Wan Wah: Koreans can deny our chance of a hat-trick
News 7:12 PM
ASIAN BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS, JOHOR BARU APRIL 15-20
THE Koreans can spoil the hope of seeing an all-Malaysian men’s doubles final for the third time in a row in the Asian Badminton Championships.
But national doubles player Lee Wan Wah said that the Malaysian pairs were ready to pour cold water on the Koreans’ hot streak at the championships.
This year, the Koreans had been quite outstanding, with world number four Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae winning the All-England and Swiss Open titles while their second pair Lee Jae-jin-Hwang Ji-man bagged the German Open and finished as the All-England runners-up.
On the other hand, Malaysian pairs have yet to win a title this year.
Wan Wah-Tan Fook won the last two editions of the ABC. In 2006, they defeated world junior champions Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How in the final and last year, they dumped All-England champions Koo Kien Keat-Boon Heong at the same stage.
Wan Wah said the hope of becoming the first pair to win a hat-trick of a titles since the meet was held annually in 1991, would be the driving factor.
“It has not been a bad year for Tan Fook and I but I know that we can play better. It will be good for us to go all the way to win this title again,” said Wan Wah.
“But based on the draw, the Koreans could be our biggest threat and don't forget the Indonesians.
“This ABC is a great platform for us to test our form. We will be playing as the first pair in the Thomas Cup Finals and it will be great to get a timely boost here,” he added.
Top seeds Tan Fook-Wan Wah are expected to take on Jae-jin-Ji-man in the quarter-finals. If they make it, they will face one of these three pairs - Japanese Shinataro Ikeda-Shuichi Sakamoto and Indonesians Luluk Hadiyanto-Alven Yulianto and Candra Wijaya-Nova Widianto.
In the lower half of the draw together with second seeds Jae-sung-Yong-dae are Indonesia's Joko Riyadi-Hendra Gunawan and Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari.
National doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky did not like the idea of Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s possible clash with Zakry-Fairuzizuan in the quarter-finals.
“I wanted our pairs to occupy three of the four semi-final slots. However it will be an interesting match with Koo-Tan out to exact revenge over Zakry-Fairuzizuan,” said Rexy.
“Some of the top pairs are not here but it will still be challenging. Our top pairs have been beaten even by lower ranked pairs. It is a level playing field but we hope to see Malaysia keep up our good doubles tradition in the ABC,” he added.
Those skipping the tournament here are world champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia and China’s top two pairs - Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng and reigning India Open champions Gua Zhengdong-Xie Zhongbo.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 7:12 PM.
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