TheStar KUALA LUMPUR: Getting the Malaysian doubles players to play more aggressively is what former Indonesian doubles ace Rexy Mainaky has been tasked with. National chief coach Yap Kim Hock wants Rexy to teach the players to develop an attacking flair. “He will adopt the Indonesian style in drawing up a training programme for the men’s doubles and mixed doubles players,” said Kim Hock. “The Indonesians are known for their speed and attacking play and they are very strong in the back court area as well. “Our players tend to be more defensive. I want Rexy to impart his technical expertise to help our current batch of players to play a fast and hard game. “The players have nothing to lose by learning something new as the objective is only to make them play better.” Kim Hock believes that the appointment of the former world and Olympic champion as the high performance coach for the doubles players is a win-win situation for the national team. “Rexy is getting less than what he used to receive in England and I believe he wants to be nearer to his family back in Indonesia,” he said. “On the other hand, we have the benefit of tapping into his wide playing and coaching experience. “He has coached in England for the last five years and he has developed world-class mixed doubles players. We have good quality young players and I am confident the results will come soon.” Rexy took the mixed doubles pair of Nathan Robertson-Gail Emms to the silver medal in the Athens Olympics last August. Robertson-Emms also won the All-England title in March and they are the current world number one. Rexy is now helping to prepare the four Malaysian men’s doubles pairs for the World Championships, which will be held in Anaheim, California, from Aug 15-21. The four pairs for the world meet are Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat, Ong Soon Hock-Tan Bin Shen, Mohd Faizuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng. The other doubles players in the national team are Gan Teik Chai, Mohd Zakry and Lee Wan Wah. Yesterday was another opportunity for Rexy to assess some of the doubles players, who featured in match-play situation against their South Korean counterparts at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here. It ended in favour of the Koreans, who won nine out of the 15 matches. “The Koreans have decided to stay back for one week to train in Kuala Lumpur. We agreed to the friendly matches because they benefited our men’s and women’s doubles players,” said Kim Hock. A second session against the Koreans will be held on Saturday.
i feel that malaysia has potential, expecially with the young pairs like Tan/Ong and Koo/Chan who are young enough, and bar injuries, should have succesful careers ahead.. Lets hope Rexy Can Do his wonders.
