Proton National Grand Prix Final 2008

Hope we can displace China as superp0wer in 5years time....

kalas!

 

NST


BADMINTON NATIONAL GRAND PRIX FINALS: Chong Wei in seventh heaven

By K.M. Boopathy

2008/12/13
LEE Chong Wei achieved his goal of winning a record seventh consecutive men's singles crown in the National Grand Prix Finals in Alor Star yesterday and immediately announced his intention to secure 10 straight victories. Chong Wei's victim in the final was back-up player Chong Wei Feng as the former played at half pace but was still good enough to notch a 21-11, 21-13 win in 30 minutes.

National singles coach Misbun Sidek held the previous record of six titles and Chong Wei equalled his mentor's feat in March at the same venue, the Kedah BA Hall.

A seventh attempt was initially in doubt as Chong Wei contemplated skipping the tournament to focus on the Super Series Masters Finals in Kota Kinabalu, beginning on Wednesday, but changed his mind to make the singles record his own.

It was also a lucky day for Chong Wei as he was bestowed the Olympian of the Year award in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"I've achieved my goal but I will not stop here. I want to win 10 consecutive titles and make this record mine for a long time," said Chong Wei.

"I was focusing on training and the tournament as well in order to be well prepared for the Super Series Masters in Kota Kinabalu.

"I hope that Wei Feng will use this break to rise in his career and I also hope that others like Tan Chun Seang, Liew Daren and Arif Latif also keep progressing.



Meanwhile Koo Kien Keat, despite suffering a shock defeat in the men's doubles semi-finals with Tan Boon Heong, made amends by winning the mixed doubles with Ng Hui Lin.

Winning 22-20, 21-19 not only earned him a third mixed doubles title but he is now level with Chong Wei on seven titles as he has won the men's doubles crown on four occasions.

Hui Lin also secured the women's doubles title with Goh Liu Ying after beating Woon Khe Wei-Chong Sook Chin 21-16, 14-21, 21-19.

In the women's singles, Julia Wong completed her hat-trick of national titles while Lydia Cheah suffered the disappointment of losing in the final for the third time.

Julia was made to sweat for her 21-19, 7-21, 21-10 victory that took 43 minutes.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Sport/2427165/Article/pppull_index_html

 

The Star Online > Sports
Saturday December 13, 2008

Doubles triumph gives Khim Wah hopes of bigger things next year


ALOR STAR: National men doubles shuttler Lim Khim Wah will leave Alor Star with new hopes for the future.


Yesterday, the Penangite marked an end to a testing year by finishing as men’s doubles champions with partner Chan Peng Soon in the National Grand Prix Finals at the KBA Hall here yesterday.


The duo beat Goh Wei Shem-Ong Jian Guo 21-14, 20-22, 21-11.


The jovial Khim Wah, who spent most of his younger days polishing up badminton skills in Kulim, will be out to seek new fortunes with two seasoned campaigners Hoon Thien How and Wong Pei Tty in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles events respectively next year.


His partnerships with Peng Soon ended with the GP Finals yesterday.


The 19-year-old Khim Wah is banking on the seniors — Thien How and Pei Tty — to take his game to a greater height.

“My coaches wanted me to try with different partners after I emerged as the world junior mixed doubles champion (with Ng Hui Lin last year),” said Khim Wah.

“I was being tried out more in the mixed doubles. But from next year onwards, they want me to give full attention in both the events.”


Khim Wah will be making his debut with Thien How at the Malaysian Open, which will be held at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil from Jan 6-11.


“I am determined to do well with Thien How. Currently, we do not have a world ranking and we will try to establish that first,” he said.


His eight-month partnership with Pei Tty has not bore fruits yet — with their best effort being the semi-final’s of the Thailand Open in June.


“She is a mature and experienced player. I hope to learn as much as possible from her.
Hopefully, together, we will be able to make the cut for next year’s World Championships,” added Khim Wah, who is currently ranked 33rd with Pei Tty.


Meanwhile, rising women doubles player Ng Hui Lin became the star of the tournament when she nailed two national titles.


She took the first title with Koo Kien Keat in the mixed doubles and pulled off her second with Goh Liu Ying in the women’s doubles event.


http://thestar.com.my/services/printerfriendly.asp?file=/2008/12/13/sports/2799761.asp&sec=sports

 

Nahh, Hui Lin better, WKW depends too much on her male partner. Anyway, the coaches will be experimenting Khe Wei with Razif Latif next year.

 

Hopefully the youngsters get good exposure and produce some good results. The pressure is on them now. Hard work should prevail. They should keep on playing with LCW until he go flat. A good sparring partner indeed. He is a good benchmark.

 

No, plus 2007 matches, so-so also but that time I didnt much think of it since Wee Kiong/Khe Wei just only promoted to senior squad. Until now, TWK/WKW dont have much impressive results, Razif/CSC, LKW with NHL also do better.
And the WD match in 2008 Macau, both WKW & NHL, <shake head>.

 

i dun think these u say especially LIM PEK SIAH are better....lim pek siah looks like very kepo wan....thomas n uber cup 2008...during the match with the korean...i wish i can jump into the match n kecek her....aduh...the others i noe la..ng/lim...tht mayb be ne wd///others dunno...+vivian

 

BADMINTON NATIONAL GRAND PRIX FINALS REVIEW: Future bleak if BAM doesn't act

By K.M. Boopathy

2008/12/14
As nice as it was to see Lee Chong Wei claim his seventh consecutive title in the National Grand Prix Finals in Alor Star on Friday, it also served as a grim reminder of the bleak future Malaysian badminton is facing. So bad is the situation that Chong Wei is now targeting 10 national titles and given the lack of talent coming through the ranks, it is a feat he will likely achieve.

No doubt, men's singles runner-up Chong Wei Feng and several others showed progress but it wasn't enough to inspire confidence.

While no one expected Wei Feng or Liew Daren, who lost to Chong Wei in the semi-finals, to beat the World No 1, what was expected were closer battles.

There were none and a concerned Chong Wei vowed that he will help but there may be not much he can do.

Wei Feng, Arif Latif, Liew Daren and Tan Chun Seang are the pick of the back-up players but if they are to progress, they must be promoted to the senior squad and national singles coach Misbun Sidek has to start paying them attention.

There is no reason why Misbun shouldn't as seniors Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong are past their prime and they have now started losing to the back-up players.

Hafiz, lacking match fitness, was toppled by Chan Kwong Beng while Beng Hong cited a thigh strain as the reason for his defeat to Liew Daren.

So instead of persevering with them, Misbun should rope in the four back-up players to train with Chong Wei in the hope that they improve.

The 15-year-old Zulfadli Zulkifli is also a player the BA of Malaysia must monitor, even though he is attached to KLRC Bhd.

While it is understandable that BAM wants control over all aspects of the game, there are some areas where it has to take a softer approach and one rule that shouldn't be there is the one requiring players outside its stable to attend three months of centralised training to be eligible for World or Asian Junior Championships selection.

Compared to the men's singles, national doubles coach Rexy Mainaky is spoilt for choice as he has several other pairs besides the top two of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Zakry Latif-Fairuzizuan Tazari to groom.

Rexy was the one who paired the top two and he has embarked on another exercise after revamping the other pairs.

It was also good to see the men's doubles battling and the Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah-Goh Wei Shem-Ong Jian Guo final was one of the highlights of the tournament.

All four will play with different partners in the Malaysia Open in January and if Rexy can work his magic, the top two will soon be under threat.

The women's singles doesn't look to have a bright future as Julia Wong and Lydia Cheah are the only prospects Malaysia has as replacements for Wong Mew Choo while there is some promise in the Ng Hui Lin-Goh Liu Ying doubles partnership.

Kien Keat-Hui Lin are slowly but surely making their mixed doubles partnership stronger but success will depend on how serious Kien Keat is.

For BAM, basking in glory after Chong Wei's Beijing Olympics silver, the warning is that the National GP Finals were the true indicator of Malaysian badminton and, if action is not taken quickly, the future is bleak.


http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Sport/2427544/Article/pppull_index_html


i have to agree with this

 

nah..never serious can play until 3 sets with the OG champion, lee/lee of korea in the 1st round of the china open?
and also never serious can beat the english pair of anthony clark, donna kelogg in the 2nd round of the hong kong open??
whoah, that means if koo plays serious,

 

WOng PT senior lah, KKK not serious when partner her, will get cloberred.... just kidding . What the reporter mean is KKK can be even better than that.

Ya lah George, if not serious, win all 3 local circuit, if serious, wahhhhhh

 

yes i do think so..lps can retire liaw la...give the new wd liaw la...wkw sabrina gly nhl...jiayou jiayou jiaoyou