television when he died. He was apparently waiting to watch Yao Han in action.
On the way: Ow Yao Han (left) and Chooi Kah Ming easily beat Vietnamese pair Bui Bang Duc-Dao Manh Thang in the Axiata Cup in Indonesia yesterday. Yao Han’s father died before he took to court.
Yao Han, unaware of his father’s death, went on to partner Chooi Kah Ming to a 21-8,21-8 victory over Bui Bang Duc-Dao Manh Thang to level the tie at one apiece.
World No. 12 Nguyen Tien Minh had earlier given Vietnam the lead after outclassing Misbun Ramdan Misbun 21-10, 21-15.
“I received a call from Yao Han’s sister, minutes before he and Kah Ming were about to play, that his father had passed away,” said national doubles head coach Tan Kim Her.
“We were unable to contact Yao Han at the time because he was about to go on court and we only told him after the game.
The duo left Jakarta after their match and arrived home last night.
Meanwhile, world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkifli was the toast of the team when he defeated Nguyen Hoang Nam 21-19, 16-21, 21-14 to give Malaysia a 2-1 win and a place in the semi-finals.
“We were confident of winning but it was harder than we thought because our focus was on Tien Minh only,” said the lanky 19-year-old Zulfadli.
“Hoang Nam caught me by surprise because he played very well. Luckily, we’ve achieved our target of reaching the semi-finals.
“Now, we just have to be patient in our final game and wait for our semi-final opponents.”
The Leopard will take on a first string Indonesia Garuda today in a match to decide the group winners. The Garudas, led by Taufik Hidayat, demolished Singapore 3-0.
Courtesy of The Star

Axiata Cup: Malaysian Tigers shrug off Thai challenge to book semis spot

The Malaysian Tigers shrugged off an early Thailand challenge before comfortably booking a semi-final spot in the US$1mil Axiata Cup badminton championship.
The Tigers won 3-0 and are likely to face the Malaysian Leopards in next week’s semi-finals.
It was the second straight 3-0 win for the Tigers following their opening day win over the Philippines on Friday.
With the Tigers playing without injured world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, the Thais came into the game looking to press their advantage in the first singles.
Former world No. 4 Boonsak Ponsana raced to an 8-1 lead in the first singles against Mohd Hafiz Hashim before the 2003 All-England champion woke up from his slumber.
Hafiz then went on to take the first game 21-19 before winning the second 21-16 as the visibly tired Boonsak struggled towards the end.
“I started off slow and had to chase the game but I eventually found my range and started to play my own game,” said Hafiz.
“It was a more tiring game compared to the first day’s but I found my confidence when I took the lead.
“It wasn’t my best performance but I’m glad we managed to achieve our target of reaching the last four.”
The much-maligned pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong then sealed the tie for the Tigers despite a slow and sluggish start.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong lost the first game 25-27 before bouncing back to win the next two 21-9, 21-16 against scratch pair Maneepong Jongjit-Patiphat Chalardchalerm.
All-England quarter-finalist Liew Daren kept up his recent fine run of form by smashing Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-14, 21-18 in the dead rubber.
“Overall, the shuttlers have done faily well in the first two days as the target was to make the last four, which we have now achieved,” said national singles coach Rashid Sidek.
“But we still want to beat Indonesia and top the group so that we can hopefully get an easier semi-final draw.
“It’s possible to beat the Indonesians because they’re not very consistent at the moment and our players just have to believe in themselves.”
A win over the second string Indonesia Rajawali today will see the Tigers topping the group.
Courtesy of The Star

Friday, March 23, 2012

Chong Wei rehat lima minggu



CHONG WEI sedang diperiksa oleh dua pegawai perubatan ISN di Bukit Jalil semalam sambil diperhatikan oleh jurulatihnya, Seu Bock.



JAGUH perseorangan negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei memerlukan tempoh tiga hingga lima minggu sebelum kembali pulih sepenuhnya daripada masalah kecederaan bahu yang dialaminya ketika ini.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Institut Sukan Negara (ISN), Datuk Dr. Ramlan Abd. Aziz berkata, dalam tempoh tersebut, Chong Wei hanya akan menjalani latihan ringan bagi mengekalkan tahap kecergasannya.
“Proses pemulihan Chong Wei kini telah memasuki minggu kedua sejak dia mengalami kecederaan ketika beraksi pada kejohanan badminton Seluruh England (minggu lalu).
“Kami (ISN) perlu melaku- kan rawatan secara terperinci dan membuat keputusan tentang penglibatan dan aktiviti Chong Wei supaya dia dapat meneruskan latihan bagi mengekalkan tahap kecergasannya,” kata Dr. Ramlan.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika sidang media khas bagi memberi penjelasan lanjut berhubung kecederaan bahu kanan yang dialami Chong Wei di pejabat ISN di Bukit Jalil semalam.
Turut hadir ialah jurulatih perseorangan negara, Tey Seu Bock.
Terdahulu, Dr. Ramlan yang mengulas mengenai laporan ujian Magnetik Reso- nance Imaging (MRI) yang dijalani Chong Wei di Hospi- tal Pakar Damansara kelma- rin menjelaskan bahawa kecederaan yang dialami pemain No. 1 dunia itu tidak melibatkan kecederaan struktur.
Sebaliknya, ia hanya kecederaan melibatkan sekumpulan otot di bahagian bahunya.
“Ini adalah satu petanda yang baik dan ia bukanlah kecederaan yang boleh memudaratkan.
“Rawatan yang kami mulakan sebelum ini sebaik Chong Wei mengalami kece- deraan tersebut adalah rawatan yang betul. Jadi, Chong Wei tidak memerlu- kan rawatan khas atau pembedahan,” jelasnya.
Sementara itu, Seu Bock mengesahkan bahawa Chong Wei, 30, terpaksa diketepikan daripada membarisi skuad negara menjelang aksi peringkat kumpulan Piala Axiata 2012 di Stadium Badminton Cheras, Kuala Lumpur yang akan bermula hari ini.
Katanya, ia bagi memberi ruang kepada pemain itu menjalani proses pemulihan.
“Dengan keadaannya ketika ini, Chong Wei memang tidak dapat beraksi.
“Begitupun, sekiranya skuad negara layak ke peringkat separuh akhir, kita akan lihat bagaimana dengan tahap kecederaannya ketika itu sama ada dia boleh beraksi atau tidak.
“Jika dia boleh beraksi mungkin dia akan beraksi tetapi ia bergantung kepada proses pemulihannya,” kata Seu Bock.
Tanpa kelibat Chong Wei, tempatnya selaku perseorangan pertama hampir pasti akan diambil alih oleh Muhammad Hafiz Hashim yang disenaraikan selaku perseorangan kedua pada Piala Axiata.
Selain Chong Wei dan Hafiz, skuad negara yang dikenali sebagai Malaysia Tiger turut dibarisi Liew Daren, Muhammad Arif Abdul Latif serta beregu, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong dan Goh V Shem-Lim Kim Wah.
Skuad negara yang diundi dalam Kumpulan K akan membuka tirai saingan menentang Filipina hari ini.
Dua lagi anggota kumpulan itu ialah Thailand dan Rajawali dari Indonesia.

Kosmo

Still not fully fit

Lee Chong Wei
Lee Chong Wei (right) and coach Tey Seu Bock at Damansara Specialist Centre recently. Pic by Yazit Razali
LEE Chong Wei's shoulder injury is not serious but the shuttler can forget about making a speedy return to competitive badminton as he requires three to five weeks to recover.
National Sports Institute (NSI) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz, in confirming the recovery period, stressed  that Chong Wei would not be fully fit to play in  tournaments during this period.

This puts the World No 1's participation in the mega-bucks  Axiata Cup in doubt.

The preliminary round -- in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta -- is this weekend while the home and away semi-finals will be held on March 30-April 1 and the final on April 13-15.

"Normally, this kind of an injury is associated with another injury but fortunately, it didn't happen to Chong Wei," said Dr Ramlan.

"Treatment started last week but he still feels pain which is due to  spasms caused by the tightness of the shoulder muscles. Chong Wei doesn't need to undergo an operation as the current treatment will help heal the shoulder completely.

"He will not be fully fit for competition by next week although he would have completed three weeks of treatment. We will evaluate him weekly and will discuss with the coach (Tey Seu Bock) before deciding whether he can compete.

"Whatever we do, we will ensure it doesn't supercede our goal in the London Olympics."

Seu Bock said Chong Wei is definitely out of the Axiata Cup (which offers RM1.2 million for the champions) preliminary round and a decision will be made next week on his involvement in the semi-finals.

"He is out of the competition this week. If he is fully recovered by next week, why not? If he is ready to play, he can compete in the Axiata Cup," said Seu Bock.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

GOLD BID: Chong Wei to focus on Olympics

Chong Wei skipped training for the last 10 days and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on Tuesday and has resumed his training routine while waiting for a report from National Sports Insitute (NSI) chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz.
LEE Chong Wei, after the shoulder injury that killed his hat-trick bid in the recent All England, returned to training yesterday and the World No 1 has vowed to be prepared for an Olympic gold medal bid come July.
Dr Ramlan will make a statement on the player's condition today but if indications are anything to go by, Chong Wei will not be sidelined despite the injury he picked up in the All England.
"I was really disappointed for failing to win the All England. It is a new injury and I didn't expect it to happen in an important tournament and that too after having prepared well to win the hat-trick," said Chong Wei at Juara Stadium yesterday.
"I felt a bit tired after the quarter-finals on Friday (March 9) and my right shoulder felt heavy and painful. It got worse but I had to continue playing but I just couldn't push anymore in the final. However, I have several months before the Olympics and I want to be well prepared to battle for the gold in London.
"What happened at the All England has made me stronger. I also feel I may have to change some of my training routine. I will discuss with my coaches (Tey) Seu Bock and Rashid (Sidek) on this.
"I was able to go through training today (yesterday) without pain but I didn't do any smashing. The shoulder feels fine but I need to know first if there is anything serious."
He added: "The Axiata Cup begins on Friday (tomorrow) but I may skip the matches this weekend and probably play in the matches next week. I don't want to take chances.
"What is important is my preparation for the Olympics, I have quality time for my training as I will only play in the India Open (April 24-29), Thomas Cup Finals (May 20-29) and the Indonesia Open (June 12-17). I must focus on my preparations."
Chong Wei may play an additional tournament, the Maybank Malaysia Open grand prix gold in Johor Baru on May 1-6 due to sponsorship obligations but it is not expected to hamper his Olympics preparations.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Chong Wei tarik diri

JALANI PEMERIKSAAN...Chong Wei  (kanan) dan  Seu Bock tiba di  Hospital Pakar Damansara untuk jalani ujian imbasan MRI di Jabatan Pengimejan Diagnostik, semalam.
JALANI PEMERIKSAAN...Chong Wei (kanan) dan Seu Bock tiba di Hospital Pakar Damansara untuk jalani ujian imbasan MRI di Jabatan Pengimejan Diagnostik, semalam.

KECEDERAAN bahu yang dialami Datuk Lee Chong Wei menyebabkan pemain itu memutuskan untuk tidak beraksi di saingan peringkat kumpulan Piala Axiata hujung minggu ini.
Chong Wei yang ditemui selepas melakukan ujian imbasan MRI di Jabatan Pengimejan Diagnostik Hospital Pakar Damansara, semalam berkata, dia perlu mengelak bermain hingga Institut Sukan Negara (ISN) mengesahkan dia bebas daripada kecederaan.

“Ujian imbasan hari ini (semalam) akan dihantar ke ISN dan saya rasa tidak sempat untuk beraksi pada Piala Axiata hujung minggu ini dan saya tidak akan turut serta,” kata Chong Wei.
Ketika ditanya sejauh mana kecederaan bahu kanannya itu, Chong Wei berkata: “Mana saya tahu saya cedera macam mana, saya bukan doktor. Tanyalah doktor sendiri, lagipun saya hanya menjalani ujian imbasan hari ini.” Chong Wei melakukan ujian imbasan itu sambil diiringi jurulatihnya, Tey Seu Bock serta dua fisioterapi FAdzil Salleh dan Li Da Zhi..

Berikutan ketiadaan Ketua Pengarah ISN Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz yang baru pulang dari Dublin, Ireland dan doktor pakar, Profesor John George yang sentiasa menjadi rujukan Chong Wei sebelum ini, berada di Pulau Pinang, ujian imbasan Chong Wei itu dipantau pakar radiologi, Dr Thajunnisa Hassan.

Bagaimanapun ketika diminta mengulas kemungkinan dia beraksi di pusingan akhir Piala Thomas, Chong Wei enggan mengulas perkara itu.
Sementara itu, Seu Bock berkata, kecederaan yang dialami pemainnya itu memberi pengajaran berguna ketika berdepan Lin Dan pada final Seluruh England.

“Bagi saya Chong Wei kini tahu dia tidak semestinya menyerang untuk memungut mata ketika berdepan Lin Dan. Lihat saja pada set pertama, dia mampu memberi saingan sengit dan membuatkan Lin Dan bingung kerana Chong Wei langsung tidak melakukan smash,” kata Seu Bock.
Biarpun Chong Wei belum menjalani latihan sejak pulang ke tanah air dari Basel, Switzerland Sabtu lalu, Seu Bock berkata, pemain itu tetap perlu menjalani latihan ringan meskipun tanpa mengangkat raket.

“Chong Wei akan mula berlatih esok (hari ini) dengan melakukan kecergasan fizikal seperti joging. Malah dalam tempoh baki hampir empat bulan dia tetap perlu mengasah lagi kemahiran untuk memastikan buruan emas di Olimpik menjadi kenyataan.” Ketiadaan Chong Wei membuka peluang kepada Muhd Hafiz Hashim untuk beraksi selaku perseorangan pertama saingan peringkat kumpulan K, Piala Axiata yang bermula Jumaat ini di Stadium Badminton Cheras

Chong Wei will be back for Axiata Cup

National singles coach Tey Seu Bock believes that world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei’s shoulder injury is not as bad as it seems and he should be back in training when given the green light by the doctors.
Chong Wei injured his right shoulder in the All-England final against old rival Lin Dan in Birmingham two weeks ago.
It forced him to retire during the second game, ending his chase for a third consecutive title.
The 29-year-old Chong Wei, who also skipped the Swiss Open, has yet to resume training.
Seu Bock, however, is confident that Chong Wei will recover in time for the US$1mil Axiata Cup which starts this Saturday.
“The pain in his shoulder is not so bad now,” said Seu Bock.
“Although he’s not back in training yet, he can swing his racquet and the pain doesn’t really affect him that much.
“It would be better if he didn’t suffer any injuries ahead of the Olympics but this is something which can’t really be helped.
“It’s a good thing that he got the injury now as there is still plenty of time for him to recover.
“If he’s fit, he’ll also compete in the Axiata Cup and the India Open.”
Chong Wei is due to lead the Malaysia A team, the Malaysia Tigers, in the Axiata Cup, which is the richest team tournament in badminton.
The Penangite is only expected to play in the semi-finals with Mohd Hafiz Hashim, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and a resurgent Liew Daren shouldering the responsibility in the group stage.
Besides the Axiata event, Chong Wei is also due to compete in the India Open next month where he is the defending champion.
Courtesy of The Star

Monday, March 19, 2012

Tontowi-Liliyana on a roll

Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (below), made it back-to-back European titles when they won the Yonex Swiss Open on Sunday.
The top seeds, who won their first Yonex All England Superseries Premier title a week ago, were too good for Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam, winning 21-16, 21-14.
The Indonesians had struggled in the earlier rounds, but were in top form in the title decider.
In the men’s singles, Chen Jin did his Olympic qualification hopes a world of good by beating South Korea’s Lee Hyun Il in a hard-fought battle lasting 67 minutes.
World No. 5 Chen Jin has to be inside the top four to qualify for the London Games as he has Lin Dan and Chen Long ahead of him – each country can only have three representatives in the Olympics if their players are among the top four in the world, otherwise, it is two among the top 16.
Against the veteran Hyun Il, the Chinese star was sluggish at the beginning and it took him a while before he could find any rhythm.
As a result, Hyun Il dominated the opening game, before Chen Jin (left), whose only individual title last season came at the Singapore Open when Lin Dan wasn’t feeling well and conceded a walkover in the final, came back strongly to make a big fight out of the final.
In the end, Chen Jin went home with the title with a 14-21, 21-9, 21-17, victory.
Japan’s Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato took home the men’s doubles crown after beating Taipei’s Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu 21-13, 21-14.

Swiss Open: Eei Hui-Pei Tty run out of steam against young China pair

Malaysia’s campaign in the Swiss Open at Basel came to an end after veteran women’s pair Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty lost in the semi-finals.
Eei Hui-Pei Tty, who a day earlier had played their best match of the year to beat Malaysian Open champions Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl in the last eight, were simply no match for young China pair Huan Xia-Tang Jianhua.
The veteran pair looked lost and tired and surrendered easily to a 12-21, 11-21 defeat to the China Masters champions.
Despite the defeat, Eei Hui-Pei Tty still look set to claim a ticket to the London Olympics in what could be their final swansong.
The pair, who are in their 30s, are currently ranked No.14 in the world and should be given the nod over Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei.
The second ranked pair of Vivian-Khe Wei are No.17 in the world but have struggled to impressed of late following the latter’s recovery from a knee injury.
The duo suffered early exits here and in the All England last week. Earlier, Eei Hui-Pei Tty rolled back the years to stun Pedersen-Rytter Juhl to storm into the semi-finals.
In the mixed doubles, world No. 8 Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying came close to avenging their semi-final defeat at the All-England against Indonesians Tantowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir before losing 19-21, 21-18, 23-25.
In men’s singles, All England quarter-finalist Liew Daren’s run of good form came to an abrupt end after falling to China’s Chen Jin 21-8, 23-21 in the last eight.
The scratch men’s doubles pair of Goh V Shem-Teo Kok Siang also gave a good fight before losing 15-21, 21-12, 12-21 to Indonesian veterans Alvent Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan.
Courtesy of The Star

Monday, March 12, 2012

Lin Dan creates history

Lin Dan became the first shuttler in the Open era to win the All England for a record fifth time on Sunday when world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei retired injured in the second game.
The four-time world champion, who won this title in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, narrowly beat Chong Wei (right), 21-19 in the first game and led 6-2 in the secondwhen the two-time defending champion, who was aiming to become the first Malaysian since Wong Peng Soon to win three titles on the trot in 1952, signalled he could not continue.
In the post-war era, only Rudy Hartono with eight (1968-1974 and 1976), and Erland Kops with seven (1958, 1960-1963, 1965 and 1967) , have won the world's oldest tournament more, when it was regarded as the unofficial world championship.
Chong Wei had suffered the right shoulder injury against Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka in Friday’s quarter-finals, but soldiered on against South Korea’s Lee Hyun Il in the semi-finals a day later.
He felt the pain before the match against Lin Dan (left), but said he wanted to play so as not to disappoint his fans, who made the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham feel like home.
Chong Wei had called for the trainer twice during the match, but managed to carry on. However, on the third occasion, he decided to call it quits as he didn’t want to aggravate the injury further.
It was a wise move with the London Olympics just four months away. It was sweet revenge for Lin Dan, who has lost last year's final to Chong Wei in straight games.
Super Dan was playing in his eighth final in the last nine years and was the only reigning world champion to win a title on Sunday.
Earlier, women’s singles champion Wang Yihan was stunned by teammate Li Xuerui in straight games while Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang were defeated by Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei in the women’s doubles.
In the men’s doubles, South Korea’s Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (right), outfought their great rivals and four-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng in three games to win their second All England crown.
The second seeds, who were also champions in 2008, threw away the first game after leading for almost its entirety, but fought back to take the next two to win 21-23, 21-9, 21-14.
It was the 21st meeting between the pairs and Jae Sung-Yong Dae now lead their head-to-heads 11-10.

All England: Heartbreak for Chong Wei

HOURS before the men’s singles final Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei was already feeling the pain on his shoulder.
But he did not want to disappoint his adoring fans at the sell-out National Indoor Arena and went on to the court and gave his all but it did not work against a ruthless Lin Dan.
And eventually, after 31 minutes of play the World No. 1 surrendered his dream of winning the All-England title for the third time in a row by retiring at 2-6 in the second game. He narrowly lost the first at 19-21.
Hundreds of Malaysia fans cheered him on despite the anti-climax ending – well aware that the Malaysian was simply unable to play on.
With his defeat he also missed becoming only the second Malaysian to pull off the feat after the late Wong Peng Soon from 1950-1952.
Chong Wei sought treatment halfway through the match for a shoulder injury.
A dejected Chong Wei said: “This is an injury I picked up on Friday. I managed to survive against Lee Hyun-il (in the semi-finals) but could not do the same against Lin Dan today. I was playing half court. I could not smash or make a full swing,” said Chong Wei.
“I knew much earlier that it would be tough but I did not want to disappoint the fans. I took the risk of playing but I could not do much with Lin Dan in top form,” he said.
Indeed, Lin Dan was doing all the attacking yesterday and dictated the pace in the opening game.
Chong Wei kept close but it was obvious that Lin Dan was more superior on court as he set up well calculated moves to slam down the winners and showed his hunger for the title.
The Malaysian, who hardly won any points with his usual stinging smashes yesterday, stopped play at 12-15 in the first game to get treatment for his shoulder and did his best to narrow the gap but Lin Dan closed it at 21-19.
For Lin Dan, it was his fifth All-England title in his ninth final.
During the break, Chong Wei re­ceived more treatment and bravely went back on the court but after trailing 2-6, he had to give up.
“I am disappointed that I could not win it for the third time. I did come down today hoping that I could pull off some tricks against Lin Dan but his chop and net play was just awesome.
“It is unfortunate that the injury came at this time but it is better that I stop playing as it may aggravate the injury. I do not want to jeopardise my chances for the Olympic Games.”
Chong Wei withdrew from the Swiss Open which starts on Wed­nes­day and will fly back home today.
For Lin Dan, it was his fifth All-England title in his ninth final. Although disappointed with the manner he won, Lin Dan was sympathetic over Chong Wei’s withdrawal.
Champions: South Koreans Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae (left) lifting their trophies after beating China’s Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng in the men’s doubles final at the All England in Birmingham yesterday. — Reuters
“He did give a good fight in the first game despite his condition. I know that this injury is not serious and I am looking forward to meeting him again at the Olympic Games,” he said.
Stocky Jung Jae-sung made a sensational comeback from his shoulder injury to form a superb partnership with Lee Yong-dae and powered their way to their second All-England title.
Yesterday, the athletic duo smashed aside four-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China 21-23, 21-9, 21-14 in a thrilling men’s doubles final.
RESULTS
Men’s singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-19, 6-2 (retired)
Men’s doubles: Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae (Kor) bt Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) 21-23, 21-9, 21-14.
Women’s singles: Li Xuerui (Chn) bt Wang Yihan (Chn) 21-13, 21-19.
Women’s doubles: Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) 21-17, 21-12.
Mixed doubles: Tantowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) bt Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 21-17, 21-19.
Courtesy of The Star

Friday, March 2, 2012

Wing Ki delivers knockout blow to Chen Jin

Chen Jin’s hopes of reaching the London Olympics were dented on Thursday when he was knocked out in the third round of the Yonex German Open by Wong Wing Ki (below).
Wing Ki, who also stunned Lin Dan in last year’s Denmark Open, was in superb form to claim a 21-9, 21-17, victory which sets him up with a quarter-final match with Jan O Jorgensen.
Chen Jin, who is currently ranked No. 5 in the world, needed to go all the way in this tournament to give himself a chance of qualifying for the Olympics as he is chasing Lin Dan and Chen Long, who are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively.
Each country can only have three shuttlers in the men’s singles competition at the Olympics if they are ranked among the top four, failing which, only two entries if the players are in the top 16.
As such, 2010 world champion Chen Jin could miss the boat.
Not that he could have many complains as his form since winning the world title in 2010 has been erratic while players such as Wing Ki no longer fear him. This was evident from their third round match with the Hong Kong player dominating right from the start.
Sixth seed Jorgensen (left), meanwhile, has been on top of his game for the last three months and will fancy reaching the final. If he can beat Wing Ki, then he will face the winner of the Simon Santoso-Shon Wan Ho match-up.
Top seed Lin Dan had no problems on Thursday, brushing aside England’s Carl Baxter and Spain’s Pablo Abian in straight games. He will now face Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus for a place in the semi-finals.
Doubles specialist Lee Yong Dae made it the last eight of the men’s and mixed doubles competition.
Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung, who are the top seeds in the men’s doubles, led two other South Korean pairs into the last eight. Japan also have three pairs in the quarter-finals with China and Indonesia completing the line-up.
In the mixed doubles, Yong Dae and Ha Jung Eun (right), are also one of three South Korean pairs in the quarter-finals and they will meet Germany’s Michael Fuchs-Birgit Michels for a place in the semi-finals.
In the women’s singles event, Singapore’s Gu Juan stunned eighth seed Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in straight games to progress to the next round.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong regaining confidence but have some way to go

Tan Boon Heong
Tan Boon Heong (left) and Koo Kien Keat have been told to focus on their first two matches at the All England in Birmingham starting Tuesday.
MEN’S doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, despite showing glimpses of their former brilliance the last three weeks, are still not regarded as All England title contenders by their coach Tan Kim Her.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong led from the front to help Malaysia qualify for the Thomas Cup Finals in Macau two weeks ago where they also ended their six-match losing streak to South Korea’s No 2 Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong.
Kien Keat partnered Lim Khim Wah to win the Selangor Open on Sunday but Kim Her feels they still have a long way to go to become the feared combination they once were and they must take it one match at a time in the All England, which starts in Birmingham on Tuesday.
The draw looks easy for the duo until the last eight as they will play Japan’s Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato in the first round and are then expected to meet Hong Wei-Shen Ye of China but Kien Keat-Boon Heong have lost to lesser known pairs previously.
Hong Wei-Shen Ye have  beaten  Kien Keat-Boon Heong and this is the reason why Kim Her doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. The coach is not even thinking about a potential clash against World No 2 Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae in the quarter-finals.
Jae Sung-Yong Dae have an impressive record of 12 wins in 14 meetings against the Malaysians and Kim Her wants Kien Keat-Boon Heong to focus on their first two matches.
“I always remind Kien Keat-Boon Heong to become hunters and target the opponents but they must also be prepared and be realistic. Let’s not talk about beating Jae Sung-Yong Dae yet as Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s resurgence has just begun,” said a cautious Kim Her.
“Macau was a good motivation for them but I am not going to set them a target. They should take it one match at a time. Let them beat the Japanese pair in the first round first.
“Hong Wei-Shen Ye are also strong and have beaten Kien Keat-Boon Heong, so the second round is not as easy as it looks.”
Kim Her added: “I was unable to push them in training because of back-to-back tournaments (Thomas Cup qualifiers and the Selangor Open) so I have not set any targets for them.
“They must show steady progress but the most important thing is to peak in the London Olympics. There’s no point winning international titles now but fail in the Olympics.”
Despite Kim Her’s caution, Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s current form suggests they will meet Jae Sung-Yong Dae in the last eight and the match will show if the Malaysian pair have  made progress.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s fitness has been their biggest worry but there has been improvement since Roesdi Ghani was assigned as their physical trainer four weeks ago.
Roesdi, who has been in charge of World No 1 Lee Chong Wei for the last six years, will also help Hafiz Hashim and world junior champion Zulfadli Zulkifli until the Thomas Cup Finals in May.
Zulfadli has also received a letter of invitation from BA of Malaysia (BAM) general manager Kenny Goh yesterday and will join training on Monday under Hendrawan.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Hafiz to play in qualifiers and as an independent shuttler at All-England

Mohd Hafiz Hashim has competed in many All-England badminton tournaments but it will be a new experience for him this time in more ways than one.
The 29-year-old Hafiz will be playing as an independent player for the first time at Birmingham when the qualifying tournament starts on Tuesday. It is also the first time that the 2003 All-England champion will be featuring in the qualifying round of the world’s oldest Open tournament.
Hafiz went independent last March and, so far, his one-year journey has been quite rewarding. He hopes the good fortune will continue with a good showing in the All-England – the tournament that launched him to prominence nine years ago.
In the past, he had enjoyed the best of two worlds – being a Nusa Mahsuri player as well as a member of the elite group in the national centre.
Regular visitor: Mohd Hafiz Hashim has played in every All-England championships since 2003 except for last year.
“I have played in every All-England since 2003 except for last year when I was just starting my professional career and didn’t get to compete,” said Hafiz, the world No. 32.
“It’s wonderful making a return to this tournament which is quite special to me.
“A year ago, I didn’t think I could still represent the country as an independent player. Now, I’m still very much wanted. It feels good to be needed,” he said.
Despite standing on his own feet since joining KLRC last March, Hafiz has been one of the top picks for Malaysia in major events. Just two weeks ago, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) selected him for the Thomas Cup qualifying tournament in Macau.
As the highest ranked Malaysian player after world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, Hafiz is a certainty for the Finals in Wuhan in May. He has also been named to represent the country in the Axiata Cup, a lucrative team competition that offers US$1mil in prize money, later this month.
Hafiz agreed that his main drawback has been his lack of fitness but he is determined to toughen up as his career, which once seemed over, has been given a fresh injection of life.
“I joined the BAM training a few days ago and have people looking into my physical condition. I am also spending more time in the gymnasium. I know that I can play more confidently if I am fitter,” he said.
On his challenge in the All-England, Hafiz said the immediate task was to clear the qualifying round.
“My ranking has dropped so I naturally have to start in the qualifiers. It is awkward but I am determined to show some improvement,” he said.
Hafiz will face Chan Yan Kit of Hong Kong in the opening round. If he wins, next up will be the winner of the match between Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk.
A tricky first round match against South Korean Lee Hyun-il awaits if he makes it to the main draw.
The other Malaysian who will have to go through the qualifiers is Liew Daren.
Courtesy of The Star