Badminton: Time running out for Tan Fook - Wan Wah

[Dreamzz]

04 Jan 2007
K. M . Boopathy (boopathy@nst.com.my)

THE writing is on the wall for doubles pair Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah.

With national doubles coach Rexy Mainaky having declared that the younger pairs are ready to take over from the seniors, this is a clearwarning to Tan Fook-Wan Wah that time is running out for them.
Tan Fook-WanWah, ranked World No 4, have been performing poorly since the World Championships in Madrid last September where they fell in the second round.
They also crashed in the second round of the China Open in October and were soundly beaten in the Copenhagen Masters last week by world champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Thursday/Sport/20070104083942/bad.jpg

Rexy, in a telephone interview from Jakarta, said Tan Fook, 32, and Wan Wah 31, must realise that age is not on their side, and thus should regain their focus and form to match the younger players, “The results of the younger players are better than Tan Fook and WanWah’s. I believe the juniors are ready to take over from the seniors,” said Rexy.
“But Tan Fook and Wan Wah must take this challenge positively and don’t think negatively.
It is not going to help them much.
“I will set targets for them and it is their job to hit those targets. If they don’t, other national pairs will grab the initiative.
“They may survive at the moment because of their world ranking but if the slide continues, they may not qualify for the Super Series tournaments.
They must consider all this seriously.” The rivalry among the shuttlers in the national team has heightened. Asian Games gold medallists Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Lin Woon Fui-Fairuzizuan Tazari, Chan Chong Ming-Hoon Thien How and Gan Teik Chai-Zakry Latif are all looking for opportunities to compete in the super series and other major tournaments.
Tan Fook-Wan Wahwere also dealt a blow by Chong Ming-Thien How, who were playing their first tournament as a pair, when they beat the veteran pair in the Kuala Lumpur Open three weeks ago. Rexy, who had already dropped Tan Fook-Wan Wah from the Doha Asian Games because of their poor form, will not hesitate to sideline the duo if they don’t buck up.

[westwood_13]

Getting overtaken by juniors is an incredibly hard thing.

I feel very, very bad to them.

[Dreamzz]

it's inevitable in the end in modern day professional sports.
but then CTF/LWW have been playing at the highest level for a very long time, certainly much longer than most pairs out there today.

[Cheung]

CTF has got an extra incentive - he won't be able to meet his girlfriend so often.

[Dreamzz]

hahaha, that's true, unless he remains with BAM as a coach or as a sparring partner for the younger pairs. BAM's entourage is normally quite huge, so it's a distinct possiblity. then he can see her as often as he wants, without even having to play!

[cheeyf]

who is CTF girlfren. ya i am sad 2 hear this 2. but i still think tat they r still good n still can make m'sia proud if they play better n keep fit

[haifeng4ever]

CTF-LWW will getting weaker each day. I'm getting terribly disappointed with their perfomance in Copanhangen Master. They used to be able to beat Cai/Fu. But not anymore.

[ants]

Cai/Fu is an improved pair. But you can't win all the time.

[chris-ccc]

who is CTF girlfren. ya i am sad 2 hear this 2. but i still think tat they r still good n still can make m'sia proud if they play better n keep fit

Hi cheeyf,

Yes, our Choong Tan Fook+Lee Wan Wah combination is still good and they can still make Malaysia proud.

You will be happy to read this article. :):):)

Cheers... chris@ccc

====== start article ======

The Star
Sunday 7-Jan-2007

Badminton: Old hands still needed
By RAJES PAUL

PETALING JAYA: There's plenty of life left yet in veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah.

Although there are more young men's pairs making the grade, Malaysia will continue to rely on the hardy Tan Fook-Wan Wah combination, national chief coach Yap Kim Hock said.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/1/7/sports/s_55chong.jpg
EXPERIENCE COUNTS: Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah can give the the younger pairs a run for their money.

Kim Hock said yesterday that the pair would be in the national team as they bid to qualify for this year’s World Championships and next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

“I had a discussion with coach Rexy (Mainaky) and we have agreed that we still need their services,” said Kim Hock after a training session yesterday.

“The back-up players may have done better than them last year. But Tan Fook-Wan Wah are still ranked fourth in the world and their performances are not that poor. Their form only dropped in the later part of the year.

“In fact, their presence will keep the back-up players on their toes. They can still provide quality sparring sessions. We need the competition to keep the standard high in the doubles department.”

Last year, Tan Fook-Wan Wah won the Asian Badminton Championships title, finished as the runners-up in the All-England and Hong Kong Open and reached the semi-finals of the Malaysian and Thailand Opens.

The duo, however, were uninspiring at the World Championships in Madrid.

Currently, five other men's pair ranked behind them in the world rankings are Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui (7th), Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif (11th) and Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock (31st).

The two new pairs – Doha Asiad Games gold medallist Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Kuala Lumpur Open champion Chan Chong Ming-Hoon Thien How – are also formidable but they still have yet to establish themselves in the world rankings.

Kim Hock, however, said Tan Fook-Wan Wah would have to prove themselves to be considered for major tournaments.

“We are happy to have a big pool of doubles players in the national team. There will be no special preferences. The race will be open for everyone. This will keep everyone on their toes,” he said.

The major tournament for the national team this year is the Sudirman Cup in Glasgow, Scotland in August.

Asked if the partnership of Tan Fook-Wan Wah would be split and paired up with youngsters, Kim Hock said: “That is not our plan yet. I think we have done enough tweaking with some of the other partnerships.”

“It will not be wise to split partnerships this year as we are currently in the qualifying period for the world meet while the qualifying period for the Olympic Games will begin in May. Besides, the world rankings will also be important if we want our players to compete in the Super Series this year.”

Following the success of new partnerships of Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Chong Ming-Thien How, there was an option for the coaches to team up Tan Fook and Wan Wah with either Bin Shen or Soon Hock.

The back-up pair of Bin Shen and Soon Hock, who had been earmarked for the future, failed to make headway last year.

Currently, all six men's pairs are preparing for the Malaysian Open, which will begin on Jan 16 at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium (KLBA).

Last year, Chong Ming and Kien Keat were the champions.

====== end article ======

[cheeyf]

that's great. really hope that they will perform well.gampate. so chris@ccc, u r in aus? did u c d commonwealth games last year?

[chris-ccc]

that's great. really hope that they will perform well.gampate. so chris@ccc, u r in aus? did u c d commonwealth games last year?


Hi cheeyf,

Yes, I am in Melbourne, Australia. :):):)

And I was at Badminton 24/7 @Commonwealth Games 2006... because I was coaching the Northern Ireland Badminton Team for that Games.

It was there, where I met up with CTF and the rest of the Malaysian Team. Unfortunately, LWW could not come to Melbourne.

Because I came from Malaysia, I was with the Malaysian Team whenever I was not with the Northern Ireland Team, having lunches and dinners with them in the Games Village and in their training/warm-up sessions.

Cheers... chris@ccc

[tjl_vanguard]

hey chriss@ccc so ur a coach??? for a badminton team??

[cheeyf]

wow that's cool chris@ccc
so u still coaching now?
r u goin 2 m'sia open?
wow so nice that u can hang out w d m'sia team
so u know them personally?
it must be nice
i wish i could 2 :)