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Chong Wei hopes BWF will make world meet a biennial event

Lee Chong Wei returns a shot to Germany’s Dieter Domke during the second round of the World Championships in Copenhagen on Wednesday. — Bernama
Lee Chong Wei returns a shot to Germany’s Dieter Domke during the second round of the World Championships in Copenhagen on Wednesday. — Bernama

COPENHAGEN: It is no secret that world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei wants to win his first world title.

He has another wish too – for the World Championships to be held once every two years instead of yearly now.

On Wednesday, top seed Chong Wei took another step closer to achieving his childhood dream when he crushed towering German Dieter Domke 21-12, 21-9 in the second round of the World Championships at the Ballerup Super Arena.

Chong Wei should get past his next opponent Scott Evans of Ireland for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I’m here to win the world title but, for now, I’d rather take it one match a day. I don’t want to get all muddled up by thinking about the final. I shouldn’t be over-confident – I know that the matches will only get tougher from here,” said Chong Wei.

Chong Wei, who is competing in his eighth world meet, hopes that the Badminton World Federation (BWF) will make the championships a biennial event – a plea he has been repeatedly making for the last few years.

Chong Wei has been playing in every World Championships since BWF made it an annual affair, starting with the 2005 edition in Anaheim. The world meet is not held in the Olympic Games year.

“Two years once will be much better. It will be more prestigious and players will really look forward to it,” said Chong Wei.

“Maybe, the BWF can reduce the number of players too. Instead of having to go through three rounds, we can cut down one round. The quality will be better.

“Right now, there are so many Superseries tournaments and the schedule is rather crowded. To have a world meet once in two years will be ideal and give us some breathing space.”

On the ongoing 21st edition of the world meet, Chong Wei has only one grouse: “The stadium is great and the players’ hotel is comfortable. However, I wish that the transportation for players will be better. In tennis, players are given cars to move around.”

While Chong Wei is the only one left to shoulder the Malaysian challenge in the men’s singles, Denmark – with a population of only five million people – have three players in the third round. They are Jan O Jorgensen, Hans-Kristian Vittinghus and Viktor Axelsen.

China suffered a minor setback when 2009 world junior champion and 11th seed Tian Houwei lost 15-21, 16-21 to veteran Eric Pang of Holland and failed to join second seed Chen Long and sixth seed Wang Zhengming in the last 16.


by Rajes Paul - The Star

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