Tough start for duo

FAILURE to win the Malaysia Open will add another unwanted statistic to their waning career but Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong do not seem to be in a position to stop that.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong will complete three years without a super series title, the worst run by a top five pair since the circuit was introduced in 2007, if they fail on Jan 15-20 but they face twin Korean threats in the shape of Ko Sung Hyun-Lee Yong Dae and Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang.
Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark and Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng will take a break after the Korea Open on Jan 8-13 where Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the World No 2, will also compete but the Malaysians current form doesn't inspire confidence.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, whose last super series title was the 2010 Malaysia Open, are the top seeds in the event but their record against the Koreans is not convincing and local fans can only depend on men's singles Lee Chong Wei to the save the day again.
Sung Hyun-Yong Dae, who only paired off in September, have already won the French Open and also beat Kien Keat-Boon Heong in the last eight in Paris while Ki Jung-Sa Rang have beaten the Malaysians in their two meetings.
There could also be an early test in the form of the unseeded Muhammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong face the possibility of playing Ki Jung-Sa Rang or China's Hong Wei-Shen Ye in the quarter-finals and could meet either Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng or Sung Hyun-Yong Dae in the semi-finals of the Korea Open.
The BA of Malaysia (BAM) had initially given Kien Keat-Boon Heong until the World Championships in Guangzhou in August to save their career but this should be reviewed should the pair fail in the Korea and Malaysia Opens.
Reaching the finals of the Japan, Denmark and Hong Kong Opens, which they eventually lost, cannot be deemed as success as they only played second stringers in the earlier rounds.

Koo Kien Keat (right) and Tan Boon Heong

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NST

Arif leads charge in Lucknow

ARIF Latif led the way as the national back-up shuttlers advanced to the second round of the India Open grand prix gold in Lucknow yesterday.

Arif defeated Robin Gonansa of Singapore 21-14, 21-10 and played Andre Marteen of Indonesia in a late second round tie last night.
Misbun Ramdan Misbun was also through after beating Oscar Bansal of India 17-21, 21-15, 21-18 to play Suppanyu Avihingsanon of Thailand while Goh Soon Huat defeated Sourabh Verma of India 21-19, 21-14 and played another local shuttler Rohit Yadav last night.
Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin also advanced with a 16-21, 21-15, 21-15 win over Mohit Kamat to meet R.M.V. Gurusaidutt, also from India, last night.
Zulfadli Zulkifli was shown the exit after conceding a walkover in the third game against Parianyawat Thongnuam of Thailand. Zulfadli won the first game 21-16, lost the second game 18-21 and was trailing 11-16 in the decider where he conceded the match due to injury.
However, his brother Zulhelmi survived after beating Deephka Khatri of India 21-18, 21-18 and took on third seed Tommy Sugiarto of India yesterday.
In the men's doubles, Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han played Baptiste Careme-Gaeten Mittelheiser while Lutfi Zaim Khalid-Teo Kok Siang met Wahyu Nayaka Arya-Ade Yusuf of Indonesia late yesterday.

Arif Latif beat Robin Gonansa of Singapore 21-14, 21-10 in the first round of the India Open in Lucknow yesterday.

NST

Nothing super about the Super Series Finals in Shenzhen

The Badminton Super Series Finals was supposed to be the flagship event of the 12-leg circuit, but this year’s tournament turned out to be anything but that.
Players declining to compete – despite having qualified – made the tournament look like a second rate event.
The Koreans and Japanese were conspiciously absent from the field, with the exception of Kenichi Tago and men’s doubles Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa, who finished runners-up.
The organisers must have also felt frustrated that defending men’s singles champion Lin Dan did not qualify for the eight-man field.

Lin Dan (pic) married his long-time girlfriend Xie Xingfang after the London Olympics in August and has not competed in any tournament since.
Making it worse was the abrupt withdrawal of Lee Chong Wei due to a thigh muscle strain after he lost in three games to China’s Du Pengyu in his opening group match on Wednesday.
Pengyu reached the final on Sunday but was beaten by last year’s runner-up Chen Long.
Chong Wei attributed his current condition to the long and hard season and for competing in tournaments despite getting married last month. But he needs to remember that it was his desire to wrest the No. 1 ranking from Lin Dan that forced him to compete in most of the Super Series events after the Olympics.
Player can decline not to compete in the Finals and request to be exempted on medical grounds and there’s nothing the Badminton World Federation (BWF) can do at the moment. Perhaps the BWF should consider raising the prize money to make it more attractive for the top players.
BWF events director Darren Parks did not discount the possibility of raising the prize money, which has stood at US$500,000 since its inception in 2008.
“It was a shame that Chong Wei pulled out as the local fans know him and wanted him to play. The season is longer but badminton players are now earning twice what they used to over the last two years,” said Parks.
“The prize money has increased and we are going to have more Premier Super Series events in the future.
“The potential for the sport to grow bigger is there and we can learn from tennis, where the players compete in 20 tournaments a year.”
Another thing BWF should look into is making sure teams do not take advantage of the scheduling to ensure maximum representation in the semi-finals.
For example, China “made sure” their two men’s doubles pairs – Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun and Hong Wei-Shen Ye – got into the semi-finals from different groups. Hong Wei-Shen Ye lost to Endo-Hayakawa and finished as Group B runners-up behind the Japanese pair.
Later, Olympic champions Haifeng-Cai Yun took on Danes Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in a Group A match. A win for Haifeng-Cai Yun would see them facing their compatriots in the semi-finals.
Not surprisingly, Haifeng-Cai Yun lost to the Danes and finished as Group A runners-up. However, their efforts were in vain as both Chinese pairs did not make the final.
Haifeng-Cai Yun conceded a walkover after the latter sprained his back against the Japanese while the younger Chinese pair were beaten by the more superior Danes, who went on to claim their third successive title.
The Star

Withdrawal a blessing for Chong Wei

Lee Chong Wei withdrew from the Super Series finals due to injury and exhaustion.

AS far as Lee Chong Wei is concerned, his withdrawal from the Super Series Finals in China last week due to injury and exhaustion is a blessing in disguise.

And the World No 1 wants to come back with a bang by successfully defending the Korea and Malaysia Open titles next month.
Chong Wei, lacking preparation, had suffered a thigh strain just before the Super Series Finals, which ended in Shenzhen, China, yesterday.
The Malaysian was reluctant to compete in the event and suffered a rare defeat to Du Pengyu of China on Wednesday.
Chong Wei will start his preparation next week in a bid to win his third Korea Open (Jan 8-13) crown and a record ninth Malaysia Open (Jan 15-20) title to overtake legend Wong Peng Soon's mark.
There is also good news for Chong Wei as his nemesis, Lin Dan, will not make a return to the international stage in January and only Chen Long and Chen Jin will be in his way in the Korea Open.
The Malaysia Open will be even easier as none of the top China shuttlers will compete in the event with Kenichi Tago of Japan the second seed for the tournament.
"I was exhausted after a long season and had suffered a thigh strain. Withdrawing from the Super Series Finals had given me some rest ahead of the Korea and Malaysia Open where I want to defend my titles," said Chong Wei.
"I have about four weeks and I want to improve my physical condition and start winning titles again.
"I will also not compete in the National Grand Prix Finals (on Dec 27-30) in Alor Star as I want to focus on training for next year's events.
"Lin Dan is fortunate to get a long break and although he won't play in the first two tournaments, I expect him to return later and I still see him playing in the World Championships in Guangzhou in August.
"My target is also the World Championships and I know Lin Dan will be around and it will be a big challenge."
Chong Wei's absence paved the way for Chen Long to win his first Super Series title yesterday, which he duly did by defeating Pengyu 21-12, 21-13.
Men's doubles Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark successfully defended their crown by beating Japan's Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa 21-17, 21-19.

China rule as seeds tumble

USUALLY when the top seeds are sent packing in the semi-finals it constitutes a major upset but not in the BWF Super Series Finals in Shenzhen yesterday.

The loss of the top seeded mixed doubles and women's doubles pairs hardly raised an eye-brow given the higher standing of the conquerors.
The 16-21, 21-11, 21-19 defeat London Olympic silver medalists Xu Chen-Ma Jin to Olympic champions Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei, seeded fourth, is not the biggest of surprises in the all-China mixed doubles semi-final.
But what made a mockery of the Badminton World Federation's seedings was the 21-9, 21-8 hammering which fourth seeds Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang of China, ranked No 3 in the world, inflicted on Japanese top seeds Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito, the World No 5, in the women's doubles semi-finals.
China's Chen Long kept to his favourite tag in reaching the men's singles final against either compatriot Du Pengyu or Denmark's Hans-Kristian Vittinghus with a 21-10, 21-18 win over Hong Kong's Hu Yun while the hosts are assured of the women's title after Wang Shixian and Li Xuerui advanced to the final.
RESULTS (all s-finals) -- Men's singles: Cheng Long (Chn) bt Hu Yun (HK) 21-10, 21-18; Doubles: Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (Jpn) bt Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) 13-9 rtd, Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Hong Wei-Shen Ye (Chn) 26-24, 24-26, 21-15;
Women's singles: Wang Shixian (Chn) bt Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 21-12, 21-19, Li Xuerui (Chn) bt Saina Nehwal (Ind) 22-20, 7-21, 21-13; Doubles: Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito (Jpn) 21-9, 21-8, Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) bt Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) 19-21, 21-18, 24-22;
Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Xu Chen-Ma Jin (Chn) 16-21, 21-11, 21-19, Joachim Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam (Tha) 21-19, 21-13.

Koo-Tan deserve to stay as a pair based on their world rankings

Far from finished: The way Koo Kien Keat (left) and Tan Boon Heong have responded since failing to secure a medal at the London Olympics shows that all is not lost.

STATISTICS – or rather the world rankings – don’t lie.
And that being the case, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong certainly deserve to stay together for the next two years, at least.
The pair will end the season with only the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold title under their belt but the way they’ve responded since failing to secure a medal at the London Olympics shows that all is not lost.
They were ranked outside the top five at the beginning of the year and not many believed they would be able to contend for a medal at the London Olympics in July.
And they nearly proved their critics wrong.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong reached the semi-finals but lost in the playoff for the bronze medal to South Korea’s Lee Yong-dae-Chung Jae-sung.
Any lesser pair would have crumbled under such a devastating blow but the Malaysians rolled up their sleeves and bounced back stronger to reach the finals of the Japan Open and Denmark Open right after that.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong were also quarter-finalists in the French Open, semi-finalists in the China Open last month and finalists again in the Hong Kong Open recently.
They have slowly crept up to No. 2 in the world rankings and should continue to be a thorn to the likes of Olympic champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun and current world No. 1 Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark.
Doubles head coach Pang Cheh Chang admitted that Kien Keat-Boon Heong “are no doubt still the best men’s doubles pair in the country” judging by their consistency in the second half of the year.
“They still combine well. Our only concern is getting them to maintain this consistency. That’s the hardest part,” he said.
“They have the ability to fight and beat the other top pairs who are still around after the Olympics.
“It’s now about getting them to finish off their opponents.
“We also need to take care of their condition as the badminton season is now hectic, with compulsory participation in the five Premier Super Series and five Super Series events.
“They played in 15 international tournaments this year.
“The ranking is not so important but the goal for them next year will be to shine at the World Championships in Guangzhou and the Sudirman Cup, which we are hosting in Kuala Lumpur,” added Cheh Chang, who was pleased with their overall performance in the ongoing World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen.
The Malaysian pair were denied a place in the last four despite getting the better of Olympic silver medallists Boe-Mogensen on Thursday.
Haifeng-Cai Yun joined Boe-Mogensen in the semi-finals from Group A on better points difference compared to Kien Keat-Boon Heong.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who will play with different partners in the National Grand Prix Finals in Alor Setar from Dec 27-30, will resume their partnership for the Korean Open and Malaysian Open next month.
Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei and Pandelela named Olympians of the Year

Malaysia’s best: Lee Chong Wei (left) and Pandelela Rinong were named men’s and women’s Olympians of the Year last night. — SHAARI CHEMAT / The Star

No one batted an eyelid when world No. 1 singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei and diving diva Pandelela Rinong were named as the men’s and women’s Olympians of the Year for their superb medal winning efforts at the London Games in August.
Bouyed by the due recognition yesterday which came with RM10,000 in cash prize, Chong Wei and Pandelela have vowed to strive harder next year.
Chong Wei received the award from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah for winning a silver medal while Pandelela was honoured for her bronze medal effort in a glittering ceremony at the J.W. Marriot Hotel.
Chong Wei, whose challenge in the ongoing BWF World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen ended prematurely due to lethargy and thigh injury, was beaming with pride.
“This is my second Olympian of the Year award (after 2008) ... I’m so honoured,” said Chong Wei, who arrived home from China on Thursday.
It was his second major award this year, having nicked the NSC’s 2011 Sportsman of the Award in March.
“If I can maintain my physical condition for the next four years, I’ll attempt to go for my third Olympian of the Year award,” he quipped before quickly acknolwedging that “it will be super tough, though”.
The 30-year-old, who went down fighting to China’s Lin Dan in the final of an epic men’s singles final in the Olympics in August, said his main target next year was to become the first Malaysian to win the World Championships in Guangzhou.
“My thigh injury is not serious. I’ll cut down on some tournaments in the next few months and peak at the world meet,” he said.
“Receiving this Olympian of the Year award caps a great year for me. Except for the Super Series Finals, I’ve reached the finals of the last nine individual tournaments. That’s a first for me.”
For the 19-year-old Pandelela, the award was a meaningful one.
“It’s my first Olympian of the Year award and I am so thankful. It has been a glorious year for me, especially my Olympic bronze medal effort,” said Pandelela, who finished third in the 10m springboard event.
Following her achievement in becoming the first Malaysian woman – and the first sport other than badminton – to win an Olympic medal, Pandelela has been showered with so many rewards and incentives. She has also been busy giving talks to inspire others.
“My feet are still planted firmly on the ground. I am thankful for all the rewards, incentives and recognition. I do not see them as distractions but more as a motivation to excel to greater heights,” she said.
“Next year, I am eyeing podium finishes in three main world events – the Fina World Series, World Championships and World University Games. I’ve won bronze medals in these meets but the challenge will be to maintain top-three finishes on a regular basis ... that’s something I’ll try to achieve.”
Meanwhile several former athletes, including R. Selvamuthu (taekwondo), Ng Shu Wai (artistic gymnastics) and R. Puvaneswaran (karate), were inducted into the Hall of Fame for their contributions to their respective sports.
OCM president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar also paid tribute to the late Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, the former OCM president, for his valuable contributions to sports development in general.
He also announced the naming of the OCM Indoor Sports Arena as the Tan Sri Hamzah Sports Arena.
Courtesy of The Star

CR Land BWF World Superseries Finals - Day 5 - afternoon: Asian and European Powerhouses Win Superseries Finals

China and Denmark shared honours as the 2012 badminton season closed today with the crescendo of the CR Land BWF World Superseries Finals in Shenzhen, China.

Denmark won two titles – the Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles – while China reigned in Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles.

Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen only struck form in the second half of 2012, with good semi-final performances at the Olympics and Hong Kong Open. At this tournament, they were unstoppable, remaining undefeated in their three group matches and yesterday’s semi-final. Beating Olympic champions Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei last Wednesday night would have boosted the Danes’ confidence and it showed.

Although the Chinese took the first game, Fischer and Pedersen came back into the match with some sharp and steady play. Fischer (BWF home page) was particularly impressive from the back, playing some unusual left-handed strokes that surprised Zhang and Zhao repeatedly. Pedersen outplayed Zhao at the net, and the Danes got a stranglehold on the match from early in the second game. Towards the end, Zhang made a number of unforced errors as the pressure played on his nerves. Fischer and Pedersen emerged comfortable winners, 17-21 21-12 21-14.

Denmark’s second title came in the Men’s Doubles through Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (top left), who beat second seeds Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan 21-17 21-19. The European champions thus won the BWF World Superseries Finals for the third successive occasion.

The Danes were dominant from the outset, using their height and steepness of shots to keep the opposition on the defensive. Upon winning the final point, the two spontaneously broke into the well-known ‘Gangnam Style’ dance; the second time this season they did so. Victory in the year-ending tournament secured the world No. 1 ranking for the European champions.

Having won the first of her two Doubles finals, Pedersen was eyeing a second celebration in Women’s Doubles. European champions Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl have never beaten world champions Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli (top right) in two previous meetings (including the group stage in Shenzhen) and the status quo would remain intact. The world champions, disqualified from the Olympics in summer, have shown great resilience – winning the second tournament since their comeback, 21-16 21-14 in 34 minutes.

Pedersen and Juhl went ahead 12-9 in the first game but, from then on, Yu and Wang lifted their game and were unchallenged for the rest of the match. Wang’s powerful smashes found no answer. The Danes appeared out of ideas as the hosts cruised to the championship.

FINALS HIGHLIGHTS

• Olympic champion Li Xuerui (bottom left) won an astonishing eighth title in 2012 with a 21-9 15-4 (retd) victory over compatriot and No. 5 Wang Shixian. This was Li’s 15th successive win since losing to Germany’s Juliane Schenk in the quarter-finals of the Denmark Open in October. Li recorded 56 wins in 61 matches this year.

• World No. 2 Chen Long (bottom right) won his third title in a row, and fourth in his five tournaments, by beating compatriot Du Pengyu 21-12 21-13. With this win, Chen has won 23 of his last 24 matches. Incidentally, the last match he lost was to Du, at the Denmark Open semi-final.

World Superseries Finals: Koo-Tan shock World No 1 Danes

MEN'S doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong came back strongly to stay in contention for a semi-final berth when they upset World No 1 Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark while Liew Daren's hopes hung by a thread after a second straight defeat in the Super Series Finals in Shenzhen yesterday.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong needed to beat Boe-Mogensen to survive and they earned a 21-19, 15-21, 21-18 win in Group A in 73 minutes.
Having lost to Cai Yun-Haifeng on Wednesday, the pressure was on Kien Keat-Boon Heong but the Danes were the ones who choked in the deciding game. Kien Keat, who needed medical attention twice for a bruised finger in the third game, also took advantage of the break to unsettle the Danes.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong must wait for the last group match between Boe-Mogensen and Cai Yun-Haifeng to confirm their semi-final berth. If Boe-Mogensen win, the semi-finalists will be decided on countback.
In the men's singles, Daren battled hard but his fitness and endurance were not good enough to stop Chen Long from securing a 23-25, 21-8, 21-12 win in Group B.
The win confirmed Chen Long a place in the semis while Daren was offered a glimmer of hope after Hans Christian Vittinghus of Denmark defeated Japan's Kenichi Tago 21-18, 21-13 in the same group.
Daren can sneak in if he beats Vittinghus in straight games and Chen Long secures a win over Kenichi with the same margin today.
"I had no pressure in the first game and managed to fight back from 10-18 to win 25-23. However, Chen Long was very focused after that," said Daren.
"I was very tired in the third game. My fitness is lacking compared to the top players and I have to work harder in order to beat them."
Men's doubles Tan Wee Kiong-Hoon Thien How are also out of the semi-finals after losing 21-17, 21-16 to Hong Wei-Shen Ye of China in Group B.
Mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying also failed to get past the preliminary stage after losing 21-16, 21-8 to Denmark's Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen in Group B.
They will play Olympic champions Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei of China in their last group match today.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

World Superseries Finals: Graceful Ratchanok wins over crowd with humble ways

TEENAGER Ratchanok Intanon has certainly come a long way from her humble background in north-east Thailand. The 17-year-old is assured of a big pay cheque after earning a place in the last four of the World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen this weekend.
Ratchanok won over the Chinese crowd with her humble ways as she gracefully clasped her hands together in the traditional form of greeting, often referred to as wai, and bowed to all four corners after beating world No. 3 Saina Nehwal of India in straight games in a Group B match.
Ratchanok chalked up a 21-13, 21-16 win over Saina for her second straight victory over a higher ranked player.
Ratchanok, whose parents were migrant labourers from the Yasothorn province, had opened accounts on a fierce note by beating London Olympic bronze medallist Juliane Schenk of Germany 21-17, 22-20 on Wednesday.
The Thai, who was a delight to watch with her accurate placings and good net play, was happy with her strong run in what is her first appearance in the Super Series Finals.
“I just realised that I’m the first to have checked into the women’s singles semi-finals. I’ve lost many times to Saina, so I am happy to beat her in straight games.
“I do not have high expectations here as the top eight players in this field are equally strong. But now that I’m in the semi-finals, I’ll try to take it a step further,” said Ratchanok, a three-time world junior champion.
Ratchanok will complete her Group B fixtures against Tine Baun of Denmark. Saina is out of contention as her defeat by Ratchanok was the second in as many days.
Saina, a former world junior champion, was beaten 14-21, 21-11, 19-21 by Baun on Wednesday.
Asked how she took a liking for the sport, Ratchanok said her parents used to work at a badminton centre in Bangkok when she was younger.
“There was a badminton school and I was about five when I learnt to run. The owner was worried about my safety as there was hot water all around.
“I took up badminton and became good at it. Later, I wanted to become a national player like my older friends and play for the country as I felt that it was the best way to help my parents,” said the filial daughter, who has given away her prize money to help her father open a food stall.
Ratchanok became the most successful player ever at the World Junior Championships, winning her third straight singles title in Taiwan last year.
Courtesy of The Star

World Superseries Finals: Tired and injured Chong Wei pulls out

12-12-12 – was supposed to be a memorable date but it turned out otherwise for world No. 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei.
First, his bid to regain his World Super Series Finals crown suffered a blow when he lost his opening group match to China’s world No. 7 Du Pengyu 12-21, 21-16, 22-20.
Then came the biggest blow – Chong Wei pulled out of the tournament – citing a right thigh injury.
Chong Wei was expected to coast through after taking the first game easily.
But his lack of preparation for the Super Series finale event after getting married last month was laid bare as the stubborn Du Pengyu, roared on by the local crowd, carved out a stunning win in 65 minutes.
Pengyu collapsed to the ground in sheer joy and celebrated as if he had won the title. It surely must have felt that way as this is the first time he has overcome the Malaysian after losing in six previous meetings.
Chong Wei then discussed with his coach Tey Seu Bock and pulled out of the tournament, thus giving up the chance of winning a fourth Super Series Finals title.
Team manager Jeremy Gan confirmed that they had officially informed the organisers of the top seed’s withdrawal.
“I am not in good condition ... I have a leg injury coming here. I wanted to skip this tournament as I only got married last month,” said Chong Wei, winner of the event from 2008 to 2010 but lost to China’s Chen Long in the semi-finals in Liuzhou last year.
“I wanted to take a longer break and then get ready for the Korean Open and Malaysian Open next month.
“But I was told that I would be fined US$5,000 if I didn’t come here.
“I’ll return home and hopefully recover to play in the Korean Open and Malaysian Open.”
Chong Wei’s withdrawal has left Pengyu in a strong position to reach the last four. He only needs to beat Hu Yun of Hong Kong in his second Group A match today.
The top two finishers from each group advance to the crossover semi-finals.
Chong Wei felt it would be better not to continue if “I am unable to give my best”.
“It’s been a long season, everyone is tired. I’ve been playing in tournaments every month after the London Olympics,” he said.
“Lin Dan (who did not qualify for the Super Series Finals) never played after the Olympics ... he took a long break for his wedding while I didn’t have a choice.
“I tried not to put pressure on myself here as I knew I was not in the best condition. physically and mentally.”
And he was proven right.
Courtesy of The Star

Chong Wei’s bigger battle is in his own mind

Lee Chong Wei is more worried about his mental state than his opponents as he chases a fourth men’s singles title in the BWF World Super Series Finals.
The Malaysian is the top seed in the Finals, which begin in Shenzhen tomorrow, by virtue of being the world No. 1. Hosts China have two formidable players Chen Long and Du Pengyu in the fray and both are capable of ending Chong Wei’s season on a high.
Chen Long stopped Chong Wei from winning his sixth Open title of the year in the final of last month’s Hong Kong Open and Pengyu gave the Malaysian a run for his money before losing in the final of the Denmark Open in October.
The 30-year-old Chong Wei, whose training programme was interrupted by his grand wedding reception last month, said that he could be his worst enemy in the Finals.
“These players from China will always be a threat but I am not worried about them right now. It all depends on how much I can push myself in this tournament,” said Chong Wei. Fortunately, I am not troubled by any injuries. I am just mentally drained after a long and hectic season,” he added.
Chong Wei, however, is highly motivated.
If he makes it to the final in Shenzhen, it will be his record 10th final appearance in 10 tournaments this year.
“Given a choice, I would not have gone for the Finals. But then, I would have to pay the US$5,000 penalty for skipping it. I will give it my best shot and see how it goes.
“My focus is on defending my titles at next month’s Korean and Malaysian Opens,” said the 30-year-old.
Besides Chong Wei, Chen Long and Du Pengyu, the other men’s singles qualifiers in Shenzhen are Malaysian Liew Daren, Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand, Japanese Kenichi Tago, Dane Hans-Kristian Vittinghus and Hong Kong’s Hu Yun. The draw will be done today with the eight players divided into two groups. Chong Wei said he was pleased to see Daren’s name in the Finals.
“Like China, we have two qualifiers. I’m pleased with Daren’s progress this year. He has come a long way and I hope he will keep the momentum going,” said Chong Wei, who frequently spars with Daren.
“Daren’s change in fortunes is due to his determination to break out of the rut he was in.
“His change in attitude saw him winning the French Open title. I hope more juniors will start to show their commitment in training,” added Chong Wei.
Csourtesy of The Star

World Superseries Finals: No easy passage for Chong Wei despite Lin Dan's absence

THE absence of defending champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan from China in the BWF World Super Series Final in Shenzhen, China from Dec 12-16, will not mean an easy passage to the title for Datuk Lee Chong Wei.

The Malaysian ace who recently wed his long time girlfriend and shuttler Wong Mew Choo recently, will have to overcome his nemesis Chen Long, the world number three, in the absence of his arch-rival Lin Dan.

Though the head-to-head record between Chong Wei and Chen Long stands at 7-5 in favour of the Malaysian after 12 meetings, but the latest loss suffered by Chong Wei in the Hong Open Open last month is cause for concern.

Chong Wei who played nine tournaments this year, however, has a unique record of reaching the final in every one of them although he managed to win only five tournaments.

The grand final in Shenzhen, apart from giving Chong Wei, 30, an opportunity to wrest the title that he had won in 2008, 2009 and 2010, will also give the Penangtite a chance to add another feather to his already impressive cap by making it to his 10th final in 10 outings.

In 2011, Chong Wei did not compete in the grand final due to a shoulder injury, allowing Lin Dan to claim his first grand final title.

The BWF Super Series Final, the climax of the 12-leg BWF Super Series circuit, will end the year with the best eight men’s and women’s singles and doubles players, as well as mixed doubles players battling it out for a slice of the USD500,000 (RM1.55 million) prize money.

The qualification for the final is based on ranking points accumulated by players throughout the series and since Lin Dan had only played in Korea Open, Malaysian Open and All England, he failed to accumulate enough points.

Apart from Chong Wei and Chen Long, China's rising star Du Pengyu and Japan's Kenichi Tago, Liew Daren (Malaysia), Denmark's Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, Hu Yun from Hong Kong and Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana are in the list.

In the doubles competition, national doubles pair Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and Tan Wee Kiong/Hoon Thien How will see action while Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying will be featuring in the mixed doubles competition.
Courtesy of Bernama

Thien How-Wee Kiong eye top four finish in Shenzhen

Staying positive: Hoon Thien How (right) and Tan Wee Kiong plan to ruffle some feathers and make the top four at the BWF World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen.

Shuttlers Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong are the lowest ranked men’s doubles pair at the BWF World Super Series Finals, which begins in Shenzhen tomorrow.
But the duo plan to ruffle some feathers and make the top four, at least, in the US$500,000 tournament.
Thien How-Wee Kiong are one of the eight qualifiers for the Tour’s season finale. The others are compatriots Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong; Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa; China’s Hong Wei-Shen Ye and Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng; South Koreans Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang; Danes Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen; and Thailand’s Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit.
All the qualifiers have won Open titles – either a Super Series or a Grand Prix Gold in their careers – except for Thien How-Wee Kiong. And all of them are currently ranked in the top 10 in the world expect for world No. 15 Thien How-Wee Kiong.
The 23-year-old Wee Kiong admitted that they were ranked outsiders but that, he said, won’t stop them from trying to create a few upsets.
“Thien How and I only paired up in April, so to have qualified for the Super Series Finals together with Koo and Tan is a bonus for us. We do not want to waste this chance by playing below par,” said Wee Kiong.
“We’ll be thrilled to reach the semi-finals, although it means we’ll have to beat at least two higher ranked pairs.”
The draw, to be conducted tomorrow, will see the eight pairs divided into two groups of four each. The top two pairs from each group will then meet in the crossover semi-finals.
Wee Kiong acknowledged that the last-minute entry of four-time world champions and reigning Olympic gold medallists Cai Yun-Haifeng would make the men’s doubles competition very challenging.
The Chinese pair, who won the final leg of the Tour at the Hong Kong Open last week, received a lucky break when fourth qualifiers – Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata of Japan – withdrew.
This enabled the first reserves – Cai Yun-Haifeng – to make the cut.
“Without them, the men’s doubles race would have been more open. Cai Yun-Haifeng are the most consistent pairs and will surely be the ones to beat in this tournament,” said Wee Kiong.
Malaysia’s other qualifiers for the Finals are Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying. Except for Thien How-Wee Kiong, all the other Malaysian shuttlers have tasted success in the Super Series Tour at least once.
The qualifiers
Men’s singles: 1. Lee Chong Wei (Mas), 2. Chen Long (Chn), 3. Kenichi Tago (Jpn), 4. Hu Yun (Hkg), 5. Daren Liew (Mas), 6. Boonsak Ponsana (Tha), 7. Du Pengyu (Chn), 8. Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Den).
Men’s doubles: 1. Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas), 2. Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (Jpn), 3. Hong Wei-Shen Ye (Chn), 4. Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor), 5. Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den), 6. Bodin Isara-Maneepong Jongjit (Tha), 7. Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas), 8. Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn).
Women’s singles: 1. Li Xuerui (Chn), 2. Juliane Schenk (Ger), 3. Wang Shixian (Chn), 4. Saina Nehwal (Ind), 5. Tine Baun (Den), 6. Sung Ji-hyun (Kor), 7. Eriko Hirose (Jpn), 8. Ratchanok Intanon (Tha).
Women’s doubles: 1. Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito (Jpn), 2. Eom Hye-won-Jang Ye-na (Kor), 3. Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (Chn), 4. Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn), 5. Duanganong Aroonkesorn-V. Kunchala (Tha), 6. Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den), 7. Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn), 8. Pook Lok Yan-Tse Ying Suet.
Mixed doubles: 1. Xu Chen-Ma Jin (Chn), 2. Chan Peng Soon- Goh Liu Ying (Mas), 3. Tantowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir (Ina), 4. Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn), 5. Sudket Prapakamol-T. Saralee (Tha), 6. Joachim Fisher-Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den), 7. Yoo Yeonseong- Jang Ye-na (Kor), 8. Mohd Rijal-Debby Susanto (Ina).
Courtesy of The Star

OSIM BWF World Superseries Finals: Who Will It Be?

This season’s most consistent performers on the OSIM BWF World Superseries circuit will clash in a titanic battle for year-end honours at next week’s Finals in Shenzhen, China.

Starting Wednesday 12 December and continuing until Sunday 16 December at China Resources Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, eight singles players or pairs will compete for supremacy in Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles in their respective categories.

Will world number one and Malaysian star, Lee Chong Wei, get revenge over Chen Long for his Men’s Singles loss in the final of last month’s Hong Kong Open? Or will the Chinese ace or one of the other six qualifiers – including Kenichi Tago (Japan), Hu Yun (Hong Kong) and Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Denmark) – savour the spotlight?

Can one of the year’s revelations – Li Xuerui – maintain the amazing run that saw this Chinese eclipse more illustrious names to claim the Women’s Singles gold at the London Olympics? Perhaps Germany’s Juliane Schenk; Saina Nehwal of India or young Thai sensation Ratchanok Intanon will have a say in the outcome.

In Doubles, can China’s Zhao Yunlei match her Olympics feat and achieve a remarkable Doubles double again; taking Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles honours with Tian Qing and Zhang Nan respectively?

Olympic Men’s Doubles champions, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, squeezed into the Finals in the last qualifying berth after a pair higher up could not compete. Is it this stellar Chinese duo’s destiny to snatch another major title?

All these questions and more will soon be answered but, before the action begins, the BWF will preview each category starting today, looking at the contenders and assessing their chances.

OSIM BWF World Superseries Finals - Women's Singles Preview: Xuerui Favoured among Quality Contenders

Despite the absence of its defending Women’s Singles champion, Wang Yihan, the OSIM BWF World Superseries Finals will not be devoid of quality.

Though injury has thwarted the world No. 1 and Chinese shuttler’s quest for a second straight year-end success, eight of the best have confirmed their participation and it is difficult to predict the winner.

The favourite must be Olympic gold medallist, Li Xuerui (BWF home page), who has enjoyed an astonishing season – winning seven major individual titles. Amazingly, Li has won 51 of 56 matches this year – triumphing more than 90 per cent of the time!

In a relatively short career, she has won most of the major titles – the Olympics, the Asian Championships and the All England, and she will be keen to add the World Superseries Finals to that list.

Among those likely to deny her the title are Germany’s Juliane Schenk and India’s Saina Nehwal (together, top right). Both have beaten Li this year – Schenk at the Denmark Open and Nehwal in the Indonesia Open final. Schenk has been one of the most consistent players on the tour, reaching the finals or semi-finals of nine major tournaments. Schenk also has a good record against the top Chinese players and will hope to add another trophy to her first Superseries title won in Singapore. Asked about her consistency versus the Chinese, Schenk said: “It’s simply about enjoying (playing). The previous tournaments have been good for me and I try to go my way. I’ve proved in the past that I can beat them (Chinese). To make it consistent is great. There’s no special secret to it. The Superseries Finals this year is a goal.”

Saina Nehwal had a slow start to the year, but she had a dream fortnight in June, sweeping the Thailand Open and Indonesia Open Superseries. At the Indonesia Open she had brilliant victories over third seed Wang Shixian in the quarters, Sung Ji Hyun (Korea, semi-finals), and Li Xuerui in the final. Following a successful campaign at the Olympics, where she won a bronze medal, the 22-year-old had another remarkable two weeks in Europe, winning the Denmark Open Superseries Premier and finishing runner-up in the French Open. Boasting victories over all the top Chinese, Nehwal stands a good chance of finishing 2012 on a high.

The second Chinese in the fray is world No. 5 Wang Shixian, who has not had a good season by her high standards. Although she had a great start to the year – winning the Korea Open and reaching the final of the Swiss – her confidence seemed to desert her after she lost a thrilling quarter-final to Nehwal at the Indonesia Open. She frequently lost in early rounds to lower-ranked players, such as Xuan Deng (China, No. 107), Minatsu Mitani (Japan, No. 13), Eriko Hirose (Japan, No. 14), and Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Thailand, No. 12). However, Wang has won major titles and she is capable of coming back in strong fashion; the World Superseries Finals could be the ideal stage.

Tine Baun (bottom right) is in the final leg of a great career. She is definitely not at her best, and her 2012 season reflects that: the only title she won was the European Championships. In all the other tournaments, she failed to get past the quarter-finals. However, it would be foolhardy of the others to underestimate this great Dane, as she is certainly capable of springing a few surprises.

The other three contenders are Sung Ji Hyun (Korea, No. 8), Eriko Hirose (Japan, No. 14) and Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand, No. 9). Sung Ji Hyun (top left) was consistent through the year, with a couple of big upsets (China’s Wang Xin and Jiang Yanjiao), but she has no title to show. Hirose, the 27-year-old, continued to fight despite the march of much-younger opponents. She was narrowly beaten to the Japan Open title by teenager Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), and made the semi-finals of the French Open after upsetting second seed Wang Shixian.

Ratchanok Intanon (bottom left) had her moments in the year but found it hard to go all the way. Nevertheless, she had some significant wins and the 17-year-old has progressed well. Whether the Thai prodigy can challenge for honours at the World Superseries Finals is another question altogether

OSIM BWF World Superseries Finals - Men's Singles Preview: Chong Wei and Chen Long the Ones to Beat

Defending champion Lin Dan will be the only big name missing from Men’s Singles in the year-ending OSIM BWF World Superseries Finals that get underway in Shenzhen on 12 December.

Lin, the World and Olympic champion from China, has played in only three Superseries events in 2012 – the Korea Open, Malaysia Open and All England – and is placed a lowly No. 29 in the World Superseries standings.

Barring big upsets, the Men’s Singles should be a fight between No. 1 Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia) and No. 2 Chen Long (China). The two (together, BWF home page) have met 12 times in their career, and Lee holds a slim advantage with a 7-5 record. He has had an outstanding season so far –reaching the final of all nine open tournaments he has taken part in, winning five. It will be interesting to see if he can make a tenth straight final.

“It has been hectic year, especially with my wedding and all,” Lee was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper. “I only had two days of solid training after my marriage for the Hong Kong Open but I still made it to the final. Physically, I can still press on but, mentally, I am quite drained. Anyway, I will go all out in my final tournament for this season at the World Superseries Finals and try to keep my record clean.”

However, the Men’s Singles event will not be only about Lee Chong Wei and Chen Long. The feisty Du Pengyu (top left) of China will hope to go all the way to a title after failing thrice in finals this year – at the Asian Championships, Indonesia Open and Denmark Open. Pengyu can be a difficult player to beat for the best players if he gets into rhythm, as he demonstrated in the exciting Denmark Open final, where Lee just got past him.

There is also Daren Liew, who surprised everybody by winning the French Open Superseries; a strong performance in Shenzhen will help this Malaysian prove that the Superseries victory was no fluke.

Kenichi Tago (bottom left) had a wretched mid-season after beginning the year promisingly. He reached the final of the Malaysia Open and semi-finals at the All England but, half-way through the year, he lost in the first or second rounds of five straight tournaments. However, he seemed to recover his confidence at the French Open, where he made the semi-finals. The Japanese player admitted in Hong Kong that there is still a gulf between him and the top players. Whether he can reduce this chasm in Shenzhen is left to be seen.

The other three in the draw have not been consistent. Hong Kong’s Hu Yun enjoyed a good run of form in the middle of 2012, reaching the semi-finals of the Indonesia Open and Japan Open, and final of the China Masters, but the latter half of the year has seen him lose in the early rounds. Thailand veteran Boonsak Ponsana (top right) also struggled, but a win at the Singapore Open Superseries and the runner-up place in Japan helped him salvage 2012.

The lucky qualifier in the Men’s Singles was Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (bottom right) who benefitted from the withdrawal of Japan’s Sho Sasaki. The Dane has dropped to a world ranking of 24 from his career-best 14, and has had an average year, with his best performances coming at the German Open and Swiss Open (quarter-final losses to Lin Dan and Chen Long respectively). Vittinghus will back himself to spring some surprises at the Superseries Finals.

Korea Open GP Gold: Arif strolls, Sonia shines

ARIF Latif checked into the men's singles semi-finals of the Korea Open grand prix gold in Jeonnam while Sonia Cheah impressed in the women's singles yesterday.
Arif defeated unheralded South Korean Yim Jong Woo 21-16, 21-16 in the quarter-finals to keep alive his hopes of securing a first international title.
He will meet South Korean back-up player Lee Dong Keun, who beat Riyanto Subagja of Indonesia 21-18, 21-11, in the last four today.
Sonia also achieved her best result in a grand prix tournament, beating Miki Takagi of Japan 21-10, 21-18, and will take on second seed Aprilla Yuswandari of Indonesia today.
In the men's doubles, scratch pair Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo reached the semi-finals, beating Lin Yen Jui-Lu Chia Bin of Taiwan 16-21, 21-13, 21-16.
V Shem has resumed his partnership with Jian Guo (they played together during junior days and in the back-up squad) after a fallout with Lim Khim Wah.
However, V Shem will combine with Khim Wh again as the duo are said to have settled their differences and should make a return in the Korea and Malaysia Opens next month.
V Shem-Jian Guo face an uphill task in the last four as they will take on favourites Ko Sung Hyun-Lee Yong Dae of South Korea.
Back-up pair Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming bowed out in the last eight when they lost 21-13, 21-18 to top seeds Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang of South Korea.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Korea Open GP Gold: Chooi-Ow going great guns in Korea after win over Kim-Na

Former world junior boys’ doubles champions Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han have a chance to show that they are ready to step up to the big league when they face top seeds Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang in the Korean Open GP Gold in Jeonnam today.
If they can overcome the world No. 6 Koreans, Kah Ming-Yao Han can be assured of moving up the rankings and making them the country’s third pair after Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong.
Kah Ming-Yao Han are now ranked 50th in the world.
Yesterday, Kah Ming-Yao Han defeated Kim Ki-seob-Na Jae-yeob of South Korea 17-21, 21-10, 21-10 to reach the quarter-finals while Asian champions Ki-jung-Sa-rang ousted Malaysians Mohd Razif Abdul Latif-Jagdish Singh 21-10, 21-13.
National chief coach Tan Kim Her is pleased with Kah Ming-Yao Han’s steady rise and has challenged them to take on the Koreans without any fear.
“It won’t be easy against the Koreans. This is a good opportunity for them to know where they stand against top players. All I want is for them to play without showing fear,” said Kim Her.
“They have done considerably well this year, especially in several other GP Gold events. We’ve been focusing quite a bit on the world juniors this year. The time has arrived to take Kah Ming-Yao Han to another level.”
The duo reached the final of the Malaysian Open GP Gold and semi-finals of the Taiwan Open GP Gold. On the local scene, the duo did well to stun Kien Keat- Boon Heong in the quarter-finals of the Pahang Open in October.
Malaysia will also have back-up pair Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo in the quarter-finals of the GP Gold today and they stand a better chance of making the top four when they take on Lin Yen-jui-Lu Chia-bin of Taiwan.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s singles was reduced to only one when Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin failed to join top seed Mohd Arif Abdul Latif in the quarter-finals.
Iskandar lost 18-21, 14-21 to Indonesia’s Riyanto Subagja.
Arif, who is hoping to win his first GP Gold title, will face unseeded Yim Jong-woo of South Korea in the last eight.
World No. 80 Sonia Cheah kept the Malaysian flag flying high when she made it to the women’s singles quarter-finals, where she faces a tricky challenge against Japan’s Miki Takagi.
Courtesy of The Star

Super Series Finals: RM16,000 fine if Chong Wei skips season ender

LEE Chong Wei, if given a choice, would have skipped the Super Series Finals in Shenzhen which begin on Wednesday as he wants to put in some quality preparation to retain the Korea Open and Malaysia Open titles in January.
Chong Wei, seeking his fourth Super Series Finals title, said the US$5,250 (RM16,000) fine imposed on players who withdraw was the reason he wanted to compete in Shenzhen although he has been struggling to get sufficient training since his wedding last month.
China's Chen Long will be Chong Wei's only threat in the Super Series Finals but the former may have a slight edge after having beaten the World No 1 in the Hong Kong Open a fortnight ago.
"It has been a long season with so many tournaments. Wedding preparations had also taken a lot of my time last month and I am still not fully prepared going into a tournament like the Super Series Finals," said Chong Wei.
"I am just hoping to complete the Super Series Finals. I am slightly better focused compared to the Hong Kong Open but I am not thinking too much about the Super Series Finals."
"If there was an opportunity, I would skip the event to concentrate on preparing for the Korea Open and Malaysia Open where I want to defend the titles."
"It will be extremely cold in Korea and the following week I have to play in Malaysia, so I need to be better prepared. Anyway, I'll do my best in Shenzhen."
Liew Daren is the other player who has qualified for the men's singles and the absence of top players opens the way for him to advance to the last four.
Men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will be facing a difficult time as Olympic champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China, despite finishing ninth in the Super Series standings, have also qualified following the withdrawal of Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata of Japan.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong are in danger of even not making the semi-finals as they could be in the same group as Cai Yun-Haifeng, Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang of South Korea and Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark.
Tan Wee Kiong-Hoon Thien How are the other qualifiers in the men's doubles while Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have qualified for the mixed doubles.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Malaysian Open a good prelude to Super Series Premier event

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are confident that next year’s Maybank Malaysian Open will serve as a good warm-up before the tournament is upgraded to a Super Series Premier event in 2014.
The Malaysian Open is currently one of the seven Super Series events in the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) calendar.
However, it won the right to be upgraded to become one of the five Premier events in the next cycle, alongside China, Denmark, England and Indonesia, during the BWF council meeting last week.
And BAM deputy president Datuk Al-Amin Majid believes that the next Malaysian Open, from Jan 15-20, will play a crucial role in impressing everyone that Malaysia will be up to the task.
“We are very happy that Malaysia has finally earned the right to host a Premier event from 2014 onwards and next year’s Malaysian Open will be a good testing ground for us,” he said after the first organising committee meeting at Bukit Jalil yesterday.
“Although the total prize money will remain at US$400,000, it is still one of the biggest for a Super Series event and we’re looking forward to all the top players coming here.
“I’d like to think that Malaysia is one of the best host in terms of hospitality and we should have no problems attracting the top players.
“It also helps that Lee Chong Wei is the top player in the world and others would love to come here to try and beat him on his home ground.”
Al-Amin also said that five courts would be used for the first two days (qualifying and first round) of the Malaysian Open.
This, he said, was because “there are almost 80 matches and, if we stick to four courts, it may well drag past midnight”.
Courtesy of The Star

Old injury dampens mixed doubles specialist Liu Ying’s enthusiasm

Mixed doubles specialist Goh Liu Ying is heading to the BWF World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen from Dec 12-16 with mixed feelings. Though delighted to be in the Finals with partner Chan Peng Soon, Liu Ying is also worried that a nagging knee injury may prevent them from doing well.
The diminutive Liu Ying and Peng Soon have enjoyed a massive breakthrough this year, having reached the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open and All-England.
Although they didn’t fare too well at the London Olympics, losing all three matches to crash out in the group stage, they came back stronger and picked up their first-ever Super Series title by winning the Japan Open in September.
They also made the semi-finals of the Denmark Open in October and the China and Hong Kong Opens last month.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying’s tremendous form this year has also pushed them up the rankings, from No. 11 in January to No. 3 now.
It also earned them the ticket to Shenzhen by virtue of being the second ranked pair in the Super Series standings, in which only the top eight pairs will compete.
However, all that exertions have taken a toll on Liu Ying’s fitness and she is now racing against time to recover from an old right knee injury.
“It’s an old injury which flared up recently ... I’m not sure what kind of condition I’ll be in when the Super Series Finals begin,” said Liu Ying.
“I guess I’ve been pushing too hard recently, especially during the China and Hong Kong Opens because that was when I felt the pain again.
“I’ve had a week’s rest since returning from Hong Kong and been following the physio’s instructions, but there’s still a bit of pain when I hit the courts.
“I’m just hoping that the injury doesn’t act up again when the action begins in Shenzhen.”
Peng Soon-Liu Ying will not have an easy time at the Super Series Finals as almost all the top mixed pairs have qualified for the event, in particular arch-rivals Xu Chen-Ma Jin and Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei of China.
“It’s great to be ranked in the top four now but our work is far from done. I really want to beat the Chinese pairs,” said Liu Ying.
“Since returning from the Olympics, we have grown in confidence ... especially after beating the Indonesians (Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir) last month at the China Open.
“But the China pairs are on a different level ... both pairs are equally strong and it will be a real challenge to overcome them.”
For the record, Peng Soon-Liu Ying have a 1-5 record against world No. 1 Xu Chen-Ma Jin and 0-4 against world No. 4 Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei.
Besides the mixed duo, the other Malaysians heading to Shenzhen are singles shuttlers Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren and men’s pairs Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong.

Best chance for Arif to win first title

The absence of the big names in the Korean Open GP Gold in Jeonnam has handed national back-up shuttler Mohd Arif Abdul Latif a massive chance of winning his first-ever career title.
The 23-year-old Arif is the top seed and received a bye in the first round yesterday. He faces Japan’s Takuya Kotaka in the second round today.
The speedy Arif should make the final, where either second seed Niluka Karunaratne of Sri Lanka or fourth seed Tanongsak Saensom­boonsuk of Thailand awaits him. It will be the perfect chance for Arif, whose best performance this year is a quarter-final appearance in the Hong Kong Open last month, to clinch his first title.
Two other back-up shuttlers – Misbun Ramdan Misbun and Iskandar Zulkarnian Zainuddin – also have very good chances of making their presence felt.
Ramdan is seeded seventh and also given a first round bye. He faces Czech shuttler Petr Koukal in the second round today. The lanky 21-year-old, whose performance has dipped a little recently, should ease into the quarter-finals, where he is expected to meet Tanongsak.
Eighth seed Iskandar, meanwhile, opens his campaign against local lad Yoon Joo-young today and should be good enough to reach the semi-finals for a clash with Arif.
In men’s doubles, four national pairs – Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yi, Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han, Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo and Mohd Lufti Zaim-Teo Kok Siang – will aim to impress.

Coach Peng Huat still going strong even at 75

ONE look at Teh Peng Huat and you may think that he is just an ordinary septuagenarian. But wait till you really see him!

The still agile 75-year-old has boundless energy, which comes in handy as he continues to coach young shuttlers at the Berapit Primary School hall in Bukit Mertajam with the hope of unearthing another Lee Chong Wei – his most famous student.

Peng Huat may not be a household name among badminton fans but he has sacrificed so much for the game – all because of his undying love and relentless passion for it.

This man, who spotted and shaped national icon Chong Wei into the player that he is, has also worked with the likes of Chin Eee Hui, Goh Giap Chin, Nelson Heg, Tee Jing Yi, Goh Jin Wei and Cheam June Wei. Rising star Jin Wei, who recently scored 7As in her UPSR examination, is already the national champion in her age group.

Peng Huat with his best Penang Coach Award in 2004.

Vountus finds new lease of life training with Razif

National discard Vountus Indra Mawan is proof that you can make a living as a professional shuttler.
On Friday, Vountus competed in his first international tournament as a professional player at the Macau Open. He and partner Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari emerged as Malaysia’s best performers in the Grand Prix Gold when they reached the men’s doubles quarter-finals.

The duo, however, could not sustain their form and went down fighting 15-21, 27-29 to Indonesia’s Alven Yulianto-Markis Kido.

The 23-year-old Vountus, who was dropped by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) two months ago, said that he had found a new lease of life after training with Razif Sidek.

“I had to move on after BAM decided to drop me. Fortunately, coach Razif had faith in me. I still want to do well in badminton. Hopefully, I can do better in the future,” said Vountus, who will have to find a regular partner soon.

Fairuzizuan’s regular partner – Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif – is on a short break after tying the knot recently.

Meanwhile, India’s rising singles players R.M.V. Gurusaidutt and K. Srikanth crashed out to China’s shuttlers in the semi-finals of the ongoing Macau Open yesterday.

Gurusaidutt lost 16-21, 17-21 to Chen Yuekun while Srikanth bowed out 8-21, 19-21 to Gao Huan.

BWF World Superseries Heading ‘Down Under’

Australia and Malaysia were today celebrating successful bids to host events in the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) World Superseries 2014-2017 tournament cycle.
While the Malaysia Open is already part of the ongoing OSIM BWF World Superseries, it graduates from a World Superseries event to the more prestigious World Superseries Premier level. Four current hosts of top-tier World Superseries Premier events – China (Guangzhou bid), Denmark, England and Indonesia – retained their status following deliberations by the BWF Council in Bangkok, Thailand.

Australia, on the other hand, joins badminton’s elite circuit for the first time as one of seven World Superseries events, ushering the Oceania confederation into the World Superseries fold as a host. Australia – which had bid for the World Superseries Premier level – currently stages a Grand Prix Gold tournament (the level below World Superseries) in April. The other six World Superseries hosts for the four-year period are: France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and Singapore.

The five top-tier World Superseries Premier tournaments promise to be more lucrative campaigns for winners, each with minimum prize money of US$500,000 (2014; 2015); US$550,000 (2016); and US$600,000 (2017). This is a significant boost from US$350,000 for 2011 and 2012 and US$400,000 for next season. World Superseries prize money will start at US$250,000 in 2014, rising as follows: US$275,000 (2015); US$300,000 (2016); US$325,000 (2017).

Meanwhile, China was not awarded two tournaments on this occasion as obtained previously and Chinese Taipei and Thailand were not successful with their bids. However, Thailand will have the honour of staging next year’s BWF World Junior Championships.

BWF Deputy President Paisan Rangsikitpho noted the World Juniors is an important tournament which has given badminton future stars. Among these are Olympic Men’s Singles gold medallist Lin Dan (World Juniors semi-finalist in 2000) and more recently Wang Zhengming, Victor Axelsen, Saina Nehwal, Lee Yong Dae, Tai Tzu Ying and the pride of all Thailand – Ratchanok Intanon.

‘Exceptional Contribution’ to Badminton by Thai King

“Unparalleled support for and a love of badminton” earned His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand his latest accolade.

Earlier this week, Badminton World Federation (BWF) President Dr. Kang Young Joong bestowed the inaugural BWF President’s Medal on the elderly Thai King for his “lifetime contribution” to the sport, spanning more than 50 years. The award was accepted by the Crown Prince at the Royal Palace in Bangkok on Tuesday to coincide with the BWF Council’s week of meetings.

“The President’s Medal is given to His Majesty the King for his exceptional contribution to badminton, worldwide and in particular in Thailand, and for his support to the exceptional achievements and contributions that Thailand has given to international badminton and to express our sincere appreciation for all His Majesty has done to promote badminton,” said Dr. Kang at a Press conference today in Bangkok.

“His Majesty is truly deserving of this accolade which has been given at the BWF President’s sole discretion - for a lifetime as an ardent protector and an enthusiastic supporter of Badminton.”

King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been continuously involved in badminton for more than 50 years. His Majesty has played the sport since 1953 and he granted royal patronage to the Badminton Association of Thailand in 1954. Over the decades, he has donated trophies for men’s and women’s badminton; provided badminton facilities for national players at the Palace and supported players financially through scholarships.

One of those who benefited from his patronage tremendously is Professor Charoen Wattanasin, the long-serving president of the BAT who is with us here today. The Professor was able to study in England thanks to a personal scholarship from His Majesty and he too has been a great servant of badminton.

“The BWF is pleased to have been able to acknowledge His Majesty with this unique honour,” added Dr. Kang.

“His influence and patronage have undoubtedly impacted the lives of many Thai players who have risen to be among the world’s elite, reaping rewards for themselves, their country and their beloved king.”

World Superseries Finals: Malaysia to have biggest representation in Shenzhen

Malaysia will have the biggest representation at the season finale BWF World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen, China, from Dec 12-16 – thus giving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) a huge lift.
World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying will represent Malaysia in the US$500,000 tournament.
Malaysia’s previous biggest representation was six in 2008.
BAM coaching and training chairman Ng Chin Chai said that the big number of qualifiers for the Finals was a “small and timely” breakthrough but felt that it was time for Malaysia to start winning major titles.
And he has his eyes set on the World Championships in Guangzhou in next August.
“It has been a reasonably good year for us. Of course, BAM are happy to have a huge number of qualifiers for the Super Series Finals. It is a testament of some changes that we have made so far this year,” said Chin Chai.
“We’ve been giving a lot of emphasis on sending potential players to international tournaments. The back-up players have also been given many opportunities to build the competitive edge in them.
“Things are falling into place for us. Most of our players have improved on their world rankings. The qualification of Daren and Thien How-Wee Kiong is certainly a bonus for us at the Finals.”
Daren is currently ranked 16th while Thien How-Wee Kiong are 15th in the world. Kien Keat-Boon Heong are also back at the No. 2 spot in the world while Peng Soon-Liu Ying are enjoying a career high No. 3 ranking.
Except for Chong Wei and Peng Soon-Liu Ying, the others qualified without winning any Super Series titles this year.
“Thien How-Wee Kiong are also lucky because some of the top pairs had split up and did not qualify for the Finals. It paved way for the Malaysians to move in. Still, it’s a good breakthrough for them,” said Chin Chai.
“Having a large number (of shuttlers) in the Finals is only a minor success for us. We want more players to win Super Series titles and we also want them to start winning major tournaments.”
Chin Chai said that he had thrown a challenge to his coaches and players to have the maximum qualification at next year’s world meet. The qualifying period for the world meet ends in April.
“Realistically, we can push our players to have maximum representation in four events – men’s singles and all the three doubles. We can have three representatives each if our players continue to raise their game,” said Chin Chai.
“The only problem we have right now is in the women’s singles. Except for Tee Jing Yi, it may difficult for us to get others to qualify for the world meet. Coach Wong Tat Meng is addressing the issue of lack of depth in the women’s singles.
“Ultimately, our goal is to have a player become the country’s first world champion ... we hope it’ll happen soon. This will be our target for next year.”
Courtesy of The Star

Coach wants Daren, Wei Feng to justify world rankings

LIEW Daren and Chong Wei Feng have consistently been improving their respective world rankings of late but quality performance is what national singles chief coach Rashid Sidek wants from them in order to become top class players.
A string of good results, including the French Open title in October, has seen Daren breaking into the top 20 and he is currently ranked 16th while Wei Feng, who reached the semi-finals of a super series for the first time in the China Open, is ranked 21 but Rashid feels they must produce quality performance to reflect their ranking.
Rashid said Lee Chong Wei justifies his World No 1 status by regularly winning international honours while Daren and Wei Feng have a lot more to prove on the world stage.
"There is improvement but their focus should be on quality performance. The world ranking is good for them in terms of earning better incentives but it is not going to guarantee them success on the international stage," said Rashid.
"Daren has won the French Open while Wei Feng managed to reach the semi-finals of the China Open but they need to produce quality results in big events. Despite their progress, we are still depending on Chong Wei when it comes to winning titles and Daren and Wei Feng must do more to change this situation.
"China's biggest advantage is that they have a great champion in Lin Dan while his back-ups are capable of doing the spoiler's job and they also have the quality to win when their top player is absent.
"We have to constantly work to get our players to qualify for semi-finals and finals, which will take the pressure away from Chong Wei and also improve Malaysia's chances of winning.
"China shuttlers have always complimented each other and the presence of more players in major events gives them a clear edge. If Daren and Wei Feng can progress fast, we can have three strong players to counter China.
"Next year's World Championships will be crucial as Chong Wei is aiming to win it and Daren and Wei Feng's presence in the event with true quality will help Malaysia's cause.
"China will be having the maximum number of three as well and Chong Wei doesn't have to be the only one capable of beating them if Daren and Wei Feng can also contribute."
Rashid said the duo will also be playing in selected grand prix gold events as winning super series titles is not be an easy task.
Wei Feng has yet to win an international grand prix title while Daren will be pushing hard to win more super series crowns after the French Open breakthrough.
Arif Latif is another player who has been showing good progress and is currently ranked 36. He has the opportunity to secure his first title in the Korean Open grand prix gold where he is the top seed.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Top status for national Open

THE Badminton World Federation (BAM) has upgraded the Maybank Malaysia Open to a premier super series event offering total prize money of US$500,000 (RM1.5 million) beginning 2014.
The BA of Malaysia (BAM), which had failed in its previous bid in 2010 for a three-year cycle running until next year, will now see the Malaysia Open attracting a world class field as it is compulsory for the top 10 players and pairs to compete in the premier super series.
BWF, which made the announcement in Bangkok yesterday, also confirmed the Malaysia Open will replace the Korea Open as one of the Premier Super Series legs while the China Masters makes way for the Australia Open, offering US$700,000 (RM2.12 million).
The other four premier super series retained were the Indonesia, China and Denmark Opens and the All England while the India, Singapore, Japan, France and Hong Kong Opens have been maintained as super series events.
The Korea Open, which offered the highest total prize money of US$1.1 million (RM3.3 million) as a premier event, will become one of the seven super series events from 2014.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Olympic scandal prompts rule revamp

The Badminton World Federation on Friday announced changes to Olympic doubles rules following a match-throwing scandal at the London Games, but said it would take no further action against coaches.
It said the new system, which will be introduced for the Rio Olympics in 2016, would "ensure such a regrettable spectacle is never witnessed in badminton again".
The BWF said that in the future, following the group stage, all pairs finishing second in their groups would be placed into a second draw to determine who they face in the knockout phase.
But pairs topping their group stage would have fixed positions equivalent to seeded placings in the knockout stage.
"This will eliminate any player's thoughts about actively trying to lose a match or matches, irrespective of other match results. Such a draw process can easily and effectively be made just after all group matches have been concluded," the federation said in a statement released in Bangkok.
Eight women's doubles players from South Korea, Indonesia and China were disqualified for trying to lose matches at the London Olympics.

The scandal prompted Chinese badminton star Yu Yang to say she was quitting the sport, although she resumed playing at the Super Series Premier event in Shanghai earlier this month.
In its statement, the federation said that the BWF Council had concluded it was "not legally feasible" to take further action against any coaches or entourages over the London Olympics case.
The federation noted that some of its member associations had already taken their own action, and said it had strengthened its own code of conduct.
The Korea Badminton Association initially banned two coaches for life but after an appeal reduced the suspension to two years.
The BWF also said its council had approved the trial early next year of an instant-replay line call system using cameras to show the exact place where a shuttle lands on the court. - AFP