BADMINTON : Duo out to improve ranking 23 Mar 2007 K.M. Boopathy KOO Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will play in the Asian Badminton Championships in Johor Baru on April 10-15 in an effort to improve their world ranking after breaking into the top 10 for the first time yesterday. Kien Keat-Boon Heong’s victory in the Swiss Open on Sunday rocketed them from 18th to 10th position, but more than trying to improve their ranking, local fans will get a chance to see the All England and Swiss Open doubles champions in Johor Baru. Earlier, their coach Rexy Mainaky was in two minds about allowing his top pair to compete in the Asian Championships — the last qualifying event for the World Championships — but has now agreed to let them play. And if their current form is anything to go by, a fourth title is in the bag for Kien Keat-Boon Heong who also won the Malaysia Open this year. If they had withdrawn, their world ranking would dip and this could make it difficult for them get a top four seeding in the World Championships. A win in Johor Baru will take them into the top eight and they will have two more super series tournaments — the Singapore and Indonesia Opens in May — to move into the top four by Aug 2. Seedings for the World Championships will be determined based on the Aug 2 world ranking. "Our aim in the Asian Badminton Championships is to try and the win the title. More importantly, it is part of the build-up towards the World Championships which is the biggest event this year," said Kien Keat, who left for Ipoh yesterday. "However, it is going to be a tough tournament as this is the last qualifying event. We still need to work on our world ranking and the Asian Championships can help." Kien Keat, who shaved his head bald as promised after winning the All England title, has secured a World Championships berth with compatriots Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, ranked World No 6, while a third spot will be determined later by Rexy. Boon Heong has also pledged to give his best in the Asian Championships to make amends after he partnered Hoon Thien How to finished runners-up to Tan Fook-Wan Wah in Johor Baru last year. "We will have to battle for our title but it is going to be the same like other tournaments we played so far. But we want to continue the winning run," said Boon Heong. "Now, it is all about focus and to maintain our consistency. I don’t fear any pair, not even the Koreans although we have not played their top combination yet." Kien Keat-Boon Heong have beaten Korean No 2 Lee Jae Jin-Hwang Ji Man and third-ranked Han Sang Hoon-Yoo Yeon Seong but have yet to play World No 3 Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae. Meanwhile, another national pair Chan Chong Ming-Hoon Thien How climbed from 113th to 67th in the ranking. However, Lee Chong Wei’s slide in the men’s singles ranking continued as he slipped from third spot to fourth, and regrettably, a further drop is expected as the 25-year-old defending champion is expected to skip the Asian Championships. WORLD RANKING — Men’s singles: 1 Lin Dan (Chn) 80,393 pts; 2 Bao Chunlai (Chn) 63,200; 3 Chen Jin (Chn) 62,143; 4 Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 60,326; 5 Peter Gade Christensen (Den) 58,323; 6 Chen Hong (Chn) 57,521; 7 Chen Yu (Chn) 56,120; 8 Kenneth Jonassen (Den) 53,501; 9 Hafiz Hashim (Mas) 46,073; 10 Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) 41,201; Selected Malaysians: 19 Roslin Hashim 33,761; 30 Yeoh Kay Bin 28,790; 35 Kuan Beng Hong 23,655; 45 Wong Choong Hann 20,665; 49 Tan Chun Seang 19,770. Doubles: 1 Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun (Chn) 68,282; 2 Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen (Den) 61,597; 3 Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (S Kor) 56,078; 4 Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) 55,994; 5 Candra Wijaya (Ina)-Tony Gunawan (US) 49,010; 6 Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) 48,926; 7 Anthony Clark-Robert Blair (Eng) 45,032; 8 Luluk Hadiyanto-Alven Yulianto (Ina) 42,358; 9 Rian Sukmawan-Eng Hian (Ina) 41,471; 10 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) 40,836; Selected Malaysians: 12 Gan Teik Chai-Zakry Latif 35,391; 19 Fairuzizuan Tazari-Lin Woon Fui 32,120; 21 Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock 30,410; 67 Chan Chong Ming-Hoon Thien How 12,230. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Friday/Sport/20070323082736/Article/index_html
Wow...Thats a good news..I will definetely go to support them...Wanna see they real person..So lucky its held in JB..
Why aren't LCW playing...I think he should play to boost up his ranking but anyway i am very happy that KKK/TBH win..I hope to see his new image without hair..
LCW should play, if at least to try improve his ranking and get a better WC seeding. If he doesn't, no guarantees that he would even be seeded in top 4.
Seems like he will after all... Badminton: It's back to basics 26 Mar 2007 K.M. Boopathy NATIONAL singles coach Wong Tat Meng says that Lee Chong Wei’s World No 4 ranking counts for little or nothing if the player does not regain his confidence and fire to start winning again. Tat Meng believes Chong Wei must forget his past achievements, including being World No 1 for a short spell last year, and start afresh. "He (Chong Wei) has been hit with several bad results. He may be ranked fourth but in reality, he is not there anymore. However, I believe he is one of best singles players we have produced in almost three decades and he will bounce back," said Tat Meng yesterday. Tat Meng said that the only way forward now is for Chong Wei to go back, meaning he must focus more on training and rebuilding his career from scratch. Chong Wei was blown away by China’s Chen Yu in the All England quarter-finals and was then stunned by Ronald Susilo of Singapore in the first round of the Swiss Open a week later. Chong Wei will be defending his title in the Asian Badminton Championships in Johor Baru on April 10-15. "This is the time for Chong Wei to start rebuilding his confidence. I’m not too concerned about results, at least, not at the moment," said Tat Meng. The coach said that quality training of between three and four weeks before a tournament is what Chong Wei needs and he expects to see positive changes in the 25-year-old’s performance in the Singapore Open (May 1-6) and Indonesia Open (May 7-13). "The main objective this year is the World Championships and I am optimistic we will see the return of the Chong Wei of the old in this major event. "He has played non-stop for the last six months, so what he needs more is quality training from now until the World Championships." While Chong Wei is on a mission to revive his career, Hafiz Hashim’s situation is not looking good either as the achilles injury he suffered in the All England is likely to keep him out of the Asian Championships. Hafiz suffered a second round defeat to Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia in the All England and withdrew from the Swiss Open due to the injury. All this means Malaysia cannot expect much from the men’s singles in the Asian Championships as Wong Choong Hann, is also going through a lean spell. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Monday/Sport/20070326082739/Article/index_html
Well..I am glad that LCW decided to participate and hope he will come back soon.Time doesn't wait for people and what he should do now is not keep claming with the confidence matter.I hope he will forget all the past and start from the beginning..
Good to hear LCW participated in ABC...go LCW..go..this is your another oppurtunity ,don't miss it again..use this tournament to bring back your confident..
wah sei.. don't hv to do that to the particular phrase in bold n in RED colour somemore!! aiyoyoyo;.... hope Mas team can perform well in the coming ABC!
From www.thestar.com.my (2007-03-26) Badminton: Heroes Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong to report for training Tuesday KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has decided there will be no more new celebration requests will be accepted for hotshots Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong as the national heroes for winning four titles in less than six months. On Monday, national chief coach Yap Kim Hock said that there would not be any more celebrations for Kien Keat-Boon Heong when they report for training at the Gymnasium Two in Bukit Jalil Tuesday. "There will be one or two more functions for them this week. But the BAM have decided not to entertain anymore requests made this week for them," said Kim Hock. "It is enough. The celebration has ended for them. It is time for them to get back in shape again for upcoming tournaments." Kim Hock said that the national doubles coach Rexy Mainaky would decide on the duo's participation in the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) in Johor Baru from April 10-15 based on their condition in training.
Im imagining Rexy sitting behind them with a cane at ABC..............while shouting Boys fight boys fight......
