ixory
04-26-2007, 06:37 PM
Wong: Super Series draws too predictable
KUALA LUMPUR: The draws for major tournaments have become predictable. And the Malaysian camp is hoping for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to find a solution to save tournaments from losing their excitement.
Veteran Wong Choong Hann said that seeing the same players meeting each other had become more obvious in back-to-back tournaments.
“It’s like a back-to-back draw. Just look at the men’s singles draw for the Singapore and Indonesian Opens. And I am looking at only the Malaysians. It’s getting to be a little predictable,” said Choong Hann.
National number one Lee Chong Wei is down to play against Mohd Hafiz Hashim in the first round of the Singapore Open, which begins next week. In the Indonesian Open the following week, they could be up against each other in the second round.
In the opening two rounds of the inaugural Super Series in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, Hafiz drew Chinese veteran Chen Hong while at the All-England and Swiss Open, Chong Wei played against China’s Chen Yu.
Added Choong Hann: “In the back-to-back German Open and All-England, I was lumped together with Lin Dan (of China). There is a need to review the format of the draw.
“Some players may like it because it has favoured them. But if we look at the big picture, tournaments may eventually become dull.”
Doubles player Ong Soon Hock is also critical of the current situation.
“Initially, I accepted it because we (the Malaysians) had so many men’s doubles pairs in a tournaments and were bound to meet each other. But tournament after tournament, we met the same pairs. Something is not right,” he said.
Soon Hock, who pairs up with Tan Bin Shen, had almost identical draws in the qualifying tournament of the Malaysian and Korean Opens.
Doubles coach Rexy Mainaky said that the BWF should consider the feedback and comments from players and coaches in their efforts to make the sport more interesting.
“I agreed with the BWF’s decision to do away with the national separation rule and conduct open draws. But a tournament loses its glitter when top players are eliminated when they play against each other in early rounds,” he said. “The world of badminton is abuzz on why there are similar draws for some of the tournaments. This is a sensitive issue but there is nothing wrong for the BWF to get the feedback from players, coaches and managers to further improve the game.”
KUALA LUMPUR: The draws for major tournaments have become predictable. And the Malaysian camp is hoping for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to find a solution to save tournaments from losing their excitement.
Veteran Wong Choong Hann said that seeing the same players meeting each other had become more obvious in back-to-back tournaments.
“It’s like a back-to-back draw. Just look at the men’s singles draw for the Singapore and Indonesian Opens. And I am looking at only the Malaysians. It’s getting to be a little predictable,” said Choong Hann.
National number one Lee Chong Wei is down to play against Mohd Hafiz Hashim in the first round of the Singapore Open, which begins next week. In the Indonesian Open the following week, they could be up against each other in the second round.
In the opening two rounds of the inaugural Super Series in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, Hafiz drew Chinese veteran Chen Hong while at the All-England and Swiss Open, Chong Wei played against China’s Chen Yu.
Added Choong Hann: “In the back-to-back German Open and All-England, I was lumped together with Lin Dan (of China). There is a need to review the format of the draw.
“Some players may like it because it has favoured them. But if we look at the big picture, tournaments may eventually become dull.”
Doubles player Ong Soon Hock is also critical of the current situation.
“Initially, I accepted it because we (the Malaysians) had so many men’s doubles pairs in a tournaments and were bound to meet each other. But tournament after tournament, we met the same pairs. Something is not right,” he said.
Soon Hock, who pairs up with Tan Bin Shen, had almost identical draws in the qualifying tournament of the Malaysian and Korean Opens.
Doubles coach Rexy Mainaky said that the BWF should consider the feedback and comments from players and coaches in their efforts to make the sport more interesting.
“I agreed with the BWF’s decision to do away with the national separation rule and conduct open draws. But a tournament loses its glitter when top players are eliminated when they play against each other in early rounds,” he said. “The world of badminton is abuzz on why there are similar draws for some of the tournaments. This is a sensitive issue but there is nothing wrong for the BWF to get the feedback from players, coaches and managers to further improve the game.”