BIRMINGHAM: Can Malaysia dare to dream of a double in the 114th edition of the All-England badminton championships?
Today, the best of the best, including Malaysia’s main hopes Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, get down to do battle in the first round at the National Indoor Arena here in Birmingham.
It is the perfect tournament for the players to get the mood and feel of the Olympic Games as England is in full swing with its massive preparations to host the Games in London from July 27-Aug 12.
Milestone: Tan Yee Khan (left) and Ng Boon Bee (right) won the doubles title while Tan Aik Huang lifted the singles at the All-England in 1966. The Olympic qualification period ends on April 29 and, with time running out, expect both the medal hopefuls and pretenders to outdo themselves in pursuit of points and honours.
For Malaysia, it will be an Olympian boost if Chong Wei and Kien Keat-Boon Heong can emerge champions to end the country’s 46-year wait for the double, which Tan Aik Huang and Ng Boon Bee-Tan Yee Khan delivered in 1966.
Realistically though, only Chong Wei, going for a hat-trick of wins, has a chance. The defending champion has a good draw and is motivated to equal the late Wong Peng Soon’s extraordinary feat of winning the title for three consecutive years from 1950-1952.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist, Chong Wei, who had two days to get used to the cold climate here, has vowed to sizzle.
“All the top players are here and the competition will be one of the toughest in recent times. It looks like a small Olympic Games competition,” he said.
Chong Wei, who won the South Korea and Malaysia Open earlier this year, will be mindful of the strong China presence.
In his half of the draw are Wang Zhengming, his first round opponent, and Du Pengyu, while Lin Dan, Chen Long and Chen Jin are in the bottom half. All of them will be eager to undermine Chong Wei’s confidence ahead of the Olympic Games.
It would be a perfect climax if Chong Wei meets Lin Dan in the final but Chen Long and Chen Jin will certainly have a say on that.
Both Chens may not have won any titles so far this year – with Chen Long suffering from an injury at the Korea Open and Chen Jin battling with inconsistency – but they will be eager to make a mark ahead of the Olympics.
Click on image to view larger chart. As for the 2007 champions Kien Keat-Boon Heong, it could be all over today when they take on Japan’s second pair of Naoki Kawame-Shoji Sato in the opening round. Or they may prove the sceptics wrong and bulldoze their way to their third final. It all depends on how determined they are to show that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the men’s doubles.
They did well at the Thomas Cup qualifiers in Macau with a win over South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong last month, but many are still unconvinced that the duo have recaptured their form of old.
Said national doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her: “Koo and Tan have to be more consistent. There are positive signs in the way they carry themselves on court. It is this renewed determination, fire and improved tactical play that I want to see here.”
A win will be a tremendous boost as Kien Keat-Boon Heong have been searching in vain for a Super Series title since winning the 2010 Malaysia Open. It has been nothing but heartbreak ever since with misses in the finals of the 2010 World Championships, 2010 Asian Games and 2011 All-England.
The other Malaysian players here all face uphill tasks although Tee Jing Yi (women’s singles), Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui (women’s doubles) and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles) are expected to shore up their chances of qualifying for the Olympics.
THE STAR
Today, the best of the best, including Malaysia’s main hopes Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, get down to do battle in the first round at the National Indoor Arena here in Birmingham.
It is the perfect tournament for the players to get the mood and feel of the Olympic Games as England is in full swing with its massive preparations to host the Games in London from July 27-Aug 12.
Milestone: Tan Yee Khan (left) and Ng Boon Bee (right) won the doubles title while Tan Aik Huang lifted the singles at the All-England in 1966.For Malaysia, it will be an Olympian boost if Chong Wei and Kien Keat-Boon Heong can emerge champions to end the country’s 46-year wait for the double, which Tan Aik Huang and Ng Boon Bee-Tan Yee Khan delivered in 1966.
Realistically though, only Chong Wei, going for a hat-trick of wins, has a chance. The defending champion has a good draw and is motivated to equal the late Wong Peng Soon’s extraordinary feat of winning the title for three consecutive years from 1950-1952.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist, Chong Wei, who had two days to get used to the cold climate here, has vowed to sizzle.
“All the top players are here and the competition will be one of the toughest in recent times. It looks like a small Olympic Games competition,” he said.
In his half of the draw are Wang Zhengming, his first round opponent, and Du Pengyu, while Lin Dan, Chen Long and Chen Jin are in the bottom half. All of them will be eager to undermine Chong Wei’s confidence ahead of the Olympic Games.
It would be a perfect climax if Chong Wei meets Lin Dan in the final but Chen Long and Chen Jin will certainly have a say on that.
Both Chens may not have won any titles so far this year – with Chen Long suffering from an injury at the Korea Open and Chen Jin battling with inconsistency – but they will be eager to make a mark ahead of the Olympics.
Click on image to view larger chart.They did well at the Thomas Cup qualifiers in Macau with a win over South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong last month, but many are still unconvinced that the duo have recaptured their form of old.
Said national doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her: “Koo and Tan have to be more consistent. There are positive signs in the way they carry themselves on court. It is this renewed determination, fire and improved tactical play that I want to see here.”
A win will be a tremendous boost as Kien Keat-Boon Heong have been searching in vain for a Super Series title since winning the 2010 Malaysia Open. It has been nothing but heartbreak ever since with misses in the finals of the 2010 World Championships, 2010 Asian Games and 2011 All-England.
The other Malaysian players here all face uphill tasks although Tee Jing Yi (women’s singles), Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui (women’s doubles) and Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (mixed doubles) are expected to shore up their chances of qualifying for the Olympics.
THE STAR
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