China to battle Indonesia, Malaysia for world badminton supremacy

Discussion in 'World Championships 2007' started by ixory, Aug 10, 2007.

  1. ixory

    ixory Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    1,238
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Malaysia
    China to battle Indonesia, Malaysia for world badminton supremacy

    Antara news

    Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - China will seek a clean sweep of all five titles at the world badminton championships next week, taking on tenacious rivals Malaysia and Indonesia in an attempt to tighten their grip on the sport.

    China's formidable shuttlers, who dominate the world rankings, have been put on notice that second-rate performances one year out from the Beijing Olympics will not be tolerated.

    Head coach Li Yongbo fired the warning after world number one Lin Dan lost a dead rubber at the recent Sudirman Cup world team championships, which China won for a record sixth time.

    "Everyone shares equal chance and if you don't give your best, you could be out at any time," Li was quoted by AFP as telling China's press.

    At the world championships in Kuala Lumpur starting Monday, defending champion Lin is expected to cruise through the early rounds before a possible quarter-final showdown with Indonesian rival Taufik Hidayat.

    Organisers are relishing the expected grudge match, with tensions simmering after the Indonesian launched an astonishing personal attack on Lin late last year, calling him arrogant and unfriendly.

    The outburst reinforced Hidayat's reputation as badminton's bad boy, although the Olympic champion has since insisted he has nothing against the Chinese star, known as Super Dan to his legion of fans.

    Hidayat, seeded eight, has said his motivation for winning here is sky high, even though he considered skipping the event to be with his heavily pregnant wife.

    "I want to play because there is no world championships next year (because of the Olympics)," he told the Jakarta Post.

    On the other side of the draw is Lee Chong Wei, gunning to become the first Malaysian to clinch a world championship title. The second seed is confident his home advantage and a good draw could help catapult him into the finals.

    "I have an advantage of playing at home. I have trained hard and I certainly want to achieve my best results in the world championships," said Lee who has shown solid form, winning this year's Philippine and Indonesian Opens.

    "What can I say, the draw looks very favourable for me. Lin Dan, Taufik and even Bao (China's fourth seed Bao Chunlai) are not in my half of the draw -- that is good news for me," he told Malaysian media.

    "But I no not want to assume that reaching the finals will be easier."

    In the men's doubles, hometown heroes Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong also stand a strong chance of derailing the Chinese juggernaut.

    Barring major upsets, the second seeds are expected to take on reigning champions and world number ones Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun in a highly anticipated final.

    The Chinese pair will be seeking to reassert their dominance after losing to the Malaysians in the final of this year's prestigious All England.

    While China's men face tough challenges, mainland supremacy is almost certain on the women's side.

    Lin's girlfriend, fellow world number one Xie Xingfang, is expected to cruise into the singles final to meet compatriot Zhang Ning, after they were posted in opposite halves of the draw.

    Veteran Zhang, 32, seeded second, will be savouring the chance for revenge against Xie who has trounced the Olympic champion in the final at the last two world championships.

    The doubles final is also expected to be an all-China affair with devastating duo Zhang Yawen and Wei Yili expected to take on Gao Ling and Huang Sui.

    China's Gao and Zheng Bo look invincible in the mixed doubles, winning six titles since coming together at the start of 2007. (*)
     
  2. chibe_K

    chibe_K Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    779
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    USA
    That's how LYB leads a winning team. I hope Misbun and Rexy say the same thing to LCW and KKK/TBH.
     
  3. huangkwokhau

    huangkwokhau Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2007
    Messages:
    18,486
    Likes Received:
    87
    Occupation:
    sales & design
    Location:
    everywhere
    China has a pool of talents so LYB can afford to replace some if they do not perform well....LYB understands that competition in men singles are very very competitive....
     
  4. Han

    Han Regular Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2003
    Messages:
    2,706
    Likes Received:
    6
    Occupation:
    Engineer
    Location:
    Milpitas CA, USA

    Rexy is leaning toward LYB style, workable as Malaysia does have 4-6 good MD pairs so that type of "threat" may work on players. However, it will not work on MS as there's no depth in that department, imagine Misbun warn Chong Wei "If you don't win this time then Hafiz will replace you !!!" :D:D:D
    Also, there's no reason to behave like LYB, I think the current way of BAM management is pretty OK, if you're good and win, you will be handsomely rewarded regardless which state/province you're from. Reward is a better incentive than punishment/threat, IMHO.
    Simply, we can adopt management style from which ever country only if it's practical and suitable to our lifestyles and believes.
     
  5. samuel882

    samuel882 Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2007
    Messages:
    7,837
    Likes Received:
    5
    Occupation:
    Tour Leader
    Location:
    Planet of Lords
    LYB has to issue those kinda treat to his players.. CHN have so many Badminton players who is World Beaters. They simply wont satisfied without any GOLD medals in the men's department ! Lets see who will face the music IF any of them failed to deliver wat the CHN expect from them
     
  6. Felicia_txh

    Felicia_txh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,231
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Malaysia
    Indonesia n Malaysia will prevent China to sweep all the titles..:)
    I hope LCW n TH will stop LD and KKK/TBH will defeat CY/FHF in final..
     
    #6 Felicia_txh, Aug 12, 2007
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2007
  7. armortecfans

    armortecfans Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2007
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Indonesia
    I think it's hard for China to sweep all 5 titles. Although it's not impossible, but I would rather say it won't happen this time. Malaysia is really ambitious to win their first WC title ever and Indonesia will fight all the way, especially after the 2 times winning over Chinese WD. So Chinese players, especially in women, are not unbeatable.

    But, however, I am hoping for a lot of interesting and entertaining matches, whoever playing....
     
  8. ixory

    ixory Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    1,238
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Malaysia
    China awaits second sweep at badminton worlds

    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Paul Majendie (Xinhua)
    Updated: 2007-08-12 21:18[/FONT]
    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]China daily[/FONT]


    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]KUALA LUMPUR - After a clean sweep in all five events at the 1987 world badminton championships, China had never repeated such a feat again. In 2006, China lifted four titles, only missing the target in mixed doubles. Now, China is making the second charge in the 16th edition slated from August 13 to 19.

    Flight delay of about two hours on Thursday could not delay Chinese badminton team's solid preparation for the coming worlds.
    Though China had only two weeks to prepare for the championships, head coach Li Yongbo still believed on Sunday his team was ready for the worlds, both physically and mentally.

    Lin Dan, world No. 1 men's singles shuttler and the defending world champion, looked set to reclaim the title but in a moderate way, saying that he will meet tough challenges from Taufik Hidayat and Lee Chong Wei.
    23-year-old Lin has failed to win any titles in Malaysia. He lost twice in 2005 and 2006 Malaysian Open, both to Lee Chong Wei. And in 2007 Malaysian Open, he bowed to Park Sung-hwan of South Korea.

    "You can not say Malaysia is not my lucky place just according to my previous performances here," said Lin.

    China tries to maintain its supremacy in women's singles. World No. 1 and 2 Zhang Ning and Xie Xingfang have well tuned for the tourney.
    "Before our arrival, I was down in form but now I feel much better," said Xie, Lin's girl friend and defending world champion.

    In her half of the draw, Xie's threat mainly comes from teammates Zhu Lin, Lu Lan and Malaysian Wong Mew Choo.

    "They have good footwork. I should be more patient," Xie added.
    Enjoying a bye in the first round as second seed, Xie will meet either Yoana Martinez of Spain or Ana Moura of Portugal in the second round.
    China bet their winning hope of men's doubles on defending champion Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, who, ended China's 18 years' gold drought in the event on world stage in 2006 Madrid world champs.

    18 years ago, Li Yongbo and Tian Bingyi clinched the first men's doubles world champion for China.
    As for women's doubles, Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen, re-paired after months' separation due the adoption of 21 point system, which exposed Zhang's weak point in defence. She was eventually replaced with Zhao Tingting.
    However, Yang and Zhao's performance was far from satisfactory and they lost to Indonesian duo Vita Marissa and Lilyana Natsir in China Masters in Chengdu in July. The Chinese team decided to give Zhang's a chance at the worlds.

    Yang and Zhang are not sure if they can reclimb the peak when they crowned in the Athens Olympics.
    "We have only trained six times before we came here," said Zhang.
    Apart from the pair, Zhang Yangwen and Wei Yili, as well as Gao Ling and Huang Sui, top and second seeds respectively, resume more responsibility to win the gold.

    Gao Ling and Zheng Bo, world No. 1 and top seeds, are regarded as a miracle since they only began to pair in 2006 Asian Games and they have won six titles.

    "Our arch rival are Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson of England in top section of draw," Zheng said.
    Their challenge from bottom section might come from teammates Zhang Yawen and Xie Zhongbo, and Lilyana Natsir and Nova Widianto of Indonesia.
    In 2006, two English pairs, Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms, Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg came out champions and runner-ups in Madrid.
    [/FONT]
     
  9. badminto_expert

    badminto_expert Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Consultant
    Location:
    Sembawang
    Yes. Hopefully Indonesia and Malaysia can works together to prevent china to sweep all the titles. We will prevent the arrogant man (LYB).

    Ayo and boleh TH and LCW.

    Ayo and boleh KK/TBH and MK/HS or TG/CW

    Ayo and boleh Liliana natsir/Nova or Vita M/Flandy Limpele.


     

Share This Page