chicteenager
Regular Member
The Star - August 11, 2005
KUALA LUMPUR: The national shuttlers for the World Championships have been warned to keep their game hot or face being left out in the cold when they return from sunny California.
On the eve of the team's departure for Anaheim, chief coach Yap Kim Hock made this clear to the players after they wrapped up training at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here yesterday.
“I have told all of them that our (coaches) target is for them to play to their rankings form,” said Kim Hock.
“If they are seeded, they have to live up to their status and not lose to opponents ranked lower than them. If they fail, we may not send them to compete in Open tournaments after the world championships.”
The tournaments on the calendar are the inaugural China Masters in Beijing (Aug 31-Sept 4), Asian Championships in Hyderabad (Sept 6-11), Indonesian Open (Sept 20-25), Dutch Open (Oct 11-16), Danish Open (Oct 18-23), Hong Kong Open (Nov 1-6), China Open (Nov 8-13), Taiwan Open (Nov 15-20) and the Manila SEA Games (Nov 27-Dec 5).
Malaysia are placing high hopes on the men's singles players. Lee Chong Wei is the fifth seed and Mohd Hafiz Hashim is seeded at number eight. Veteran Wong Choong Hann, the runner-up in the previous championships in Birmingham two years ago, is seen as the dark horse for the title.
Malaysia also have the men's pair of Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng and the women's combination of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty as the eight and seventh seeds respectively and they are expected to reach at least the quarter-finals.
The others in the 21-member Malaysian squad are Koo Kien Keat-Chan Chong Ming, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock (men's doubles); Wong Mew Choo, M. Sutheaswari (women's singles); Mooi Hing Yau-Ooi Sock Ai, Fong Chew Yen-See Phui Leng and Lim Pek Siah-Chor Hooi Yee (women's doubles).
Sutheaswari, Pek Siah and Hooi Yee, who quit the national team three years ago, will make the trip on their own expenses.
The Anaheim-bound players were in a relaxed mood after training ended earlier than usual.
Chong Ming, Bin Shen, Soon Hock and Choon Eng played a “game”, challenging each other to see who could throw the covers of the shuttle containers nearest to a target.
Said Kim Hock: “They will be leaving early tomorrow. We just had a light training session. The shorter time is also to give the players and also the coaches more time to pack their bag and finish their errands.”
KUALA LUMPUR: The national shuttlers for the World Championships have been warned to keep their game hot or face being left out in the cold when they return from sunny California.
On the eve of the team's departure for Anaheim, chief coach Yap Kim Hock made this clear to the players after they wrapped up training at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here yesterday.
“I have told all of them that our (coaches) target is for them to play to their rankings form,” said Kim Hock.
“If they are seeded, they have to live up to their status and not lose to opponents ranked lower than them. If they fail, we may not send them to compete in Open tournaments after the world championships.”
The tournaments on the calendar are the inaugural China Masters in Beijing (Aug 31-Sept 4), Asian Championships in Hyderabad (Sept 6-11), Indonesian Open (Sept 20-25), Dutch Open (Oct 11-16), Danish Open (Oct 18-23), Hong Kong Open (Nov 1-6), China Open (Nov 8-13), Taiwan Open (Nov 15-20) and the Manila SEA Games (Nov 27-Dec 5).
Malaysia are placing high hopes on the men's singles players. Lee Chong Wei is the fifth seed and Mohd Hafiz Hashim is seeded at number eight. Veteran Wong Choong Hann, the runner-up in the previous championships in Birmingham two years ago, is seen as the dark horse for the title.
Malaysia also have the men's pair of Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng and the women's combination of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty as the eight and seventh seeds respectively and they are expected to reach at least the quarter-finals.
The others in the 21-member Malaysian squad are Koo Kien Keat-Chan Chong Ming, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock (men's doubles); Wong Mew Choo, M. Sutheaswari (women's singles); Mooi Hing Yau-Ooi Sock Ai, Fong Chew Yen-See Phui Leng and Lim Pek Siah-Chor Hooi Yee (women's doubles).
Sutheaswari, Pek Siah and Hooi Yee, who quit the national team three years ago, will make the trip on their own expenses.
The Anaheim-bound players were in a relaxed mood after training ended earlier than usual.
Chong Ming, Bin Shen, Soon Hock and Choon Eng played a “game”, challenging each other to see who could throw the covers of the shuttle containers nearest to a target.
Said Kim Hock: “They will be leaving early tomorrow. We just had a light training session. The shorter time is also to give the players and also the coaches more time to pack their bag and finish their errands.”
