Don't quite understand the MAS strategy for MD in the Euro tournaments - have MAS given up the 3 pairs in the top 4 "pipe dream" to qualify for the Olympics? I know that the MAS MD coaching set up had changed strategy to put only winning pairs onwards for competition - an ok strategy ala China style if 2-3 players/pairs are really dominant as they are in the women's competition. MAS MD coaching seemed to yoyo quite a bit on strategy if the run of a few competitions did not go to plan. Even China now possibly because the game has become professional and prize money involved are now sending >3 participants in many events. Whilst MAS only have 3 winning pairs (KKK/TBH, CTF/LWW plus CCM/HTH if you count NZ Open) in open comp: TBS/OSH, MZ/MF, GTC/LWF and even some of the back up pairs are very competitive if not quite "winning yet". If they don't get to play SS, their rankings are going to be affected, which might mean battling through the qualifiers in SS plus seeding issues. Is this a consequence of an embarassment of riches in talent in MD? Strategy seemed quite different in MS with the likes of YKB, Hafiz, plus of course the club players featuring in Europe. These players are no more likely to achieve better than the MDs and realistically probably worse. Also MXD, wouldn't qualify for OG if the junior pair TWK/WKW don't get the points to get into the range for qualification - not that they are a real threat to go very far by 08 anyway. Probably concentrating on World Jrs. JWPX also won't qualify for WS OG if she doesn't go grab points. Looks like MAS have put eggs in 2 basket for MD for OG 2008, battling hard to sustain another top 16 MS to get 2 qualifiers in, 1 WS spot, 1 WD spot and nothing for MXD???
You bring out a good point, why not go all the way out in MD to have 3 pairs qualify for Olympic if they are all rank within top 4? I think the main reason is Rexy no longer feel so highly about his charges. Remember at one point Rexy was so confident and hoped these pairs didn't meet one another in one of the tournaments so we could have all Malaysian semi final? Realisticly, I don't thing we can achieve the "3-pairs" goal but I don't see any negative effect of sending them all to as many tournaments as possible either. We know financially is never the issue as badminton is the only event that can bring medal to the country. I think Rexy already have the candidates in mind and wanted to put more focus onto these 2 pairs only, the main thing is to win as there's no room for failure after the debacle of World Championship. Rexy legacy will only be remembered if we win Olympic Gold.
This is may be the other pairs are not performing well in training? According to Rexy, he will only send those performed well in training to tournaments. He is being serious now. Rexy furious with mercenary attitude 21/08/07, 11:42:44 By : K.M. Boopathy IT’S a worrying trend when players play beyond themselves in tournaments carrying attractive prize money and yet go out with a whimper in events when the pride of the nation is at stake like the just ended World Championships. Doubles coach Rexy Mainaky is concerned about this unhealthy trend and intends to change all that. Coming on the back of another pitiful performance in the World Championships, Rexy said that for starters, the participation of his pairs in super series events will be based on their form in training and will not hesitate to put players in cold storage if they don’t buck-up. The coach did not waste any time and yesterday, put his players through three training sessions instead of the usual two in order to put to good use the ample free time the players have. Rexy said more sessions will also prevent the players patronising too much with outsiders and to just focus on their training and tournaments. "I am puzzled about why our pairs can perform so well in the super series and grand prix events but their form suffers in the World Championships and other big events. I believe this is because no prize money is offered in the World Championships," said Rexy yesterday. "I’ve seen players who are worried what they will gain from competing in a tournament rather than focusing on winning. "I will be selective in sending pairs for tournaments from now. If they perform in training, they will get to go. Otherwise they will be dropped. "I will identify pairs for the Beijing Olympics (next year) and push them for preparations rather than send everyone for every tournament. "They have also shown that they can only perform when I'm tough with them, or when they are criticised in public. If this is the only way to get the best out of them, I will continue doing so." Rexy has already entered Fairuzizuan Zakry-Latif for the India Open at the end of the month but they may not go if their wretched form in the last three tournaments, including the World championships, prevails. Tan Boon Heong is the other shuttler who tends to have his mind elsewhere rather than on winning. Rexy claims that Koo Kien Keat has shown improvement but his habit of taking things in his own hands has not really helped. He wants Kien Keat to have more faith in Boon Heong as that is the only way the latter will improve.
i think it doent matter whether we qualify with 3 pairs in top4.. cuz at the end of the day, rankin and seedings matters much less when u r on court.. look at kkk/tbh when they just started.. even established pairs lost to them.. all that matters is the player's commitment and form.. tats wad i tot of it..
If KKK/TBH win OLY08 gold, they would have several opportunities to get the WC gold...you know what, Rexy legacy and fame would be unmatched in baddy history...as a player he won OLY, WC, AG and AE....and his protege in KKK/TBH repeat his achievements....that would be something and I think Rexy knows this.
So, let's follow our MAS players to the Denmark Open 2007 So, let's follow our MAS players to the Denmark Open 2007. Here is an article... ====== ====== start article ====== ====== The New Straits Times Online 10-October-2007 Denmark Open: Malaysians need to show consistency By: K.M. Boopathy Wong Choong Hann has been given a tough opener in the Denmark Open as he is pitted against local favourite Peter Gade Christensen. THE Denmark Open in Odense on Oct 23-28 will be the perfect avenue to test the consistency of World No 2 Lee Chong Wei and doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong as they will be up against the world's best in their quest to add another Super Series title to their collection. Chong Wei, seeded second, has already won two super series titles -- the Indonesia and Japan Opens -- but standing in his way for a third crown is China's two-time world champion and top seed Lin Dan. But the Malaysian will need to overcome some quality resistance earlier on before thinking of a showdown with Lin Dan. Chong Wei opens his campaign against a qualifier and is then expected to meet Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana in the second round. The quarter-final encounter, assuming Chong Wei advances, will be tough as he is likely to meet World Championships runner-up Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia, while Macau Open winner Chen Jin of China will be aiming to halt the Malaysian's progress in the last four. Chong Wei, who overcame a tougher field including Lin Dan and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia to win the Japan Open, can consider the Denmark Open draw an easier test but important thing is for him to stay focused and maintain his consistency. This is because Chong Wei was beaten by Indonesian Simon Santoso in the third round of the Taiwan Open a week after winning in Japan and this is something he must avoid at all costs. Hafiz Hashim's attempt to improve his chances of qualifying for next year's Olympics begins on a tricky note as he meets elder brother Roslin in the first round. A victory for Hafiz will pit him against China's Chen Hong and, if he survives, will come up against another strong contender in third seed Chen Yu, also from China. Veteran Wong Choong Hann's battle begins in the very first match where he plays local favourite Peter Gade Christensen, an opponent he lost to at the same stage in Japan. Kien Keat-Boon Heong, the second seeds, must maintain their momentum after having brushed aside a world class field to win the Macau Open last week, and Denmark will a good stage to test their resolve. The Malaysian pair face a tricky first round match against Singapore's Hendri Kurniawan Saputra-Hendra Wijaya, who upset Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in Japan, and are then likely to meet Indonesia's Hendra Gunawan-Joko Riyadi in the second round. Provided they advance, Kien Keat-Boon Heong will be up against former world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark in the last eight, the winners of which will be involved in semi-final showdown with world champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia. In Macau, Kien Keat-Boon Heong notched their fourth straight win over the Indonesian pair, so complacency will be their biggest enemy. The title showdown could be against either top seeds Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China or South Korean pair Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae, but if Malaysia's other pair Tan Fook-Wan Wah can reproduce their Macau Open heroics, there is the rare possibility of yet another all-Malaysia final. But for that to happen, Tan Fook-Wan Wah must overcome Howard Bach-Bob Malaythong of the US in the first round, scratch pair Lee Jae Jin-Yoo Yeon Seong in the second, fourth-seeded Danes Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen in the last eight and Haifeng-Cai Yun or Jae Sung-Yong Dae in the last four. It looks to be a challenging task for both Kien Keat-Boon Heong and Tan Fook-Wan Wah but they cannot afford to lose their momentum for if they do, it will be back to square one. ====== ====== end article ====== ====== *
Badminton: Choong Hann back at least Greetings, Here is another article just received... ====== ====== start article ====== ====== The New Straits Times Online 11-October-2007 Badminton: Choong Hann back at least By: K.M. Boopathy Wong Choon Hann is determined to qualify for a record third Olympics next year. WONG Choong Hann was going nowhere just a year ago but the veteran's recent performances have put him in prime position to qualify for a record third Olympics next year. Lee Chong Wei has virtually clinched his Olympic berth. World No 2 Lee Chong Wei, barring injuries or illness, has virtually clinched his Olympics berth, but Hafiz Hashim, who looked certain to claim Malaysia's second slot, is on a downward spiral which has paved the way for Choong Hann to be a leading contender. Hafiz's world ranking has slipped from World No 8 to No 22 due to his string of poor results while Choong Hann, who was out of top 50 early this year, is currently ranked World No 16. Choong Hann's fabulous run in the China Masters in July was the turning point. He beat China's World No 5 Chen Hong, World No 8 Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia and Kenneth Jonassen, the Danish World No 9, before bowing out to China's world champion Lin Dan. The Malaysian made the quarter-finals of the recent Taiwan Open then toppled World No 4 Bao Chunlai of China to make the semi-finals in the Macau Open last week. In contrast, Hafiz has only made the Korea Open semi-finals in January, but fell in the preliminary rounds of nine other tournaments this year. But Choong Hann, who had surgery to reconstruct a ruptured tendon in June last year, is not taking things for granted as Olympic qualifying only ends in May next year. However, Choong Hann is relishing the challenge in the twilight of his playing career and is ready to battle the odds and claim an Olympics spot. "It has been a good three months for me but there is a long way to go before the Olympics slots are decided. I am one of the contenders but not the favourite to claim a spot," said the 30-year-old Choong Hann. "At one time, there was doubt whether I will even last until the Olympics but I'm glad to be in the running to compete in Beijing. "It is a rare chance to make it to the Olympics let alone for a third time, so I will have to continue performing. The best way to confirm a place is by aiming to break into the top four. I have to work really hard to achieve that. "Hafiz may not be having a good run but he is training hard and will definitely bounce back. The race for Olympics spots is far from over." Choong Hann aims to strengthen his claim by continuously beating top 10 players in the super series and so far the left-hander has done that several times. Unless Hafiz shows the initiative to overcome the rut he's in, Choong Hann looks the best bet to become Chong Wei's back-up in the Beijing Olympics. ====== ====== end article ====== ====== Cheers... chris@ccc
Choon Hann is a bloody skilful player -- his only fault is his lack of speed sometimes. I think if he can move the shuttle a bit faster like LCW, we might see some big wins for him. Anyway, it is all written in the stars whether he wins.
MD - I just read the malay newspapers today that Zakry/Fairuz will be featured in Nov's SS- China Open and Hong Kong. So, sending 2 pairs is only for Denmark and France Open cos KKK/TBH and CTF/LWW will be sent to all SS (unless they lost very badly).
I am just happy if he can pass thru Soni Kuncoro! This is the SS, every match will be closely contested. Even Lin Dan may not come out victor. One step at a time and hope for the best.
If you really count the titles, Choon Hann has yet to win that many to qualify as legend. Chong Wei most probably already won more titles than Choon Hann, of course I have to rank Choon Hann as the all-time fan favorite among Malaysia national players I hope Choon Hann get thru Peter Gade in round 1!
