BADMINTON/Sudirman Cup: Getting back into the top flight

By Rizal Hashim (mmsports@nstp.com.my)

Malay Mail

April 13: A DEFEAT by Sweden in 1999 condemned Malaysia, guided by Morten Frost Hansen at his own backyard in Copenhagen, to Division Two of the Sudirman Cup, which is basically the world mixed team badminton championships.

When the next edition in Beijing takes place next month, chief coach Yap Kim Hock is not promising the world, nor the Cup, made of 22-carat gold- plated solid silver and stands on an octagonal base made of jati wood.

But he is aiming for a gradual progress, which is for his 10-member squad to re-enter the elite group in the competi- tion named after former International Badminton Federation (IBF) top office-bearer, the late Drs Dick Sudirman.

"As a player, I knew the Sudirman Cup was never really in our list of priorities simply because our strength was lopsided. We did not have a strong women's team then," said Kim Hock.

"But for this year's edition, we have decided to aim high. The immediate target is to win promotion to Division One." A tie in the Sudirman Cup comprises five matches – men's and women's singles and dou- bles and the mixed doubles. At the last championship in Holland in 2003, Malaysia failed to gain a place in Division One after they lost 3-2 to Hong Kong in the play-off to decide the Division Two winners.

Top singles player Lee Chong Wei will head the nation's challenge at the Beijing Gymnasium Hall on May 10-15.

Chong Wei and Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, who won back- to-back titles in the Swiss and Thailand Opens recently, are the two men's singles players selected alongside doubles specialists Choong Tan Fook and Chan Chong Ming plus Koo Kien Keat. Completing the squad are Wong Mew Choo, Julia Wong, Fong Chew Yen and top women's pair Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty.

Malaysia have Holland, Taiwan and Russia in Group A in Division Two while Group B of Division Two comprises Japan, Singapore, Germany and Ukraine.

The top team from each group will square off in a play-off with only the winners earning promotion.

It is still the women that's Malaysia's weak spot. They have improved in WD and XD, but is it enough? Especially the Netherlands have strong women players.

Against both Netherlands and Russia, Malaysia should win in MS and MD. But they will most likely lose in WS. And certainly Netherlands CAN topple them in both WD and XD...

I think Malaysia can win the group, but they're going to have to work for it! :D

It is still the women that's Malaysia's weak spot. They have improved in WD and XD, but is it enough? Especially the Netherlands have strong women players.

Against both Netherlands and Russia, Malaysia should win in MS and MD. But they will most likely lose in WS. And certainly Netherlands CAN topple them in both WD and XD...

I think Malaysia can win the group, but they're going to have to work for it! :D

Yes, I think Netherlands is Malaysia's toughest opponent in Group 2 (or is it B?). I can only say with confidence that MD will go to Malaysia and WS will go to Holland. MS has Dicky lurking around, but the odds will be for Lee CW or Hafiz to win. Malaysia has an established pair in each of WD and XD, while Holland's best bets are Audina/Bruil and Bruil/Bruil. Even if Malaysia loses in the MS, we are still in for a chance by sweeping doubles.

Against Russia, Malaysia can win 5-0. The women are still the weak point but they have improved some to be able to defeat Russia.

Against Russia, Malaysia can win 5-0. The women are still the weak point but they have improved some to be able to defeat Russia.

I don't think Malaysia wins the WS against Russia if Karachkova is playing. And Russia has decent mixed doubles. 4-1 or 3-2 is my guess.

I don't think Malaysia wins the WS against Russia if Karachkova is playing. And Russia has decent mixed doubles. 4-1 or 3-2 is my guess.

But Malaysia has Wong Mew Choo. And she has consistently beaten players in the top 20. If she weren't out for almost a year, she would have been in the top 20.

However, I grant that for either players, it won't be a walk in the park.

Russia also has good WD and XD pairs (probably better than Netherlands currently), and Anastasia Russkikh partenering anyone can form a top pair too...

It is still the women that's Malaysia's weak spot. They have improved in WD and XD, but is it enough? Especially the Netherlands have strong women players.

Against both Netherlands and Russia, Malaysia should win in MS and MD. But they will most likely lose in WS. And certainly Netherlands CAN topple them in both WD and XD...

I think Malaysia can win the group, but they're going to have to work for it! :D

Wong Mew Choo is a good WS, she can certainly take on Russia but maybe not Holland.
She has been stretching Zhang Ning during the 2 encounters they met this year, quite impressive.

Wong Mew Choo is a good WS, she can certainly take on Russia but maybe not Holland.
She has been stretching Zhang Ning during the 2 encounters they met this year, quite impressive.
Ella Karachkova too has been stretching Zhang Ning (remember this year's All England) and this promises to be a tight and interesting match! :)

I can only say with confidence that MD will go to Malaysia and WS will go to Holland.

True, but there is no 100% guarantee that Mia Audina or Yao Jie can steamroll past Wong Mew Choo.
I think Wong MC stands a better chance to defeat Yao Jie compared to Mia Audina. Li Mao may have some great tricks against the former Chinese.

Netherlands definetly will play Mia Audina than Yao Jie in important matches . Mia had great mental toughness when she play team event. She rarely lost in team event, only lost to Gong Zhi Chao, if I am not wrong in 1998 Uber Cup final when she still play for Indonesia. And lost to Wang Chen in 2003 Sudirman Cup.

Face it, malaysians know we get PWNED LIKE #$%^&* in the women's department...

mmm.....

Wouldn't it be great to see WCH play XD :D:D. Surdiman cup you can shuffle the players around if I'm not wrong as it is a team event?

Face it, malaysians know we get PWNED LIKE #$%^&* in the women's department...

mmm.....

Wouldn't it be great to see WCH play XD :D:D. Surdiman cup you can shuffle the players around if I'm not wrong as it is a team event?
Yes, FEND.

I remember that Ricky Subadgya from Indonesia play men single at one time and Sun Jun from China play Men Doubles. Of course they lost :D

Yes, FEND.

I remember that Ricky Subadgya from Indonesia play men single at one time and Sun Jun from China play Men Doubles. Of course they lost :D
Hahahahaha. Well I'm sure we'll see similar things happen in this year's Sudirman Cup :D:D