Thomas-Uber Cup: It's do or die today

Hafiz the big concern in crucial match against Koreans

Liew Daren lost 17-21, 21-16, 21-19 to Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit yesterday. Pic by Owee Ah Chun

THE shaky performance of Hafiz Hashim is a major concern but national singles chief coach Rashid Sidek doesn't have much choice but to play him in the crunch match against South Korea today.
The only other option is to promote Liew Daren to second singles and name Arif Latif as the third singles but Daren's defeat to Chan Yan Kit in the match against Hong Kong yesterday also raises doubts about his mental toughness.

Victory in Group D will give Malaysia an easy quarter-final against India but a defeat will see them facing Indonesia and this is a situation Rashid wants to avoid at all costs.

South Korea's second singles Shon Wan Ho has been playing well and Rashid believes Hafiz's experience will prove handy. He also has to decide between Daren and Arif for the third slot.

"Hafiz is frustrated following his defeat (to Hu Yun yesterday) but his experience is still needed against South Korea. We will discuss every possibility before deciding on the second and third singles," said Rashid.

"We have to take two points from the singles as it will be hard for the doubles to win both their matches. It will be a boost if the doubles can deliver one point.

"If Hafiz is fired-up and willing to fight till the end, he has the chance to beat Wan Ho while Daren or Arif has an equal chance of beating Hong Ji Hoon in the third singles."

Rashid added: "Lee Chong Wei should give us the first point but we need one more and I hope the players will forget about the Hong Kong match and rise to the occasion."

Hafiz gets a second chance to redeem himself and it is also widely believed that Arif, who plays well in a team event, will take the third singles slot.

National doubles head coach Tan Kim Her is happy with the performance of his regular pairs Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah but is likely to field at least a scratch pair today.

This is because Kien Keat-Boon Heong haven't beaten South Korea's current first doubles Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong in six previous meetings and the focus will shift towards trying to win the second doubles against Lee Yong Dae-Shin Baek Cheol.

However, Kim Her is not keeping his tactics a secret.

"I am happy with the way our two pairs played and this gives us a lot of options. I have not finalised whether we will play a scratch pair. We will have a meeting before coming to a conclusion," said Kim Her.

"V Shem-Khim Wah also play well in team events and we have to consider them against South Korea," added Kim Her.

"There could be a scratch pair. I haven't finalised the line-up as we have until tomorrow (today) to do so. We only play in the evening (6.30pm).

"It is a must-win game and I have to make sure that our best line-up take on South Korea."

There is a strong possibility Boon Heong will partner Hon Thien How while another combination could be V Shem-Teo Kok Siang but Kim Her may have other ideas.

Malaysia must gamble and play at least one scratch pair to unseat South Korea as it will be suicidal to hope for their regular combinations to produce a miracle.
Courtesy of New Straits Times