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KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 -- Malaysia's badminton men's singles number one player Datuk Lee Chong Wei is the sole survivor of the national squad at the ongoing Indonesian Open that is being held a the Istora Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta.
In the quarterfinals today, Chong Wei, the top seed, despatched off Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand in straight sets of 21-10 and 21-7 to book his place in the semifinals Saturday.
Awaiting him is Indonesia's Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka who scored an upset victory against third seeded Du Pengyu of China in a three setter, winning in 21-15, 15-21 and 21-9.
Malaysia's hopes to see more national players advancing were dashed when the mixed doubles pair of Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying (ranked 5th in the world) crashed out 15-21 and 16-21 the hosts' pair of Ahmad Tontowi and Liliyana Natsir.
Malaysia's world ranked number three men's doubles pair, Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong fell by the wayside in the second round Thursday.
Malaysia did not field any women singles or doubles teams this time around.
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 PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei survived a nerve-wracking encounter against China’s Wang Zhengming before moving into the second round of the Indonesian Open in Jakarta.
The 30-year-old Chong Wei, seeking his fourth title of the year – after the Korean, Malaysian and India … |
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may be one of the most successful countries in producing world junior badminton champions. Unfortunately, none has gone on to be a world champion.
Therein lies the problem – the transition from a junior champion to a full-fledged world champion.
China do not seem to have such a problem, though, with a big percentage of their juniors actually making the grade at senior level.
Sun Jun, Chen Gang, Bao Chunlai, Chen Jin, Chen Long, Wang Zhengming and Tian Houwei are all former world junior singles champions while Lin Dan is a former Asian junior champion himself.
Is it that our juniors are just not good enough to make the step up or is it that the coaches in the senior ranks aren’t good enough to tap these players’ potential?
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), while aware of the problem, are struggling to find a solution. Many have tried but failed.
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KUALA LUMPUR: It never rains but it pours. That idiom is apt in describing the wretched run of national men’s doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong of late.
The pair, who have been on a downward spiral since losing in the bronze medal playoff at the London Olympics last year, were sent packing in the second round of the Indonesia Open in Jakarta yesterday.
The third-seeded Kien Keat-Boon Heong went down to old timers Alven Yulianto-Markis Kido of Indonesia 21-23, 15-21 in 34 minutes – thus failing to get the breakthrough they yearned ahead of the World Championships in Guangzhou in August.
The Malaysians, however, were not the only seeded casualties yesterday.
Reigning All-England champions and seventh seeds Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan of China also crashed out after retiring at 15-13 against England’s Chris Adcock-Andrew Ellis.
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 KUALA LUMPUR: The world of badminton bade farewell to Taufik Hidayat (pic) yesterday after the hugely popular Indonesian shuttler crashed out of his home Open in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Badminton fans will be missing his outstanding courtcraft, controversial off-the-court antics and witty sarcasm.
T… |
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