TheStar KUALA LUMPUR: It took national number one men's singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei one day to recover from the demoralising defeat by South Korean Lee Hyun-il in the third round of the Singapore Open last week. And the 22-year-old Chong Wei will be out to redeem himself with a good showing in the Proton Malaysian Open, which begins tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton (KLBA) Stadium. The current world number four player is the defending champion. “I packed my bag and left Singapore immediately after the defeat by Hyun-il,” said Chong Wei after a training session at the competition venue yesterday. “I went there with high hopes but had to leave in disappointment. I took a day rest and did not even step out of the hostel (in Bukit Kiara). I have put the defeat behind me.” Chong Wei is back in high spirits but he is well aware that task of defending the title will not be an easy one for him. He is expected play against Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the quarter-final. Taufik beat China's Chen Hong to take the Singapore Open title and en route to the final ousted China's world number one Lin Dan and Dane Peter Gade-Christensen. “Taufik played very well in Singapore and he will certainly be the player to beat here,” said Chong Wei, who was the loser in his one previous match against the Indonesian – in the second round of last year's Asian Championships, which was also played at the KLBA Stadium. The Malaysia Open is the last international tournament before the World Championships in California next month. Performances here will affect the seedings in the world meet. Chong Wei has in his path to the quarter-finals two Indonesia-born players – Hong Kong's Agus Hariyanto and Holland Dicky Palyama. “I cannot take any of my opponents lightly. Taufik certainly has the better draw to reach the last eight. His only challenge will come from 13th seed Kaldau (Niels Christian of Denmark) in the third round.” At the Malaysian Open, none of the Malaysian players made it to the quarter-finals. “All of us will have to go the extra mile to bring back the smile in the camp,” said Chong Wei. Wong Choong Hann is tipped to play against the winner of the match between Mohd Roslin Hahim and Gade-Christensen in the third round. Mohd Hafiz Hashim has been drawn to play against reigning world champion Xia Xuanze of China in the first round. The other Malaysian singles players in the main draw are Sairul Amar Ayob, Kuan Beng Hong, Lee Tsuen Seng, Yeoh Kay Bin and K. Yogendran. Those who have to play in the qualifying today are James Chua, Ismail Saman, Lok Chong Chieh, Law Yew Thien, Lim Kenn, Salim Sameon, Lim Chen Wet, Tan Chun Seang, Zairul Hafiz Zainudin, Azrihanif Azahar and the Jamaluddin brothers – Mohd Hazwan and Mohd Syafiq. Meanwhile, it was revealed at the team managers' meeting yesterday that Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana and the Chinese pair of Sang Yang-Zheng Bo have withdrawn from the tournament.
