ants
02-23-2006, 08:24 PM
TheStar Feb 24
PETALING JAYA: The need to brush up their performances in playing matches under the experimental rally scoring format has led to the withdrawal of the doubles pairs for the Commonwealth Games from the Philippines Open.
The Philippines Open from March 1-5 in Manila was to be the last international tournament for them before they head for Melbourne for the Games scheduled for March 15-26.
The pairs who have to stay home to train are Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat, Choong Tan Fook-Wong Choong Hann and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty. At the Games, Choong Hann will also play in the men's singles.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said yesterday that pairs needed more time to adapt better to the experimental 21-point best-of-three rally scoring format, which came into force in all International Badminton Federation-sanctioned tournaments on Feb 1.
“It is better for them to stay home and improve on the game under the new scoring format,” he said.
In the recent Asian Zone Thomas-Uber Cup qualifying tournament at Jaipur, the doubles players found much more difficulty playing the new format than the singles players.
Kim Hock said that Lee Chong Wei and Wong Mew Choo would spearhead the Malaysian challenge in the men's and women's singles respectively at the Philippines Open.
“Chong Wei played well in the qualifiers and the Philippines Open will be a good warm-up for him ahead of the Melbourne Games. The tournament in Manila will also be good for Mew Choo and also Julia (Wong),” he said.
The other national players who are not in the team for the Commonwealth Games will also take part in the Philippines Open.
Meanwhile, Kim Hock said that all their 13 players under the AsiaComm programme started their two-day fitness and doping tests at the National Sports Institute (NSI) in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
PETALING JAYA: The need to brush up their performances in playing matches under the experimental rally scoring format has led to the withdrawal of the doubles pairs for the Commonwealth Games from the Philippines Open.
The Philippines Open from March 1-5 in Manila was to be the last international tournament for them before they head for Melbourne for the Games scheduled for March 15-26.
The pairs who have to stay home to train are Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat, Choong Tan Fook-Wong Choong Hann and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty. At the Games, Choong Hann will also play in the men's singles.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said yesterday that pairs needed more time to adapt better to the experimental 21-point best-of-three rally scoring format, which came into force in all International Badminton Federation-sanctioned tournaments on Feb 1.
“It is better for them to stay home and improve on the game under the new scoring format,” he said.
In the recent Asian Zone Thomas-Uber Cup qualifying tournament at Jaipur, the doubles players found much more difficulty playing the new format than the singles players.
Kim Hock said that Lee Chong Wei and Wong Mew Choo would spearhead the Malaysian challenge in the men's and women's singles respectively at the Philippines Open.
“Chong Wei played well in the qualifiers and the Philippines Open will be a good warm-up for him ahead of the Melbourne Games. The tournament in Manila will also be good for Mew Choo and also Julia (Wong),” he said.
The other national players who are not in the team for the Commonwealth Games will also take part in the Philippines Open.
Meanwhile, Kim Hock said that all their 13 players under the AsiaComm programme started their two-day fitness and doping tests at the National Sports Institute (NSI) in Bukit Jalil yesterday.