Sept 13th 05. TheStar KUALA LUMPUR: National singles coach Misbun Sidek's training programme will be reviewed to check a slide in Mohd Hafiz Hashim's performances in international tournaments. National number two Hafiz and Kuan Beng Hong are two players placed under Misbun's charge since early this year. The 22-year-old Hafiz did well in the early part of the year – winning the Swiss and Thai Open tournament and finishing as the runner-up in the German Open. But he has been troubled by a nagging knee injury. He was eliminated in the third rounds of the Japan Open in April and also the World Championships last month. The injury is still bothering Hafiz but he was among the players named by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) yesterday for the Indonesian Open, which will be staged in Jakarta from Sept 19-25. His participation in the tournament will depend on how he fares in training this week. Hafiz may also be omitted from the individual event at the Manila SEA Games (Nov 27-Dec 5) if his problem continues. National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said he would have a discussion with Misbun on Hafiz's training programme. “Hafiz's performances have dipped since winning two titles a few months ago. He is still bothered by the injury and we have to look into the matter,” said Kim Hock after a training session at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here yesterday. “I will have a discussion with Misbun on his training programme.” On Beng Hong's performances in Asian Badminton Championships, which ended in Hyderabad last Sunday, Kim Hock said that the fourth ranked national singles player did well to finish as the runner-up in a four-star international for the first time. Beng Hong was beaten by Indonesian Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final. “We did not send any top players but Beng Hong did well to reach the final. He is improving and he has justified his selection for the Manila SEA Games' team competition,” said Kim Hock. Besides Beng Hong and Hafiz, the other players in the Games squad are national number one Lee Chong Wei and veteran Wong Choong Hann.
Oh dear...just read from the Star that Hafiz has a fever and that will ensure that he will not be flown in to Jakarta next week. Instead, he will be sent for the European GP.
