Kim Hock thinks China have drawn up plans for Chen Jin to win
News 10:48 AM
Defending champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia has withdrawn from the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) but Malaysia's top men's singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei will still find the going tough.
This is because national chief coach Yap Kim Hock thinks that China have arrived with a plan to ensure that Chen Jin wins the title in the ABC which begins today with the qualifying tournament at the Bandaraya Stadium.
Even world number one Lin Dan had turned up despite the controversy surrounding a punch-up with coach Ji Xinpeng at their training camp recently. The others in the China camp are Bao Chunlai, Chen Yu, Lu Yi and Zhu Weilun.
Kim Hock felt that China’s focus would be on Chen Jin and not Lin Dan in Johor Baru.
Based on the draw released by the Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC) yesterday, top seed Lin Dan is expected to take on compatriot Chen Jin in the semi-finals.
“I suspect that the China’s men singles team are here to see Chen Jin through to the Olympic Games in Beijing as the third qualifier. Chen Jin is currently ranked fourth in the world and he needs to hold on to that spot to make the cut,” said Kim Hock.
“They will go all out to make his path clear.”
A country is allowed to have a maximum of three players in the Olympics if all of them are ranked within the top four.
“Chen Jin has not been doing well since winning the All-England title. I will not be surprised if Lin Dan does a favour for Chen Jin if they were to meet in the semi-finals,” he added.
In the top half of the draw with Lin Dan and Chen Jin are South Korean Lee Hyun-il, Simon Santoso of Indonesia, Chen Yu and Malaysia's Wong Choong Hann.
On second seed Chong Wei’s draw, Kim Hock said: “It is a tough for him. He has Bao Chunlai in the same half. They could meet in the semi-finals.”
The others in the same half with Chong Wei are World Championships runner-up Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia, South Korean Park Sung-hwan, Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana and Malaysia's Mohd Hafiz Hashim.
World champion Lin Dan, however, showed that he meant business by showing up in Johor Baru yesterday.
“I love coming to Malaysia. I was not here during the Malaysian Open but I don’t want to miss out playing in Malaysia at least once in a year,” said Lin Dan yesterday.
For the record, Taufik pulled out because of a back injury. Indonesia’s team manager Luis Pongoh said that Taufik preferred to stay home to get ready for next month’s Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 10:48 AM.
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