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Chong Wei vows to bury the ghost of 2000

KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei was not in the team when Malaysia last hosted the Thomas Cup Finals in 2000. He was among the spectators in the stands at the Putra Stadium and he remembers the taunts, jeers and boos from the fans for the team who failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

The failure also led several key Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) office bearers to quit their posts.
Chong Wei has vowed to prevent a repeat of such an atmosphere in the Finals this time at the same venue. He will play at first singles for the first time in a team event at home.

“I was a junior player at that time. I still remember how angry the fans were. They showed their displeasure when the team lost and said things that did not sound good,” said Chong Wei, who is the skipper of the team.
“As a player, it would have been very demoralising. I do not want my team to go through this.”
The others in the team are Wong Choong Hann, Mohd Hafiz Hashim, Tan Chun Seang, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif and Ong Soon Hock-Hoon Thien How.

“I hope that the fans will support us through thick and thin. I can give an assurance that we will do our best to make our supporters proud. But if we still lose, I hope the fans will not run us down,” said Chong Wei.
The world No. 1 and All-England champion, who is unbeaten thus far this year, is confident that the team will bring cheers to Malaysia.


“We are feeling the excitement of the Thomas Cup Finals. The mood and morale of the players are high after going through the motivation camp and simulation exercises recently,” said Chong Wei.
“Choong Hann’s presence is great for the team. He is the most experienced player and it is good for the team that he has returned to lend a hand. We promise to go all out and the fans can be rest assured that we will not give up without a fight.”

Chong Wei has a personal goal too – to maintain his unbeaten run in the Finals.
It will be his fourth appearance in the Finals since 2004 in Jakarta. At the last edition, also in Jakarta, Chong Wei won all his matches, including victory over China’s Lin Dan in the semi-final tie in which Malaysia lost 2-3.

“I will be playing as the first singles for the third time but first at home,” he said.
“This is a role that I am quite used to. I won all my matches at the last Finals and I hope to do the same this time. I know the importance of winning the first point. There will be pressure but I hope to overcome it. The race is quite open this time. China have the most balanced team but everyone else has a shot at winning too. I hope we will deliver.”

Chong Wei’s counterparts at first singles in teams of the other top contenders are Lin Dan (China), Peter-Gade Christensen (Denmark), Park Sung-hwan (South Korea) and Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia). He will also have to brace himself to face All-England runner-up Kenichi Tago of Japan in a group tie.

Yesterday, Chong Wei and his team-mates together with the Uber Cup squad were treated to lunch by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.


Star

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