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Chong Wei, beregu tuai emas


GAMBAR (kiri); REAKSI Kien Keat dan Boon Heong (kanan) selepas menewaskan Xu Chen-Guo Zhendong, semalam. (kanan) KEPUASAN terbayang di wajah Chong Wei selepas final, semalam.

Hampiri rekod Peng Soon; Kien Keat-Boon Heong akhiri badi dua tahun

GEMPITA sorakan menepati aksi mengagumkan ciptaan Lee Chong Wei yang memperolokkan Boonsak Ponsana diperakui antara bintang badminton dunia seperti 'budak baru belajar' dalam laluan merangkul mahkota keenam Terbuka Malaysia di Stadium Putra, semalam.

Taktik awal jaguh Thailand itu untuk cuba mengganggu termasuk memilih bertukar gelanggang sebelum bermula aksi hanya 'menjadi' seketika, sebelum keunggulan dijelmakan Chong Wei, untuk Boonsak terpaku mengalah, 13-21, 7-21.


Kini rekod lapan gelaran Wong Peng Soon dilakukan pada penghujung 1940an dan awal 1950an menanti untuk diatasi. Chong Wei juga melakar sejarah peribadi meraih dua gelaran Siri Super berturut-turut, selepas unggul di Terbuka Korea Selatan, minggu lalu.

Menggemilangkan lagi skuad negara ialah kejayaan gandingan utama, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong yang menamatkan penantian dua tahun mereka untuk meraih gelaran beregu lelaki apabila menundukkan lawan dari China, Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen 21-15, 17-21, 21-16 dalam pertentangan selama 55 minit.

Buat Chong Wei, kepuasan jelas tergambar di wajahnya.
"Saya masih tidak dapat percaya bahawa saya sudah menang enam kali. Tambahan pula kerana berbeza dengan Terbuka Korea, saya dipaksa bekerja keras sejak awal. Hari ini, kekuatan mental jadi kelebihan saya. Saya harap mampu mengekalkan tahap sebegini," katanya.

Memang di awalnya, gambaran sukar terjelma. Boonsak memilih lebih menyerang dan berjaya mendahului 6-3 dan 12-10. Tetapi sejurus itu, segalanya ibarat dikunci Chong Wei yang memintas pada 12-12 sebelum membina kelebihan 15-12. Satu lagi mata berjaya dipungut Boonsak sebelum Chong Wei menang dalam masa 19 minit.

Segalanya langsung berubah di set kedua. Chong Wei meluru dengan pungutan sembilan mata pertama dan biarpun Boonsak cuba melawan, lebih 7,000 penonton akur betapa Chong Wei hanya menanti masa untuk dimahkotakan, yang akhirnya jadi realiti selepas 15 minit pertentangan set berkenaan.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong pula mencipta gelisah apabila, selepas menang set pertama, wujud situasi longgar dalam kombinasi yang membolehkan Zhendong-Xu Chen mengikat kedudukan hasil kejayaan di set kedua.
Hari ini fokus saya lebih baik. Saya seperti tahu apa yang perlu dilakukan, di mana mahu diarahkan pukulan. Ini memang permulaan baik sebelum kami bertanding di Seluruh England, Mac nanti," kata Keat.

Oleh Ahmad Khawari Isa dan Norsyarafina Nasrom

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