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Rashid wants to see a more fired-up and consistent Hafiz

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Mohd Hafiz Hashim will have to show that the fire he rekindled in the just concluded India Open will not be extinguished again.

And he gets the chance to do so in the Asian Championships (ABC), which will be held in Suwon, South Korea, from April 7-12.

National chief coach Rashid Si­­dek, however, did not want to read too much into Hafiz’s good run in Hyderabad where he was beaten by Indonesian Taufik Hidayat in the final.

Throughout the tournament, Hafiz showed that he was determined to prove a point, especially after the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) had given him an ultimatum to shape up or ship out following mediocre performances since winning the 2006 Philippines Open.

Mohd Hafiz Hashim (left) and Taufik Hidayat showing off their medals after the men's singles final on Sunday. - AP

“Hafiz is still the skilful player we all know. In India this time, he was able to push himself, probably because of the stern warning from the BAM,” said Rashid.

“But skill alone is not enough to survive. We are not looking at one or two good performances but looking at a player who is consistent and has the heart to play good badminton all the time.

“I would like to see how Hafiz fares at the ABC before making any recommendation. He showed that he was fitter (in India). The challenge will be tougher at the ABC and he has to raise his game higher.”

Rashid felt that Hafiz could have made it just as big in badminton as compatriot and world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei if he were more serious in training over the last two years.

“He did not set high targets. A de­­feat did not affect him greatly. And we did not see him pushing hard in training. What we saw from Hafiz was a relaxed attitude. ” he said.

“It is all up to him on whether he wants to make a genuine comeback. I am hoping that Hafiz is back for good as far as winning honours in badminton is concerned. We can then look forward to the Thomas Cup Finals next year with more confidence.”

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