Malaysia’s Thomas Cup campaign back on track, says Lee
PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei returned home from Macau yesterday with a big smile on his face.
He had been doubtful of the team’s chances but, yesterday, Chong Wei said he believes Malaysia’s Thomas Cup campaign is back on track following the determination shown by the backup shuttlers in the qualifiers.
Malaysia, despite lacking quality in the second and third singles, defied the odds to beat South Korea to emerge as the Group D champion in the Asian Zone qualifiers. They then went on to beat India in the quarter-finals to book their place in the Finals in Wuhan from May 20-27.
En route to accomplishing their mission: seniors Koo Kien Keat-tan Boon Heong restored their pride by beating their Korean nemesis Ko Sunghyun-yoo Yeon-seong; back-up shuttlers and debutants Lim Khim Wah-goh V Shem did not buckle under pressure; Mohd Hafiz Hashim won when it mattered most; and both Liew Daren and Mohd Arif Abdul Latif showed burning desire to prove themselves although they did not win any matches on merit.
Chong Wei, who did not drop a single match, said he was happy with what he saw.
“The most important thing is that the team qualified and defeated South Korea. Some won and some lost but everyone was there to support one another. Team spirit saw us through the qualifiers,” said skipper Chong Wei.
“I was happy to see the fired up performances from Khim Wah and V Shem. Daren and Arif also pushed hard. They were able to handle the pressure. This outing is a good experience for them.
“If we can maintain the same spirit and determination, we will be able to defy the odds at the Finals as well. We will be going to Wuhan as underdogs but I am confident that we will give everyone a run for their money.”
Besides the Thomas Cup Finals, Chong Wei’s two other main missions this year are the All- England from March 7-11 and the London Olympic Games in August.
On the All-england in Birmingham, Chong Wei said that he was gunning for a hat-trick of wins.
“I have won it for the last two years and plan to get it right again. The draw will be out tomorrow but I amnot too concerned about my opponents,” said Chong Wei.
“I intend to beef up my preparation and continue to focus on my physical condition. The ultimate goal is to strike it right at the Olympics and, together with my coach Tey Seu Bock, we will continue to look into ways to further enhance my training programme.”
Chong Wei has gotten off to a blistering start this year, nailing back-to-back titles at the Korean and the Malaysia Opens. In South Korea, he defeated Lin Dan of China in the final while he eliminated Chen Long of China and Kenichi Tago of Japan on his way to winning the home tournament.