ixory
08-10-2007, 08:00 PM
Lefties can get it right
By RAJES PAUL
thestar online (http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2007/8/11/sports/18565058&sec=sports)
KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles pairs with a left-handed player will have a slight edge in the World Championships, which begin at the Putra Stadium on Monday.
England coach Tan Kim Her believes a left-handed and a right-handed combination will most probably triumph this time.
Four top pairs – defending champions and top seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China, Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Anthony Clark-Robert Blair of England – have such combination. Haifeng, Boon Heong, Tan Fook and Clark are all left-handed players.
“The game has evolved into a fast attacking game. And it can be quite confusing to play against a left and right-handed combinations,” said Kim Her yesterday.
Of all the pairs, Kim Her is impressed with the Cai Yun-Haifeng combination.
Kim Her said that Haifeng, who holds the world record at 332kph for his smash, is the most outstanding left-handed player.
“He has progressed into a dangerous player. He is now very lethal at the net too. The Chinese pair are making great strides now because Haifeng is making fewer mistakes at the net,” said Kim Her.
On the other combinations, Kim Her said: “Boon Heong is still unsteady. Anthony is not as powerful as Haifeng or Boon Heong but he has good control at the front.”
On his job as England’s coach, Kim Her said: “It is a different experience altogether. There is a gap in standard between the English and Asian players. But they run their programme in a systematic way. “The focus has been on forming a solid team for the London 2012 Olympics. But for this world meet, we have high hopes on the mixed doubles event (Nathan Robertson-Gail Emms and Clark-Donna Kellogg).”
By RAJES PAUL
thestar online (http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2007/8/11/sports/18565058&sec=sports)
KUALA LUMPUR: Men’s doubles pairs with a left-handed player will have a slight edge in the World Championships, which begin at the Putra Stadium on Monday.
England coach Tan Kim Her believes a left-handed and a right-handed combination will most probably triumph this time.
Four top pairs – defending champions and top seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China, Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Anthony Clark-Robert Blair of England – have such combination. Haifeng, Boon Heong, Tan Fook and Clark are all left-handed players.
“The game has evolved into a fast attacking game. And it can be quite confusing to play against a left and right-handed combinations,” said Kim Her yesterday.
Of all the pairs, Kim Her is impressed with the Cai Yun-Haifeng combination.
Kim Her said that Haifeng, who holds the world record at 332kph for his smash, is the most outstanding left-handed player.
“He has progressed into a dangerous player. He is now very lethal at the net too. The Chinese pair are making great strides now because Haifeng is making fewer mistakes at the net,” said Kim Her.
On the other combinations, Kim Her said: “Boon Heong is still unsteady. Anthony is not as powerful as Haifeng or Boon Heong but he has good control at the front.”
On his job as England’s coach, Kim Her said: “It is a different experience altogether. There is a gap in standard between the English and Asian players. But they run their programme in a systematic way. “The focus has been on forming a solid team for the London 2012 Olympics. But for this world meet, we have high hopes on the mixed doubles event (Nathan Robertson-Gail Emms and Clark-Donna Kellogg).”