Mak-Tan must beat Japanese duo before thinking of Markis-Hendra
Latest News 5:33 PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Asian Games-bound Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong
should not get too excited over Indonesian shuttlers Markis Kido-Hendra
Setiawan’s run of poor form.
In the French Open, which ended on Sunday, former Olympic and world champions Markis-Hendra went down to Germans Ingo Kindervater-Johannes Schottler in the semi-finals.
A week earlier, they also crashed out in the final of the Denmark Open to homesters Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen.
In fact, world No. 3 Markis-Hendra have not won any Super Series titles since breaking away from the national team this year.
In the Guangzhou Asiad, Hee Chun-Wee Kiong are in the same quarter with second seeds Markis-Hendra.
The Malaysians will play Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa in the opening round while Markis-Hendra have a first-round bye.
The Malaysians will face the Indonesians in the second round if they get past the Japanese pair.
National back-up coach Tan Kim Her said Hee Chun-Wee Kiong should be more focused on playing against the Japanese in the opening round.
“Yes, Markis-Hendra have been quite shaky of late. But they are not our main concern right now,” said Kim Her.
“It is the Japanese that we need to be wary of. The first match will make or break our back-up pairs. Our focus now is to take down the Japanese first.”
Kim Her said that Japan had enjoyed some good moments against Malaysian players this year.
The most painful loss for the Malaysians at the hands of the Japanese this year came during the group tie of the Thomas Cup Finals in May.
“Our youngsters, Hee Chun and Wee Kiong, have had their fair share of ups and downs against Japanese scratch pairs.
Hopefully, they will be able to clear their opening hurdle in the Asiad although they will be meeting Hiroyuki-Kenichi for the first time,” said Kim Her.
This year, the Malaysians defeated Hiroyuki-Yoshiteru Hirobe in the second round of the German Open and Kenichi-Kenta Kazuno in the second round of the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in India.
Hee Chun-Wee Kiong, however, lost to another combination – Yoshiteru-Kenta – in the second round of the Macau Open before exacting revenge in the second round of the Japan Open.
Prior to the individual events, Hee Chun-Wee Kiong will feature in the team event with Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in Guangzhou.
In the French Open, which ended on Sunday, former Olympic and world champions Markis-Hendra went down to Germans Ingo Kindervater-Johannes Schottler in the semi-finals.
A week earlier, they also crashed out in the final of the Denmark Open to homesters Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen.
In fact, world No. 3 Markis-Hendra have not won any Super Series titles since breaking away from the national team this year.
In the Guangzhou Asiad, Hee Chun-Wee Kiong are in the same quarter with second seeds Markis-Hendra.
The Malaysians will play Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa in the opening round while Markis-Hendra have a first-round bye.
The Malaysians will face the Indonesians in the second round if they get past the Japanese pair.
National back-up coach Tan Kim Her said Hee Chun-Wee Kiong should be more focused on playing against the Japanese in the opening round.
“Yes, Markis-Hendra have been quite shaky of late. But they are not our main concern right now,” said Kim Her.
“It is the Japanese that we need to be wary of. The first match will make or break our back-up pairs. Our focus now is to take down the Japanese first.”
Kim Her said that Japan had enjoyed some good moments against Malaysian players this year.
The most painful loss for the Malaysians at the hands of the Japanese this year came during the group tie of the Thomas Cup Finals in May.
“Our youngsters, Hee Chun and Wee Kiong, have had their fair share of ups and downs against Japanese scratch pairs.
Hopefully, they will be able to clear their opening hurdle in the Asiad although they will be meeting Hiroyuki-Kenichi for the first time,” said Kim Her.
This year, the Malaysians defeated Hiroyuki-Yoshiteru Hirobe in the second round of the German Open and Kenichi-Kenta Kazuno in the second round of the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in India.
Hee Chun-Wee Kiong, however, lost to another combination – Yoshiteru-Kenta – in the second round of the Macau Open before exacting revenge in the second round of the Japan Open.
Prior to the individual events, Hee Chun-Wee Kiong will feature in the team event with Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in Guangzhou.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 5:33 PM.
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