ants
08-07-2005, 05:19 AM
NST
"WINNING the Malaysia Open counts for nothing in the World Championships and I am not the only player competing in Anaheim."
This is how two-time Malaysia Open champion Lee Chong Wei feels about his prospects in the World Championships, which begin on Aug 15.
He just wants to focus on his preliminary round matches before even thinking about taking on the top players in the later stages.
Chong Wei, the fifth seed, has an easy passage in the preliminary rounds and is likely to meet fourth seed Bao Chunlai of China in the last eight.
Chong Wei may have beaten Chunlai in four previous meetings but the top ranked Malaysian said the World Championships is not an ordinary tournament.
"Nothing is easy in the World Championships and winning the Malaysia Open does not make me the favourite. I’m not the only player competing in Anaheim," said Chong Wei yesterday.
"There are so many good players in the tournament and as such, I would want to take one match at a time.
"It surprises me when people say that I have a good draw. All I can say at the moment is that I will give my best shot in the World Championships."
However, Chong Wei said that a place in the quarter-finals looked a possibility as he meets lesser known players in the earlier rounds.
Chong Wei opens his campaign against Jan Frohlich of the Czech Republic in the first round. He could then face Martyn Lewis of Wales and Bjoern Joppein of Germany for a place in the last eight.
Should Chong Wei beat Chunlai, the 23-year-old Malaysian could take on sixth seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the last four.
There is also a possibility that Chong Wei might meet compatriot Wong Choong Hann in the last eight as the latter is likely to play Chunlai in the third round.
"A meeting with Choong Hann is also possible but I don’t want to think too far ahead and struggle in the earlier rounds," said Chong Wei.
"I set myself a semi-final target but I need to work very hard for that.
"It is my first World Championships and I wish to go as far as I can. But it is hard to predict how well I can do."
Chong Wei is is apparently playing down his chances just to avoid additional pressure but he could end up as the best Malaysian performer in Anaheim if he can produce the kind of performance which gave him the Malaysia Open title last month.
"WINNING the Malaysia Open counts for nothing in the World Championships and I am not the only player competing in Anaheim."
This is how two-time Malaysia Open champion Lee Chong Wei feels about his prospects in the World Championships, which begin on Aug 15.
He just wants to focus on his preliminary round matches before even thinking about taking on the top players in the later stages.
Chong Wei, the fifth seed, has an easy passage in the preliminary rounds and is likely to meet fourth seed Bao Chunlai of China in the last eight.
Chong Wei may have beaten Chunlai in four previous meetings but the top ranked Malaysian said the World Championships is not an ordinary tournament.
"Nothing is easy in the World Championships and winning the Malaysia Open does not make me the favourite. I’m not the only player competing in Anaheim," said Chong Wei yesterday.
"There are so many good players in the tournament and as such, I would want to take one match at a time.
"It surprises me when people say that I have a good draw. All I can say at the moment is that I will give my best shot in the World Championships."
However, Chong Wei said that a place in the quarter-finals looked a possibility as he meets lesser known players in the earlier rounds.
Chong Wei opens his campaign against Jan Frohlich of the Czech Republic in the first round. He could then face Martyn Lewis of Wales and Bjoern Joppein of Germany for a place in the last eight.
Should Chong Wei beat Chunlai, the 23-year-old Malaysian could take on sixth seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the last four.
There is also a possibility that Chong Wei might meet compatriot Wong Choong Hann in the last eight as the latter is likely to play Chunlai in the third round.
"A meeting with Choong Hann is also possible but I don’t want to think too far ahead and struggle in the earlier rounds," said Chong Wei.
"I set myself a semi-final target but I need to work very hard for that.
"It is my first World Championships and I wish to go as far as I can. But it is hard to predict how well I can do."
Chong Wei is is apparently playing down his chances just to avoid additional pressure but he could end up as the best Malaysian performer in Anaheim if he can produce the kind of performance which gave him the Malaysia Open title last month.