Chinese shuttlers a stumbling block for Malaysian trio

PETALING JAYA: China’s shuttlers stand in the way of Malaysia’s three back-up players – Liew Daren, Chong Wei Feng and Chan Kwong Beng – from making amends at the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in Qingdao from April 17-22.

It certainly won’t be a smooth ride for the trio, who failed to live up to expectations at the ongoing Australian Open in Sydney.

With world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei not competing, Malaysia can forget about triumphing in the men’s singles event.

In the draw released by the Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC) yesterday, the scrawny Wei Feng faces the toughest first round battle, having to take on former world junior champion Chen Jin of China, who is pushing hard for a ticket to the London Olympic Games.

Kwong Beng too has a tricky opener after being pitted against China’s Zhou Wenlong.

Unlike the other two, Daren should progress to the third round for a face-off against China’s most improved player Du Pengyu.

Daren’s first two opponents should are Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk and Singapore’s Derek Wong.

Daren, Wei Feng and Kwong Beng are using the ABC to restore their confidence after failing to make the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

Kwong Beng, who is hoping to impress the coaches for a place in the Thomas Cup Finals squad, began well in Sydney by upsetting India’s P. Kashyap on Tuesday. He, however, lost 21-18, 18-21, 12-21 to Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh in the third round.

Daren and Wei Feng’s challenges ended much earlier when they were eliminated by Japan’s Sho Sasaki and Hu Yun of Hong Kong respectively in the second round.

Top seed Lin Dan is the favourite for the ABC title and his closest rival will be second seed and compatriot Chen Long.

Malaysia will be banking on Lim Khim Wah-goh V Shem, Hoon Thien How-tan Wee Kiong, Vountus Indra Mawan-mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid and Khim Wah-v Shem for glory in the men’s doubles.

Khim Wah-v Shem are in the bottom half of the draw with second seed shiroka tsuhashimoto-noriyasu Hirata of Japan, Taiwan’s Fang Chiehmin-lee Sheng-mu and China’s Hong Wei-shen Ye.

Thien How-wee Kiong and Vountus-lutfi are in the top half with top seeds Chai Biao-guo Zhengdong, Indonesians Alven Yulianto-hendra Gunawan and Japan’s Naoki Kawamae-shoji Sato.

In the women’s doubles, veterans Chin Eei Hui-wong Pei Tty are drawn to meet Indonesia’s Anneke Feinya Agustin-nitya Krishinda Maheswari in a match that is likely to go down to the wire.