KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s singles back-up shuttler Chong Wei Feng can still
rejoice despite crashing out in the second round of the India Open in
New Delhi.
The left-handed Wei Feng is expected to be named as the reserve for the Thomas Cup Finals when the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) announce the squad at their exco meeting today.
The Thomas Cup Finals will be held in Wuhan, China, from May 20-27.
The marked improvement in his game over the last three months should tip the scale in Wei Feng’s favour ahead of Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Chan Kwong Beng.
Wei Feng will join the trio of Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren and Mohd Hafiz Hashim as the singles players in the squad. Yesterday, Wei Feng stole one game before losing 13-21, 21-8, 12-21 to world No. 16 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark in the India Open.
Wei Feng, whose world ranking has improved from 57th to 46th over the last two months, also gave a positive display before bowing out in straight games to four-time world champion Lin Dan in the second round of the All-England last month.
Wei Feng’s closest rival for the reserve spot is probably Ramdan, the son of Misbun Sidek.
However, Ramdan, who has also done well to improve his world ranking from 92nd to 83rd over the last two months, loses out in terms of experience.
BAM coaching and training chairman Ng Chin Chai said: “We have deliberated on the Thomas Cup squad and the list will be submitted for the exco’s approval tomorrow (today),” said Chin Chai.
In the doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem and Hoon Thien How have as good as assured their places in the squad, leaving Tan Wee Kiong and Teo Kok Siang to vie for the remaining spot.
Chin Chai said the CNT have also decided to hold a centralised camp for the Thomas Cup squad in Dongguan, China, from May 13-18.
Prior to that, the players will be involved in the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold in Johor Baru from May 1-6 and will be based at Stadium Juara from May 7-12.
“Dongguan has a training centre equipped with badminton courts, hostel and in-house catering. The players will train there and, together with the National Sports Council (NSC), we will conduct our team-building programme there,” said Chin Chai.
It is learnt that China’s chief coach Li Yongbo owns the training centre.
Malaysia aim to reach at least the semi-finals in the team event but, based on the draw, they may be eliminated as early as the quarter-finals.
Malaysia are in Group C with Denmark and South Africa. They take on South Africa on May 21 and Denmark the following day.
A fresh draw after the preliminary round may see Malaysia pitted against any of these seeded teams – China, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.
THE STAR
The left-handed Wei Feng is expected to be named as the reserve for the Thomas Cup Finals when the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) announce the squad at their exco meeting today.
The Thomas Cup Finals will be held in Wuhan, China, from May 20-27.
The marked improvement in his game over the last three months should tip the scale in Wei Feng’s favour ahead of Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Chan Kwong Beng.
Wei Feng will join the trio of Lee Chong Wei, Liew Daren and Mohd Hafiz Hashim as the singles players in the squad. Yesterday, Wei Feng stole one game before losing 13-21, 21-8, 12-21 to world No. 16 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus of Denmark in the India Open.
Wei Feng, whose world ranking has improved from 57th to 46th over the last two months, also gave a positive display before bowing out in straight games to four-time world champion Lin Dan in the second round of the All-England last month.
Wei Feng’s closest rival for the reserve spot is probably Ramdan, the son of Misbun Sidek.
However, Ramdan, who has also done well to improve his world ranking from 92nd to 83rd over the last two months, loses out in terms of experience.
BAM coaching and training chairman Ng Chin Chai said: “We have deliberated on the Thomas Cup squad and the list will be submitted for the exco’s approval tomorrow (today),” said Chin Chai.
In the doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem and Hoon Thien How have as good as assured their places in the squad, leaving Tan Wee Kiong and Teo Kok Siang to vie for the remaining spot.
Chin Chai said the CNT have also decided to hold a centralised camp for the Thomas Cup squad in Dongguan, China, from May 13-18.
Prior to that, the players will be involved in the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold in Johor Baru from May 1-6 and will be based at Stadium Juara from May 7-12.
“Dongguan has a training centre equipped with badminton courts, hostel and in-house catering. The players will train there and, together with the National Sports Council (NSC), we will conduct our team-building programme there,” said Chin Chai.
It is learnt that China’s chief coach Li Yongbo owns the training centre.
Malaysia aim to reach at least the semi-finals in the team event but, based on the draw, they may be eliminated as early as the quarter-finals.
Malaysia are in Group C with Denmark and South Africa. They take on South Africa on May 21 and Denmark the following day.
A fresh draw after the preliminary round may see Malaysia pitted against any of these seeded teams – China, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.
THE STAR
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