Match Report – Tine Rasmussen vs. Adriyanti Firdasari

Reigning Japan Open champion takes on Indonesian number 2 player Firdasari.

Both players opened cautiously, with a cat and mouse game right till 5-5. However, Firdasari then proceeded to take 4 straight points and up her game to take the mid game interval lead by 7-11. Firdasari then slowed down, allowing Rasmussen to play another phase of cat and moue games, where the scores were 14-10 in favour of Firdasari. Rasmussen showed her experience by leveling the scores 15-15. Tine then upped her pace to take a 19-16 lead, and traded point to arrive at matchpoint, which she took at the first opportunity, after mounting a comeback from being down in the first half of the game.

The second game began with Firdasari surging o a 4-1 lead. Rasmussen then proceeded to whittle away this 3 point lead by playing a patient game and leveling the game at 7 all. Phase 3 of the cat and mouse game then ensued, with both players wanting the mid game advantage at 10-10. Rasmussen duly took it after a prolonged rally. The second half of the second game was again a close game, with each player desperate to snatch this crucial game. Firdasari managed to level it at 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15, and 17-17. Tine then stood up and came within 2 points of winning at 19-17, but allowed Firdasari to salvage a point to make it 19-18. However, Tine got match point at 20-18, and dully took and match at 21-18. Kudos to both players for a great match.

Catch the French Open results here:

Badminton Loonsport – First Round MS Results

French Open Day 1 – Taufik Hidayat vs. Andrew Dabeka

On paper, Taufik appeared to be the clear cut favorite for the match. We’ll see how top Canadian shuttler fares against Olympic and World Champion.

After a jittery start, Taufik showed signs of pulling away after 5-5 to lead 10-6. However, the tricky Dabeka came back to level the match at 10-10. However, Taufik took a one point advantage into the first game interval, and went on to take 6 straight points to lead 16-10. Dabeka tried to mount a comeback at this stage, but eventually succumbed to the pressure and lost 21-17 to Hidayat.

After the expected defeat in the second match, Dabeka’s confidence was again shattered when Taufik took a 3-0 lead. However, Dabeka then upped his game to take a 7-4 lead against the Indonesian badminton ace. They then proceeded to play a cat and mouse game, which suited Dabeka’s lead. However, you would be foolish if you ever dare play cat and mouse with the great Hidayat. When he is playing cat and mouse, you are allowing him to recuperate, and anything else but a gigantic margin will be chased down by Hidayat once he has recovered enough. However, Dabeka did not allow Taufik to settle in, and proceeded to threaten to produce the biggest upset of the day by charging all the way to the 21 point mark to lead 19-9. A late rally by Taufik to attempt to finish off the match didn’t work, with Dabeka closing the game at 21-13. Taufik was in trouble – his records in third sets aren’t particularly rosy.

Both men started cautiously in the second set, but Dabeka managed to whittle out at 6-2 lead. Just when you thought that Hidayat was running out of steam, he showed his prowess by leveling the match at 8-8. Taufik then managed to take a slim 1 point advantage going into the second interval, which was demolished by Dabeka. Dabeka then went on to take a 17-13 lead, and all seemed lost. However, Taufik defied his 3rd game jinx and pulled himself into striking distance at 17-18, which he leveled after a dramatic rally to 18-18. Taufik then proceeded to take a 1 point advantage at 19-18, with many fan’s hearts pounding by just looking at the livescore. Dabeka leveled at 19 all, but all was in vain as Hidayat eventually won 21-19.

Taufik has to improve on his consistency; his three set win, although a thriller, demonstrated his need to stabilize his performance.

For full results of the French Open refer here:

Badminton Loonsport – Men’s Singles Day 1

Match report – Yeoh Kay Bin vs. Wacha Przemyslaw

Hopes were on Yeoh to compensate for Wong’s shock exit in the hands of Park Sung Hwan.

After a confident start by Wacha, where he led 3-0, Yeoh fought back and took a temporary lead at 6-5. However, this is as far as he went, as Przemyslaw went on to take the match 21-11, conceding only 5 more points as he totally dominated Yeoh. He was superior in every aspect, smash winners, net winners, and less mistakes, and Yeoh looked to be swept away by this rising European star.

Yeoh unexpectedly started strongly, taking a 3-1 lead. However, he then proceeded to concede 5 straight points to trail 8-3 miserably. However, another unexpected twist of evens then occurred: when all seemed lost, Yeoh proceeded to level the game at 8-8. Yeoh and Wacha then played a close game, where no player went in front by more than a point. At this stage, Malaysians were praying for the best from this lanky Malaysian shuttler. And indeed, he responded by scoring 4 straight points to take a slim lead 16-13. Just when you thought the topsy-turvy game couldn’t get anymore exciting, Wacha rallied from behind to level the match 16-16. Another cat and mouse game proceeded, but Wacha eventually managed to hold match point at 20-18. Tense moments then ensued, with Yeoh saving both the match points to make it 21-20. Wacha then managed to save another match point to get one of his own, which was saved by Yeoh. Even tenser moments ensued when Wacha got a 5th match point, which was again saved. When Wacha got a seventh match point, everyone thought that Yeoh couldn’t respond, as Malaysian are known to be mentally weak, but indeed did he respond – by leveling it at a remarkable scoreline of 25 all. An eight match point was then held, which finally allowed Wacha to close out this incredible match 21-11 27-25.

Kudos for both players for playing a great game

For full results of the French Open refer here:

Badminton Loonsport

Match Report Wong Choong Hann vs. Park Sung Hwan (Round 1 French Open)

Wong Choong Hann faced off with Park Sung Hwan, in a match that promised fireworks. Choong Hann injured his Achilles tendon during a match against Park in 2006, and would be out to prove and point and on the way, collect Olympic ranking points.

Park Sung Hwan started strongly; at one point taking a 6-1 lead against the veteran. After Wong had warmed up, he proceeded to play a cat and mouse game, managing to come close at 11-7 during the interval. After the interval, Wong took about 3 minutes to ward off his early match jitters and demolish whatever confident lead Park had from the early stages of the game by taking 4 straight points to level it at 11-11. However, Park soon took hold of the game by fending Wong’s charge and taking 4 straight points to lead 15-11. Wong tried to stop Park, but Park eventually took the first set at 21-12.

After a demoralizing defeat in the first set, Wong proceeded to play a cat and mouse game with Park, with no one player having more than a one point advantage until 5-5. Park then attempted to extend his lead to 7-5, but was shortly countered by Wong after a long rally to 7 all. Park then stood up again and took an 11-8 lead into the second game interval, which did not look good at all for the Malaysian fans. After the mid game interval, Park threatened to extend his lead again by taking a 16-9 lead. Wong then rekindled some hope in the hearts of his Malaysian fans, by taking 3 straight points to narrow the lead to 16-12. However, all seemed over when Park clawed closer and closer to the 21 point mark at 19-13. Wong attempted to stage a late comeback, but all was lost when he went down 21-16 to the Korean.

For full results of the French Open refer to

Badminton Loonsport

World Junior Championships

Malaysia made a near perfect march into the Quarter Finals of the World Junior Championships, where no Malaysian lost except for 15th seed Tee Jing Yi in the Women's Singles discipline.

However, many Malaysians face tough opponents in their Quarter Finals match tomorrow. Lydia Cheah, Malaysia's top hope is facing the formidable Chinese machinery in the form of third seed Wang Lin, Teo Kok Siang is facing Korean Park Sung Min, and top seed Mohammad Abdul Latif faces unseeded but possibly lethal opponent Kim Sa Rang tomorrow.

All the best to all the players especially the Malaysian contingent.

Announcement

The Badminton Blog will be collaborating with Badminton Loonsport to provide their readers with the latest result updates and analysis.

Do stay tuned for the start of the French Open, which will occur in one and a half hours time.

Breaking News - French Open

Choong Hann not withdrawing!

According to several of our well placed sources from the Badminton Forums, it appears that Wong Choong Hann was seen in the stadium hall. This almost ensures the possibility of Wong participating in Paris, and The Badminton Blog wishes him the best of luck.

Tournament Prediction: French Open

With the ongoing Paris Masters Series Tennis Tournament happening this week, I doubt that the French Open will get much attention. However, heres my predictions for this week's French Open:

Predictions for Selected Singles Matches on Day 1 of Main Draw:

Park Sung Hwan vs. Wong Choong Hann (Match not confirmed due to injury)
Technically speaking, from a ratings point of view, Wong is just in front of Park by 1 position. However, after the stellar performances of Wong in his recent few campaigns, which started with a runner-up position in Chengdu, I think Wong would prevail easily and set up a meeting with Lin Dan or Sony.

Lin Dan vs. Sony (Match of the Day)
A rematch of the finals of the recent World Championships. While Lin Dan defeated Sony in straight sets, Sony is still a formidable opponent, stretching Lin to deuce in the second set. Lin Dan is most vulnerable in early rounds, when he is not really warmed up yet. His disappointing Olympics 2004 defeat to Ronald Susilo in the first round when he was the first seed proved that. Overall a tight fight, but Lin Dan will eventually prevail in 2 sets.

Chen Hong vs. Boonsak Ponsana
While I cannot be sure whether Chen Hong has fully recovered from his slump in his career since leaving the National team, Ponsana is not particularly going through a confidence high either. After being defeated in Odsense in the first round by Prezymyslaw, the Singapore Open champion must win this match to make up for the disappointing lost in Denmark to gain adequate ranking points for Olympic qualification. Tough to call.

Ronald Susilo vs. Peter Gade
The famous Peter Gade takes on Indonesian born giant killer Ronald Susilo. On paper, Peter is on top, and should easily win this match. In reality, although I have not heard from Susilo from a long time, I think he would pose a credible challenge to Gade. However, I still think Gade's superior skills will enable him to win it in 2 sets.

Wang Chen vs. Wong Mew Choo
After suffering a demoralising defeat in the hands of a European based Chinese second stringer, Mew Choo cannot afford another first round defeat if she wants to qualify for the Super Series Finals or the Olympics. However, World Championship silver medalist Wang Chen is no easy meat, and the fifth seed is showing no signs of weakening because of her age. Although she lost a tough 3 setter against Zhang, Wang's confidence is still at an all time high, and unfortunately for Malaysians, Wong will lose this match.

Yip Pui Yin vs. Yao Jie
The big smasher Yip is the underdog in this match, but Yao Jie, who suffered an unfortunate injury in her home Dutch Open, isn't at full form. Tough opponent for Yao, and Yip has played some of the best badminton of her life in Odsense. Tough match, but I think Yip will prevail eventually in this titanic struggle.

Lee Chong Wei vs. Kenneth Jonassen (Match not confirmed due to possible injury)
After a credible opposition put up by Jonassen in last week's Denmark Open against Lin Dan in the semifinals, Kenneth is riding on one of his confidence highs. Lee, on the other hand, has a knee injury that might tamper his chances in Paris. On paper, Lee would win easily. But with this tough first round opponent, Lee must be careful not to let his guard down and be complacent. Lee in 2 tight sets, or Jonassen in 3 sets, judging by the injury Lee is sustaining.

With the possible withdrawal of two of Malaysia's best Men's Singles players, Malaysians will pray for he best tomorrow.

Analysis of Malaysian Campaign in the Danish Open

Men's Singles
Once again, this tournament reinforces the fact that Malaysia has no depth in Mens Singles. With the sole exception of Lee Chong Wei, who went unsupported into the Semifinals, and Hafiz Hashim, who made it to the second round only to lose to qualifier Joachim Persson , all other Malaysian Men's Singles players did not make it past the first round. Lee Chong Wei might be a great player, but he cannot be expected to carry the Malaysian challenge every single time. This is putting too much pressure on him, and we all know that Malaysian players usually crack under pressure. BAM should actively try to find more capable shuttlers to at least make it to the quarterfinals, and throw out the ones that exist merely to make up the numbers for the tournament and be involved in the process.

Men's Doubles
The result of this tournament is another repetition of many others; Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong are left to carry the challenge, and they take another Super Series title again, saving Malaysian blushes, while veterans Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah once again prove that they are good for nothing but for defeating Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, hence clearing the way for Koo and Tan, when they lost to Howard Bach and Khan Bob Malaythong in the first round. Choong and Tan might be good for clearing the way for Koo and Tan, but if they are unable to beat lesser pairs, they cannot proceed to the later rounds. This is a persistant weakness of Choong and Tan, and I hope they will correct it before Thomas Cup or Beijing Olympics next year.

Women's Singles
The unsuprising lost of Mew Choo in the hands of European based Chinese Jiang in two straight sets does raise some eyebrows, once again, proving the inconsistencies in Malaysian Women's Singles. Overall a disastrous category, although Malaysians were not really expecting anything from this.

Women's Doubles
One of the silver linings of this tournament. Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty, by scalping the first seed, put Malaysia back on the Women's Doubles map. Unfortunately, they were defeated by Zhao Tingting and Yu Yang, partially because of Eei Hui's injury. I look forward to more results from this pair, and I hope that they can prove that they are really a pair to reckon with in future tournaments, by that, also proving that their win here wasn't a fluke.

I look forward to the commencement of the French Open, and stay tuned for more updates from The Badminton Blog.

Tournament Analysis - Denmark Open

Malaysians snatch Men's Doubles title after initial jittery start

After a stunning display of badminton where young Malaysian guns Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong came from a set down to defeat homeground favorites and hopes Jens Eriksen and Martin Lungaard Hansen, no one can dare accuse Koo and Tan of being a spent force anymore.

Just months ago, the Malaysian public, somewhat encouraged by the Malaysian media began vilifying and crucifying Koo and Tan for their failures in the World Championships. Many alleged that Koo and Tan were a spent force that should be split up. Now, I will have to brace myself for the overwhelming jumping of the bandwagon from the Malaysian public, who's allegiance seem to be ever changing, as Koo and Tan have resumed their winning ways. "Kick them when they're down, but worship them when they are up" seems to be the mentality of some Malaysian badminton fans.

Nevertheless, this should take nothing away from their spectacular victory in Odsense. After shockingly losing the first set when at they were leading all the way up to 13-10, many thought Koo and Tan did not possess the mental capacity to win the remaining games. Many thought the game was as well as over. Defying these pessimistic calls, Koo and Tan proceeded to pull away from the Danish pair after having a cat and mouse prelude of a second set. After being tied at 8-8 in the second set, Koo and Tan proceeded to chalk up a convincing 14-21 21-14 21-12 victory that did nothing but reaffirm their number 1 position, be it in the official ranking list or the eyes of many fans.

Hopefully Koo and Tan can maintain their winning ways into the French Open, another crucial tournament offering valuable Olympic ranking points.

Triumph of Super Dan

After the erratic performance shown by Lin Dan in yesterday's semifinals against the obvious underdog Kenneth Jonassen, Lin once against showed why he is regarded as the best player in the world after the systematic annihilation of compatriot Bao Chunlai in a straightforward 2 set match, defying many who predicted that Bao would finally stop breaking his female fan's heart and shed his Mr Runner Up title by winning his first title of the year.

Bao, after shutting down three badminton superstars: Taufik, Chen Jin and Lee Chong Wei, surprisingly meekly succumbed to the pressure of the world number 1 in a loopsided scoreline of 21-15 21-12. Lin never allowed Bao to get into the match with the latter never ever leading in both games. With 18 smash winners to a miserable 5, Lin Dan once against has showcased the badminton power game at its highest level, and systematically treated the Danish audience to his supremacy.

By earning his 6th title of the year, and 24th overall international title, Lin has reminded many fans of his domineering presence in the international badminton scene. With the Super Series Finals, a 500,000 U.S. Dollars tournament coming up, and with the 200,000 U.S. Dollar French Open on next week, such untroubled dominance would certainly ring in many fan's ears, and might even instill fear in the minds of other players. His performance today reinforces: Can Lin Dan be beaten?

It remains to see whether players such as Lee and Taufik are still able to pose a credible challenge to the Chinese machine. Naturally it begs the question: Who is in a position to deny China's Olympic titles, Thomas Cup and Uber Cup next year?

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Lin Dan vs. Bao Chunlai
Under normal circumstances, I would say that Lin Dan would most certainly prevail. But after seeing Bao survive Lee Chong Wei, Chen Jin and Taufik, I think this might be the match for Bao to shed his Mr. Runner Up status. Denmark certainly brings back memories for him; that is where he won his first international title, when he ironically beat Lin Dan in the finals. But circumstances have changed ever since. Lin Dan has become the poster boy for Chinese badminton, while Bao has been somewhat shunned into the shadows of the great Dan. Bao is a man with a mission, out to prove to Li Yongbo and his female fans that he can win titles. While it is rare for me to say this, I would say that Bao will prevail over Lin Dan in 3 tight sets.

Lu Lan vs. Zhang Ning
After Zhang Ning defies me and survives a scare from World Championship runner up Wang Chen, she appears to be marching towards another title, albeit with an injury that didn't seem to trouble her yesterday. The person that stands in her way is Lu Lan, who only months ago was considered a second stringer for badminton. However, she has stood up, scalping current World Number one Xie Xingfang and World Champion Zhu Lin in straight sets. Youngster vs. veteran... who will prevail? Tough to call, as I haven't seen Lu Lan playing in such impressive form before.

Koo/Tan vs. Eriksen/Luungard Hansen
Under normal circumstances I would give this match to Koo and Tan, as they have never lost to this pair before. However, seeing Eriksen and Luungard Hansen defeat Cai and Fu, would certainly make the contest closer. Koo and Tan are not only against Eriksen and Luungard Hansen, they are against the boisterous Danish crowd that could easily match the fanaticism of the Malaysians or Indonesians. However, Koo and Tan have proved their worth against Kido and Setiawan, and I would say Koo and Tan would win in 2 tight sets, breaking the hearts of the Danish people.

Yang/Zhang vs. Lee/Lee
There is no question in my mind that Yang and Zhang will win this title; I've said in the beginning, I'll say it now: Yang and Zhang are unstoppable... and Lee/Lee certainly won't be the ones to stop them. Yang/Zhang in two easy sets.

Robertson/Emms vs. He/Yu
Well.... this certainly is interesting. With the crashing out of the two top Indonesian seeds, it is now a battle between Robertson and Emms, former world champions and world number 1, against He and Yu, second stringers from China. I will have to give this game to Robertson and Emms, as they have shown that they won't crack under pressure. Furthermore, skill-wise, Robertson and Emms also hold the upper hand. Robertson/Emms in two sets.

Stay tuned for updates.
PS: I will be commenting on the World Junior Championships and the French Open next week.

Badminton Tournament - Denmark Open

Kien Keat and Boon Heong's march towards title reaffirms themselves as world number 1

After Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong's punishing showcase of badminton skills at the highest level, it looks like no one is in the position of denying this great pair their 6th title of the year, a remarkable feat by itself, complimented by the fact that they've only been together for a little over a year.

After destroying reigning world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in both games, where the score of 21-18 21-10 didn't wasn't a true testimony to the differences in quality, they will take on homeground favorites Eriksen and Luungard Hansen, who upset the more fancied Cai and Fu for the Danish Open title. Koo and Tan are clear favorites for this title, and it will take some pretty spectacular badminton to upstage this dynamic duo.

Kido and Setiawan were nervy and edgy the whole match, while Koo and Tan took control from the first point right till the last, unrelentingly keeping the flow of the points coming in their favor. Indeed, the world champion's 5th straight defeat out of their 5 meetings would not only discourage this pair, but also pose questions as to whether they really deserve to be world champions. They certainly didn't play like one today; looking unsettled, never looking confortable. One might go as far as saying that Kido and Setiawan lose all confidence when meeting this pair, and start to panic.

It seems that no one will be able to stop Koo and Tan's march toward the Danish Open title, and I wish both players all the best.
MALAYSIA BOLEH

China vs. The Rest of the World

This kind of exhibition match has been held before, although not in badminton. For example, in Chess, there is a still ongoing Russia vs. Rest of the World. I had a request to examine China vs. The Rest of the World in the form of the Sudirman Cup competition. Here we go:

Men's Singles
Lin Dan vs. Lee Chong Wei
This will be a crucial match in the whole tie. Both players are capable of winning the match, and it would have to come down to which player had a better form on the day. Lin Dan or Lee to win in 3 sets.

Zhang Ning vs. Wang Chen
I had a hard time deciding who should represent China, but ultimately I went with Zhang Ning. I feel that if Zhang and Wang were at their peaks, Zhang would prevail. However, Wang has proved that she is capable in beating Zhang, evident in her win in Kuala Lumpur. Wang to win in 3 sets.

Koo/Tan vs. Cai/Fu
In current form, Koo/Tan will trounce Cai/Fu easily. Cai and Fu are going through a slump, and I don't see how they could win this match. Koo/Tan has been in punishing form; destroying all top pairs along the way. Koo/Tan to win in 2 straightforward sets.

Zhang/Yang vs. Lee/Lee
Zhang/Yang to win no doubt. Who can challenge Li Yongbo's girls at Women's Doubles? Evidently no one. Zhang/Yang to win in 2.

Zheng/Gao vs. Natsir/Widianto
Would be a another crucial match. Both pairs again, are capable of beating each other, but I think Zheng/Gao will ultimately prevail on that day, as they have proven to be the premier Mixed Doubles pair in the world. Zheng/Gao to win in 3 sets.

So overall, China would win 3-2 or lose 2-3 depending on the Men's Singles match. It would be interesting to hold such a match...

Badminton Analysis- Denmark Open

Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng - End of an era or just a cycle?

It cannot be denied that Cai and Fu have consistently dominated the Men's Doubles badminton scene for the past 2 years. They have been the world number 1 for 13 straight months, and have been almost a household name in many badminton fanatic's minds. However, after a string of defeats, starting with the World Championships, when they were defeated by veterans Choong and Lee, to the Japan Open, Macau Open, Chinese Taipei Open, and finally ending with their exit 15 minutes ago in the hands of veterans Eriksen and Luungard Hansen. While Cai and Fu might be going through a phase, suspicion after their slump is beginning to form: are they a spent force already?

Evidently Chinese coaches such as Li Yongbo and Tian Bingyi, who were themselves Chinese Men's Doubles aces, are concerned. With Cai Yun nearing the 30 psychological age barrier, Li and Tian have begun to look for other Men's Doubles players. With the obvious example being the pairing up of Xie Zhongbo and Guo Zhengdong, and the recent combination of Chen Xu and Sun Junjie, Chinese coaches are no doubt, concerned about the future of China's Men's Doubles.

Evidently, both Tian and Li want to avoid being left in a position where there are no reliable Men's Doubles players. This would leave them in a very vulnerable position, especially for the Thomas Cup. Traditionally, China has been known to fail when they do not have strong Men's Doubles players to back up their traditional depth in Men's Singles, as a lot of pressure is put on all three singles players to win. This is exactly why China failed to win the Thomas Cup in the 1980s even when they had poker faced smashing machines like Yang Yang and Zhao Jianhua.

Although my analysis might be premature, it is best to wait a few more tournaments to draw actual conclusions.

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Day 5 - The Semifinals of the Danish Open Badminton Championships

Zhang Ning vs. Wang Chen
Wang Chen has been in punishing form throughout this tournament, finishing all her matches in 2 sets and under 40 minutes. In stark contrast, all Zhang's matches have been three setters, even when faced with weaker opponents. Although if both players were in top form, Zhang would certainly win this match, as her status as badminton queen is undeniable, but Zhang's injury, together with Wang's performance, encourages me to predict that Wang will win this match by 2 relatively tight sets. Zhang should think of retiring from badminton already, as I suspect her age is giving her all sorts of injuries.

Bao Chunlai vs. Lee Chong Wei
Both players have been in superb form in this tournament, and I expect a stunning display of badminton. Bao beat Taufik and Chen Jin, the two finalist in the last two rounds, while Lee beat Sony Dwi Kuncoro easily in two sets yesterday. Bao will be out to avenge his defeat by Lee in the finals of the Indonesian Open Badminton Championships, but Lee is not one to forget his crushing exit in the hands of Bao in the 2006 edition of the Badminton World Championships. Overall, I think Lee will take this game in 3 sets.

Zhang/Yang vs. Kellog/Emms
With the scintillating form shown by Zhang and Yang in recent matches, I still stick by my earliest prediction that Zhang and Yang will cruise into the finals and win the Danish Open Badminton title. This match will be no different, and I predict Zhang/Yang will win in 2 sets. Zhang and Yang set to be the world number 1 in Womens Doubles discipline of badminton.

Kido/Hendra vs. Koo/Tan
This is part 4 of the interesting, albeit one sided rivalry between these two top pairs. Reigning world champions vs. reigning world number 1. Who will prevail? To win, Kido and Hendra have to forget their past painful losses in the hands of these Malaysian badminton aces. I believe Kido and Hendra will put up a stiff resistance, but eventually Koo and Tan will prevail in 2 sets.

Jens/Martin vs. Fu/Cai
Both are extremely experienced in the game of Men's Doubles Badminton. Both are ex world number 1s. But ultimately, I think Fu and Cai will win. Their consistency and punishing pace will certainly outpace and outplay their veteran opponents. Jens and Martin are ancient in terms of badminton age, and will unfortunately lose even with the boisterous home ground support of the Danes in 2 sets.

Saralee/Sudket vs. Emms/Robertson
I think Saralee and Sudket have improved significantly, and they are, in my eyes, one of the top 5 mixed doubles badminton pairs. However, Emms and Robertson are ex badminton world champions and ex world number 1s themselves, and will not succumb so easily to this upcoming Thai badminton pair. However, after watching Saralee and Sudket demolish their opponents, I am inclined to think that they have the mental and physical capacity to win this set. Thai badminton pair to win in 3 sets.

As, always, good luck to all badminton players, and may the best badminton player win!

VIVA BADMINTON BADMINTON BADMINTON!!!

Badminton Analysis- Denmark Open

Malaysia's Assault on the Badminton Men's Titles - Repeat of Philippines Open Result?

Men's Doubles
The chances of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong winning the title here is large. They played brilliantly today, although having a few lapses in concentration, they were generally very good. Cai and Fu appear to be the ones that can stop these pair of badminton whizzes from scoring back to back victories, but they seem to be going through a slump in their career. Kido and Setiawan, although they won the recent Badminton World Championships have extreme bad records against Koo and Tan. So overall, Koo and Tan's prospects of lifting the Danish Open Badminton Title is large.

Men's Singles
Lee Chong Wei this title back in 2005, together with Koo Kien Keat and Chan Chong Ming who won the doubles then. Lee would most probably get into the finals, but the question here to be asked is - will he win in the finals? Will Lee triumph over Lin Dan, who is highly tipped to get into the finals without much of a sweat? This is an extremely difficult question, and can only be answered this Sunday

All the best to all players and, as always,
Malaysia Boleh!

Badminton Tournament - Denmark Open

Kien Keat and Boon Heong's march towards the Men's Doubles Crown - Who can stop them?

With the dominating form shown by Kien Keat and Boon Heong in their quarterfinal match against Boe and Morgensen, it does beg the question - who can stop them?

Admittingly, Boe and Mogensen are no where near the top pairs in the world. They are the second stringers for Denmark. However, the scoreline, which indicated a fairly comfortable victory for Koo and Tan, dosen't correctly portray the nature of the game. Koo and Tan didn't score a comfortable victory. It was a no brainer. Koo and Tan, in fact, hardly raised a sweat in defeating Boe and Mogensen.

The first set ended in favor of Koo and Tan, who quickly ended the match as they started it. 21-14 does not indicate the domineering display of badminton by Koo and Tan. The second set was a closer one, with both pairs being the leader for limited amounts of time. However, on further inspection of the statistics of this match, it appeared that Koo and Tan smashed a lot less than usual, and went into sort of a defensive mode. It appears that Koo and Tan are using Boe and Mogensen as a practice 'toy', while they toyed around with them. Ultimately, after being tied at 14-14, Koo and Tan upped the pace, and went on to win 21-14 21-19.

Tipped to meet reigning world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan tomorrow, who not only have lost 4 consecutive times out of the 4 prior meetings to this top Malaysian pair, but also have their own problems to deal with; they face stiff resistance from their own countrymen in this quarterfinals, one wonders whether Koo and Tan are indeed stoppable in their quest for the title. While one might argue that Koo and Tan might still lose to Cai and Fu, I beg to differ. While the last 2 meetings between these top two pairs have ended up in favor of the Chinese, it is only fair for me to remind you that these were played many months ago. Koo and Tan have found their newfound confidence, and it would take some really spectacular badminton from Cai and Fu to upstage Koo and Tan. Considering that Cai and Fu are going through a slump in their performance at the moment, it seems unlikely that Cai and Fu could beat Koo and Tan.

Nevertheless, the last thing we desire is for Koo and Tan to start being complacent, a trait that is prominent and notorious among Malaysian players. They should constantly play good badminton, and regard the matches one at a time. Only then, will they be able to consolidate on the number 1 spot they've just acquired.

Badminton Analysis- Denmark Open

Sudket and Saralee's Fairytale Run

If you're drawn to meet the first seeds and reigning world champions in the first round, what do you usually do? Run, or lose humiliatingly. In the case of Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thounthongkam, an unseeded Mixed Doubles pair, who met first seeds and reigning world champs Lilyana Natsir and Nova Widianto, they stood up and fought valiantly. It worked - they won in two straightforward sets. Truth is stranger than fiction. If the results were reversed, it seemed more likely. The results looked like a standard Lin Dan vs. Unknown scorecard.

Today they met sixth seeds Anthony Clark and Donna Kellog, who are playing at one of their favourite locations - in Europe. Again, the odds were stacked against Sudket and Saralee. Everyone would have hoped for a triumph, but many were also not so optimistic. But, as true fighters do, they didn't give up. They stood their ground and fought. Again, it worked. They completely trashed Clark and Kellog, as though they themselves were much more experienced, which in fact was the other way round.

With such strong results under their belt, it is a matter of time before they burst into the top 10, then top 3 positions. They appear to be prepared to lead Thailand once again, into the exclusive club of badminton powerhouses. And with such strong results and upsets in mind, they will be bursting with confidence as they face another English pair, third seeds Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms, who will be out to avenge their teammate's humiliation. All the best to this terrific and dynamic pair and trust me, they will go far.

Badminton Tournament - Denmark Open

Lee the SILENT ASSASSIN

The mouth watering match between World Championship silver medalist Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Lee Chong Wei, who was beaten by Sony en route to his title in Kuala Lumpur two months ago, turned out to be shorter than expected. One would argue that it turned out to be an anticlimax. The 36 minute encounter could be argued to be a one sided affair, with Lee dominating every aspect of the game, as though he was toying around with his archnemesis.

In the first game, Lee appeared to minimalise his use of smashes, where he gained only 3 points from smash winners. On the other hand, Sony had to gain 10 point by smashing, only to succumb under the pressure to Lee by 21-18. It could have either been a tactic used by Lee to tire out Sony. It could be just the nature of the game. But whatever Lee did, Lee got it right.

In the second game, after a strong surge by Sony in the first two points of the game, Lee too control of the game at 0-2 and never looked back. He never looked to be threatened by Sony, where Lee played his natural game. 9 of his points were smash winners, while in stark contrast to the first game, Sony only gained 3 points from smash winners. This was the complete reversal of the first game. Although I have not seen the game, it appears that Lee was either tiring out Sony in the first game, or was just testing out the conditions. Or he was just practicing his skills with Sony. Whatever it was, the cruel trashing in the second set rightfully earns my dub for him - the Silent Assassin - Destroying discretely without making a sound.

Lee looks set to advance to the finals of the Denmark Open, as he is expected to meet Danish player Kenneth Jonassen, where he is tipped to meet Lin Dan

All the best to Lee.
MALAYSIA BOLEH!

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Day 3 - Closing into the finals...

Zhang Ning vs. Zhou Mi
Its the titanic battle of the veterans. While Zhou Mi is not really at her peak, Zhang Ning does have an injury that might hamper her chances in this match. Ultimately, I think this will be an extremely close game; both players know each other's game from back to front, and both are not playing their best. I predict a gruesome and tiring three set battle that will last for more than an hour, but will ultimately go to Zhang Ning, unless her injury affects her game too much.

Wang Chen vs. Pi Hongyan
When two ex-Chinese players face off, viewers are in for a treat. Pi has not been impressive lately, and Wang, fresh from her recent triumph in Kuala Lumpur, seems to have newfound confidence in her playing. Those delightful angled drops will give Wang the game in two sets.

Lee vs. Sony
The most mouth watering match of the day. Indonesia's currently top ranked player faces off with Malaysian's top ranked player. Sony was the one that denied Lee his title in his own homeground. Sony is Lee's archnemesis, and Lee must find a way to beat Sony. This match is so circumstantial that I cannot call it.

Jung/Lee vs. Fu/Cai
While both pairs are very renounced, I believe Fu and Cai will prevail at the end as they are more experienced and skillful. While the World Championship silver medalist should not be taken lightly, one would be foolish to think that Fu and Cai are not up to the task of reaching the finals. Fu/Cai in two sets.

Wong/Chin vs. Zhao/Yu
Fresh from their victory against top ranked Chinese pair, Wong and Chin face another formidable Chinese pairing, Zhao/Yu. Although ranking-wise, I appears that Wong and Chin hold the upper hand, but Zhao and Yu are composed of the remnants of two very successful split pairings. Wong and Chin have to prove that their victory on Wednesday was not a fluke, and a perfect platform to do so will be to beat Zhao and Yu to enter the semifinals. I believe Wong and Chin are up to the task, and will take the game in three sets, losing the second set.

Yu/He vs. Vita/Flandy
While Yu and He aren't China's top pair in the field of Mixed Doubles, they are still formidable and respect opponents. However, Vita and Flandy are also extremely strong players, being Bronze Medalist in the recent World Championships, on the way, almost upsetting top seeds and silver medalist Gao/Huang. Gao and Huang are not participating in this championship this time, and with the upset of top seeds, also from Indonesia, Vita and Flandy now have the task of claiming gold for Indonesia.

Stay tuned for up to date updates and analysis!

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Day 2 - Another day of upsets?

Jun Jae Youn vs. Zhou Mi
Both veterans. Obviously Zhou has the superior credentials, being an ex world number one, but is the current Zhou Mi still the same as the old one? Jae Youn has had a brilliant run so far, and will be a tough obstacle for Zhou to surpass. However, Zhou's superior experience will shine through. Zhou in 3 sets.

Taufik Hidayat vs. Bao Chunlai
Rematch of this year's Indonesian open semi-finals where Bao denied Taufik his 7th Indonesian Open title, but all was in vain when he lost in the finals to Lee Chong Wei. Bao can play some brilliant badminton, but when Taufik is fired up, he will beat anyone. However, Taufik's form in round 1 did not really convince me, and I believe this game will go down to the wire. However, Taufik shall prevail in 3 sets.

Wacha vs. Lee Chong Wei
The giant killer against the giant, David vs. Goliath. A lot of pressure has been put on Lee, but will he survive when he usually cracks? Wacha created a sensational upset yesterday, beating Singapore Open winner Boonsak Ponsana. However, Lee's form seems convincingly sharp, and he should easily take this game. Lee in two sets.

Wong/Chin vs. Kurian/Gutta
Wong and Chin had a brilliant run yesterday, beating the reigning world number 1. However, Kurian and Gutta might put up some resistance, as they are anything but easy meat. However, if Wong and Chin play to plan, they should win in two sets to set up a meeting with Zhao/Yu, who no doubt want to avenge Zhang Yawen and Wei Yili's defeat.

Natsir/Marrisa vs. Zhang/Yang
This is again, another tough match to call. While the reigning world champions look to be in superb form, the China Masters winners might repeat their feat in China. However, Zhang and Yang have convinced me that they are the favorites to win this title, even with the presence of Zhang/Wei. Zhang/Yang in three tight sets.

Petya vs. Lu Lan
I am inclined to give this match to Petya, despite the odds. Petya looked menacing yesterday against Hirose, and she plays her best badminton in Europe. Lu Lan on the other hand, is not an easy opponent to put away, and hence the game will go down to the wire. Petya in 3 tight sets.

Gade vs. Santoso
Gade is playing in his home ground, while Santoso has looked convincing the last few tournaments. Tough to say who would really prevail, but Gade really has the upper hand, as he not only is playing with the boisterous Denmark crowd, but also in a location he feels comfortable with, and should put this away in three sets.

Badminton Tournament - Denmark Open

OUR GIRLS CRACK THE GREAT WALL!!!

Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty. From zero to hero.

Beating the renouned pair of Zhang Yawen and Wei Yili, who's credentials go from World Number 1 to World Championships Silver Medalists, Chin and Wong have sounded a warning bell to Li Yongbo's girls that clearly ring: Beware, you will be next!

Indeed, although we would have liked Chin and Wong to win this match, no one ever thought that they could actually pull off beating the reigning world number 1. Chin and Wong appear to be resurfacing from a slump in their career, and are ready to achieve greater and higher heights. However, it will be shortsighted of me to declare too much too early. Although they have beaten the current world number 1, if this result were to be emulated in later rounds, then Malaysia's position as badminton powerhouse can only be reinforced further after our fairly successful outing in Macau.

Suffering from a defeat in the second set after silencing critiques that claimed that they were weak mentally when they won the first set after a deuce , Chin and Wong were behind in the interval in the third set. However, when the scores were tied at 14-14, Chin and Wong had enough. They were going to win. They were going to tell the world and for that matter, China, that THEY WERE BACK! They raced to a speedy victory after that, brushing aside the Chinese as though they were just another pair, as though Chin and Wong were against some unknown. They were in a different class to the Chinese world number ones, and they cracked the Great Wall of China with ease.

This certainly represents a breakthrough for Malaysian Women's Doubles badminton, as Chin and Wong have not been really a threat lately. But after this, players will approach them with more respect. Chin and Wong are one of the best Women Doubles shuttlers in the world, and they have made it known today.

Zhao Tingting and Yu Yang.... you're next!!!

MALAYSIA BOLEH!!!

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

The Malaysian Assault- Can They Pass the First Test?

Tomorrow will see several Malaysians take to the Danish courts, and several of them face extremely stiff test. Can they pass them?

(Predictions for matches involving Malaysians for the First Round)

Sairul Amar Ayob
He faces Andrew Smith, the British number 1 Men's Singles player. While Sairul is considered one of Malaysia's second stringers, he nevertheless will be stiff challenge for Smith. However, Sairul's unconvincing lost to Tsuen Seng in the Dutch Open really does beg the question whether he is just an exaggeration, which he will have to disprove or prove tomorrow. I believe Andrew will prevail though, in three tight sets.

Kien Keat/Boon Heong
Fresh from their triumph in Macau, the reigning world number 1 have a fairly tough opening match against Singaporeans Saputra and Wijaya. However, should Koo and Tan be in top form, these opponents should be a breeze for them, as I am really not convinced by Saputra and Wijaya's form in the Dutch Open. Provided that Koo and Tan do not give us an unpleasant surprise, they should prevail in two straightforward sets.

Tan Fook/Wan Wah
Against Malaythong and Bach from the USA, Choong and Lee are clearly the favourites in this game. However, lets not forget that Choong and Lee are known to be the pair that loses to lesser pairs in the world. However, since their scintillating form in Macau, narrowly losing out to Koo and Tan, I believe that Choong and Lee are on the right track to brush the American's aside.

Lee Chong Wei
Chong Wei is up against the winner of the qualifying round. Chong Wei should have no problem in brushing him aside, and should easily score a sweat-less victory against his lesser known pair.

Tsuen Seng
Lee will be up against respected Japanese number 1 Shoji Sato. These will be tricky waters for Lee to navigate in, and if he is not careful, I can foresee Sato defeating Tsuen Seng. However, despite Tsuen Seng's lacklustre performance in the recently concluded Dutch Open, he was a Quarter Finalist here, and I think he might repeat this feat again. Tsuen Seng in 3 tight sets. Both players have not met each other yet.

All the best to all Malaysians.

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Doubles Predictions Day 1

Zhang/Wei vs. Chin/Wong
The world number 1s have a tough opening draw against Chin and Wong. As much as I like Chin and Wong to win, I believe that it is inevitable that Zhang and Wei will prevail. However, Chin and Wong might give us Malaysians a pleasant surprise by staging one of the biggest upsets.

Luluk/Alvent vs. Njoto/Wiratama
It will be interesting to see whether Luluk and Alvent's recent loss in Macau to lesser known Malaysian juniors still lingers in their mind when they take on tough first round opponents Njoto and Wiratama. Njoto and Wiratama are consistant players, although not really among the ranks of the best. Tough to call, but Luluk and Alvent will win if they are on form.

Saputra/Li vs/ Robertson/Emms
The Singaporean pair have recently raised to prominence, but ex world number 1 and World Champions Robertson and Emms are the more highly regarded pair, and I think they should win it.

Novita/Polii vs. Yang/Zhang
Zhang Jiewen, badminton fanatic's favourite Women's Doubles player, against the lesser known but dangerous pair of Novita and Polii. Although they have a tough first round opening, but I still think that the Chinese second seeds will prevail all the way into a first place finish.

Boe/Mogensen vs. Paaske/Rasmussen
Paaske and Rasmussen are ex world number 1 and World Champions. They are against second stringers Boe and Mogensen, and it would make some very interesting badminton. However, the World Champions have superior skill and experience, and they should prevail.

PS: One more interesting Singles Predictions:

Kay Bin vs. Kenneth
Kenneth is highly respected, but Kay Bin, the famed choker seems to want to do better this time, signaled by his claims in the press. Is this all talk again, or will this signal a change in his playing?

Stay tuned for more updates!

Badminton Tournament - Denmark Open

Day 1 predictions - Let the games begin!

Note: I have not made predictions for all games, but rather a selected few that look interesting:

Kaori Mori vs. Firdasari
The upcoming Indonesian lass against seasoned Japanese veteran. Both players have not met each other before, and it would be interesting to see which one comes up on top. Tough to call.

Susan Hughes vs. Zhou Mi
For former world number one Zhou, it would be a walk in a park against the lesser known Scottish Susan Hughes. Zhou should easily take it in two sets.

Yulianti vs. Yip Pui Yin
Again, involves the rather experienced Yip against the lesser known Yulianti. The big smashing Yip should take this game.

Jiang vs. Wong
European based Jiang is always a dangerous player, especially against more known opponents. However, Wong cannot be dismissed so easily, lets not forget that it was she that silenced Xie and drew the line dangerously close for Chinese dominance in Women's Singles in the recently concluded World Championships. Wong should prevail.

Ng Wei vs Simon
Simon, the 3rd Men's Singles player from Indonesia, against Hong Kong's Ng Wei. It would be a tough contest, but Simon's credentials prompts me to give this to him. Simon in three tight sets.

Roslin vs. Hafiz
This game would come down to whether yoyo king Hafiz is on his upsides or downsides of his ever changing pendulum swing. If Hafiz plays good, he will prevail, but the elder brother Roslin will take it if Hafiz is playing bad.

Wacha vs. Boonsak
Boonsak, the Singapore Open winner, against Wacha, famous for his exploits in China where he beat Chen Jin. I believe Boonsak should win this, although Wacha might hand us a pleasant suprise. However, Wacha appears to be slumping in his form, and I would say that Boonsak is the more probable winner.

Ronald vs. Bao
Bao is obviously the more highly regarded player, but the ex Indonesian should never be discounted. It all comes down to whether Bao's apparent mental weakness will affect his game.

Doubles predictions next!

PAW DAY 2 Dutch Open

Current Standings:



.#. Player................P....W....L....Pts

..1.stork................18...15....3...148
..2.vching...............14...12....2...117
..3.kevinboy.............14...11....3...107
..4.badMania.............15...11....4...106
..5.Loh....................19...11....8...106
....tstan85................19...11....8...106
..7.george@chongwei....14...10....4...101
..8.nwy5633..............16...10....6...101
..9.samuel882............18...11....7...100
.10.madbad...............13....9....4....97
.11.IndoAmerican.......16...10....6....97
.12.hcyong...............12....8....4....87
.13.leonardklh...........15....9....6....84
.14.chemile..............12....8....4....80
.15.Sandy................12....8....4....79
.16.huangkwokhau........9....7....2....78
.17.fd16n................15....6....9....67
.18.Jessica..............16....7....9....67
.19.djake................10....7....3....66
.20.Loopy................11....8....3....63
.21.Cannot_smash.......11....6....5....61
.22.markchan.............16....7....9....59
.23.Dreamzz..............10....6....4....57
.24.chuibie...............6....3....3....28
.25.avataar...............5....2....3....16

NEXT MATCH:
Li Li vs. Elena Prus (6 - 17)
Loopy, leonardklh bet that Li Li would win.
No one bet that Elena would win.

IMPORTANT: Please refresh page every time you visit as the version you are seeing might not be the updated one (computers show older versions of recent sites due to caching)

All credit to Sandy.

Tournament Analysis Beijing Olympics (Part 3)

Can badminton ex-powerhouses Indonesia stamp their mark in Beijing like they have in the recent World Championships?

Realistically, currently, Indonesia can only hope to get medals from 4 events, as their Women’s Singles are not as strong as before, in the days of Susi Susanti and Mia Audina.

Men’s Single
Taufik Hidayat will be gunning to be the first person to claim 2 consecutive Olympic Men’s Singles Gold Medals. However, the question remains whether he can shrug off calls of his inconsistencies and weak stamina. Nevertheless, he is one of the main forces to be reckoned with, along with Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan for the Gold. Sony and Simon seem to be showing a marked improvement in their game, and might be surprise medalist in the games.

Men’s Doubles
Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan appear to be Indonesia’s strongest bet, but again, it would not be easy with stiff competition from Malaysian reigning world number 1 Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong and home ground favorites Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng. However, the reigning World Champions are certainly up to the task; they are able to beat any pair in the world (although never beating Koo and Tan, and losing 4 times in a row) on a good day. In my opinion, the race for the gold in Men’s Doubles will be the most interesting event because no one pair has really stamped their mark, and no one pair has really been the hot favorites.

Women’s Doubles
China Masters Champions Natsir and Marrisa could pull off a win here, but it will be hard to battle through Li Yongbo’s girls. With Yang/Wei. Zhang/Yang and Gao/Huang all strong contenders, Natsir and Marrisa have to pull off a lot to even get a medal. However, they have done it in China Masters, why not here? Natsir and Marrisa have to show that their win in China was not a fluke, but they have yet to produced results since their triumph in Chengdu.

Mixed Doubles
With 2 strong pairs, Natsir/Widianto and Limpele/Marrisa, Indonesia seems to have a chance against the Chinese powerhouse. Gao/Zheng and Xie/Zhang are extremely strong opposition in Indonesia’s hopes to claim this title. Reigning World Champions Natsir and Widianto will be all out to defeat Gao and Zheng, but it will be very hard, as Gao and Zhang look invincible. Limpele and Marrisa will be out to prove that they have the ability to win their first medal in an Olympics, but again, opposition will be stiff.

Is Indonesia capable of pulling off a breakthrough here?

For earlier parts:

The Badminton Blog - Predictions in Beijing PART 1


The Badminton Blog - Predictions in Beijing PART 2

Tournament Analysis – Beijing (Part 2)

Crouching China, Hidden Medals?
Will China sweep all 5 gold medals in their home event?

China, the modern badminton superpower, will attempt to do the undoable in badminton – to sweep all 5 gold medals on offer. Can anyone stop their assault on those medals?

Men Singles – Lin Dan is a strong medal hope, with Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin as path-clearers and backups. Lin Dan, who was tipped to win in Athens 3 years ago, is gunning for one of the titles that he hasn’t been able to get. He has credible reigning Olympic Champion Taufik Hidayat in his way, although Hidayat appears to be plagued by a ‘runner-up’ disease. However, Lee Chong Wei appears to be superdan’s attempt at his first Olympic title. Then again, Taufik always rises to the occasion, and is able to produce stunning results at opportune times. Will Taufik or Chong Wei deny Lin in his bid to be the Olympic Champion?

Men Doubles – Appears to be the weakest link among the 5 titles. With credible resistance from Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong, Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae, Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya, and last but not least, Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah, can local hopes Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng pull it off? Despite everything that has been said about Cai and Fu, I have to admit that China still have a pretty decent chance at the title, but this is China’s biggest headache in its bid to sweep all the titles.

Women Singles – China should win this one. Unless there is a massive collapse in the Chinese ranks, the only question we should is Xie Xingfang or Zhang Ning? I strongly believe Zhang still has it in her to win her second consecutive Olympic title, but discounting Xie would be foolish of me. Hard to say. Super veteran or semi veteran? Besides this, youngster Zhu Lin and reigning world champion should be good backup if one of the badminton queens fail.

Women Doubles – Again, I don’t see how China can lose this title. It naturally begs the question: who? With a massive arsenal including Gao Ling/Huang Sui, Zhang Jiewen/Yang Wei, Zhang Yawen/Wei Yili, the only people that can deny the Chinese women from this title is perhaps, Korean pair Lee/Lee or Indonesian pair Natsir/Marrisa. Will Lee Yongbo’s girls collapse like they did in China Masters this year? It is highly unlikely, but the chance for the upset is there.

Mixed Doubles – This would be another interesting contest between Gao Ling/Zheng Bo and Lilyana Natsir/Nova Widianto. Will the Chinese world number prevail over the Indonesian world number 2? Can the Indonesians deny the Chinese for the second time, after their win in the world championships? In addition to this, Gao and Zheng appear to be going through a rough patch, as they have not featured in several tournaments although they’ve won the recent Japan Open.

For Part 1, go here:

The Badminton Blog - Predictions in Beijing PART 1

Badminton Video - Singapore Open

Choong Tan Fook / Lee Wan Wah vs. Cai Yun / Fu Haifeng. One of the best matches of badminton I have seen this year, highly recommended. Although the Malaysians lost, they still exhibited solid defense and excellent attacking skills against then world number 1 Cai and Fu.

PART 1

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 1 1/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

PART 2

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 1 2/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

PART 3

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 2 1/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

PART 4

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 2 2/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

PART 5

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 3 1/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

PART 6

Badminton 2007 Singapore Open MD Game 3 2/2
Uploaded by bigbossyakusa

Absolutely brilliant. The Malaysians can hold their head up high despite the defeat.

Tournament Analysis –Beijing 2008 (Part 1)

Can Malaysia end its Gold-less drought in the Olympics? Can Indonesia convert their two World Champions into Gold Medals? Will China dominate?

Part 1 – Malaysia
The gold-less tiger

Malaysia’s recent triumph in Macau may be signs of greater and higher achievements to come. Can Malaysia convert its strong showing in Macau into the European Tour, and then subsequently into the all important Olympics? Strong medal contenders are Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and Lee Chong Wei, with possible medalist being old hands Wong Choong Hann and Choong Tan Fook/ Lee Wan Wah.

Koo and Tan appear to be peaking right at the moment. Defeating renowned Korean pair Lee/Jung and reigning World Champions Kido and Setiawan enroute to their finals triumph over seniors Choong and Lee, they appear to have regained some semblance of the form that got them the All England title. While one would like to wait for further results from the European circuit before making any more claims, it seems that Koo and Tan are riding on a confidence high. However, the game of badminton is such that… anything could happen. Koo and Tan have not exactly been the most consistent pair in the badminton world, being beaten by a relatively unknown Japanese team in the World Championships that left many heartbroken. Everyone has to remember that the Olympics are just one tournament, and one upset, just one upset against Koo and Tan… and then Malaysia will have to wait for another 4 years. Can Koo and Tan handle such pressure?

Lee Chong Wei appears to have a blind spot for Indonesian players. Defeated by Simon and Sony in the Taipei Open and World Championships, he however, is a strong medal contender. Main rivals include Taufik Hidayat and Lin Dan, who are gunning for their second and first Olympic Golds respectively. While Lee is a great player, many would still doubt his ability to perform on the centre stage, evident in his Quarter Finals defeat by Bao Chunlai, who he has never lost before prior to that event in the 2006 World Championships where he was seeded first. Lee has to learn how to overcome Indonesians Simon and Sony, who are both as deceptive and fast as Taufik himself, and are proving to be Lee’s Achilles Heel. Will Lee falter and break Malaysia’s hearts once again?

Former World Championships Silver Medalist Wong Choong Hann could be a medalist in Beijing. While one would not make such bold claims when Choong Hann’s place in the Olympics is not even secured yet, it must be mentioned that he has shown remarkable improvement in recent tournaments, culminating in the thrilling 3 set victory over then world number 3 Bao Chunlai. Will the great master Wong bring home something for the first time, in what may be his last Olympics?

Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah is what I call, a special case. They face no problems in defeating higher ranked players, yet get swept away by lesser players. Choong and Lee have to learn how to control this if they want to improve on their 4th place ranking in Sydney. Narrowly losing the Macau Open title to young guns Koo and Tan, can they strike gold, silver or bronze in possibly their last Olympics?

Can Malaysia strike gold this time?

Stayed tuned for part 2 on Indonesia’s medal chances!

Badminton Predictions - Denmark Open

Men's Singles
It will be a race between two giants Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei, with World Champion and reigning Olympic Champion Taufik and recently concluded Macau Open winner Chen Jin being title contenders too. However, I think there is a very high possibility of a first-second seed face off in the finals. As to who would prevail, Lee or Lin, it would largely be dependant on who is more able to keep their form; Lee beat Lin in straight sets in the recent Japan Open, while Lin is never someone to be discounted. I think it will be a hotly contested race, with Lee prevailing eventually.

Men's Doubles
After their scintillating form in Macau, Koo and Tan appear to be the favorites for the title. However, never discount Cai and Fu, although they might meet arch rivals Choong and Lee in the Semis. Choong and Lee have their own problems, as they are set to meet former world number 1 Jens Eriksen and Martin Lungaard Hansen, who have denied this veteran pair 2 All England titles. All eyes will be focusing on Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, who are set to meet Koo and Tan in the Semi Finals. Can Kido and Setiawan break their 4 match beaten record by Koo and Tan, or will they be forever 'jinxed' when meeting this young pair? Overall, barring any early upsets, Koo and Tan should take this title.

Women's Single
Rat race between the two badminton queens of China, Xie Xingfang and Zhang Ning, with former Chinese-cum-Hong Kong-ians Wang Chen and Zhou Mi being stiff opposition. China is expected to claim this title, with first 3 and 5th seed from China. Watch out for Tine Rasmussen, who scalped 5 consecutive Chinese to claim the Japan Open title. Will she able to do it again in her European homeland? Very tough to call.

Women's Doubles
With Malaysia's best hope meeting top seed and world number 1 in the first round, Malaysia probably dosen't have much interest in this event. However, Zhang and Wei have suffered a dip in their career. Can the girls take it home for Malaysia? Other than that, not much to report here. Reigning world champions and a favorite among badminton fans Zhang Jiewen and Yang Wei, although second seed, appear to be the favorite for this title after easily claiming the Bitburger Open. They appear to have a superior recent report against Zhang and Wei. Gao and Huang another pair to watch out for, with an all Chinese finals almost inevitable, with Zhang Jiewen and Yang Wei probably prevailing.

Mixed Doubles
With the absense of top Chinese pairs, especially world number one Gao Ling and Huang Sui, it appears that it is an All Indonesian affair. First seed are the reigning world champions and world number 2, who are set to face off second seeds Marrisa and Limpele. In the top half of the draw are two English pairs. Can they upset renowned first seed Natsir and Widianto in their own 'territory'? Natsir and Widianto set to take this title.

Response to Previous Post

In response to my earlier post regarding the call for the International Badminton Federation (Now known as the Badminton World Federation, hereinafter known as the BWF) to investigate claims accusing China of foul play, I have received many heated responses claming that I have not based my arguments on solid evidence.

To set matters straight, I have, in no way accused China of any of its alleged misconduct. I have merely called for this case to be investigated by the BWF, so that we as badminton fans will be able to know, and be informed, by a governing body on this matter. I further reiterate I am in no way insinuating that China is cheating, and I merely stating that this behavior from China indeed draws attention, and one would be extremely ignorant not to be suspicious of such conduct. Indeed, my call for such an investigation is not unique to the sport of badminton; many other sports have had prior investigations into such similar suspicions. Therefore, as an Olympic sport, and to stop the perceived notion that China is either being wrongfully convicted of such acts, and hence making a mockery of the effort put in by their players, or that China is indeed getting away with such misconduct, depending on which side you believe in, I call for an investigation by the BWF on this matter.

However, it would be unconventional and ignorant for me not to present rebuttal to the claims that my calls for an investigation are baseless. Indeed, it would be unprofessional of me, as a blogger, to present my readers with the facts, and only the facts of the suspicions of millions of fans worldwide. Hence, I present to you the facts of such disputes, which include, but are not necessarily restricted to (note: as there are many instances of such alleged cheatings by China, I will only list controversial actions committed this year):

1. German Open: Chen Yu gave a walkover to Lin Dan, while making the finals of the All England one week later. Is this fast recovery, or an attempt to save energy? While I don’t think this is strictly prohibited, I still think such walkovers are not in the spirit of badminton.

2. China Masters: Almost all linesmen and umpires in several crucial matches involving Chinese players were from China. This not only raises many people’s eyebrows, but it also represents the unprofessional organization on behalf of the Chinese badminton governing body. In addition to this, there were several crucial line calls that went China’s way. In an international Super Series tournament, how can an official be from the same country as one of the participants? Wouldn’t this account for a conflict of interest?

3. Macau Open: Chen Hong gave a highly controversial walkover to Chen Jin, while appearing to be fine the day of the match. Does Chen Hong really have an injury, or is he faking it for the benefit of his countryman? Another controversial act was by Chen Jin in the finals to wipe his sweat on the shuttle to make it heavier, allegedly to neutralize Taufik Hidayat’s smash and net play. While this might constitute bad sportsmanship, and being against the spirit of the sport, should this be allowed?

There should be a line on what is allowed and what is not allowed in professional badminton, and BWF should draw that line clearly. Once again, I am not accusing any party of being a cheat, and am just relaying some of the concerns badminton fans around the world have regarding this sport.

Hot News/Open Challenge – China the ‘Cheater’?

notoriously known for their ‘win at all cost’ attitude, have the Chinese taken it one step too far?

Li Yongbo, China’s head coach, is a hated coach…Its true, at least if you’re not from China. Badminton fanatics around the world, particularly those focused around the Southeast Asian region, dislike him, not only because of his alleged arrogance, but also because of allegations that he orders walkovers by teammates to give an unfair advantage to his own players, and order his players to commit stunts that can be considered as cheating. In addition to that, he is widely accused of influencing the selection of umpires and linesmen in Chinese organized tournaments. China – misunderstood superpower or cheating scumbag?

During Taufik’s defeat by Chinese youngster Chen Jin yesterday, there were massive speculations concerning the alleged action of the youngster to neutralize Taufik’s legendary delicate netplay and lethal smashes by wiping his sweat on the shuttlecock, hence making the shuttlecock heavier. While I will not attempt to propose that either side is accurate in their accusations, this, nevertheless, continues on a long string of controversial actions taken by China.

German Open 2007: Chen Yu gives a walkover to Lin Dan, citing injury, but exactly a week later, appears to have recovered. Genuine injury or fear of tiring their golden boy, at the same time depriving the German crowd a chance to watch badminton of the highest level?

China Masters 2007: Several controversial decisions were taken by linesmen and umpires, exacerbated by the fact that during matches that had Chinese participants, linesmen and umpires from China were allowed to adjudicate. Shabby organization or a bigger ploy for Chinese dominance?

While I do recognize the fact that most badminton fanatics dislike China because of their dominance in many events, the constant repetition of such incidents does beg one to be suspicious. Hence, I call upon the International Badminton Federation (IBF) to investigate such claims of China’s alleged misconduct. Is the IBF willing to do so, or are they too embroiled in internal politics that they would allow such allegations to fly past? Or are they too afraid of China’s backlash? Can they act like a governing body, or is badminton destined to be plagued by calls of unfair advantages?

I believe this is the correct step to take. If China has not done anything wrong, they have nothing at all to fear. In fact, this inquiry will benefit them: if the IBF finds in favor of China, badminton fans around the world then would be aware that China, has not engaged in such activities, hence clearing their name and discouraging further rumors. If China does not allow the IBF to investigate such claims, they will be forever be tainted as cheaters and the legacy of China’s dominance will be forever stained with allegations of foul play.

Hence, in this post, I openly challenge the IBF and the Chinese badminton ruling body to investigate such claims of foul play and cheating. How else can these persistent rumors be quelled?

Let the truth prevail!

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

** Low Priority **

Taufik Hidayat – Taking over as Mr. Runner Up?

Three consecutive finals – three consecutive silver medals. Is this
trend going to continue plaguing the great Taufik Hidayat?

Strike one – Taufik loses to Lee Chong Wei in the finals of the Japan
Open
Strike two – Taufik loses to teammate Simon in the finals of the Taipei
Open
Strike three – Taufik loses to Chen Jin in the finals of the Macau Open
… three consecutive strikes, and you're out...

Taufik Hidayat had the easiest road to the finals. Arch nemesis Lin Dan
withdrawing. Good friend Lee Chong Wei not participating. Bao Chunlai,
denier of his 7th Indonesian Open title losing. And still he couldn't
win, even though he was the clear favorite for the title. Is Taufik
destined to fight all the way to the finals, then to bow out?

Obviously, the answer to this headache lies in Taufik's fitness level.
I'm sure that Taufik would be able to win the game if he met Chen Jin
in round one. Taufik has one of the most beautiful groundstrokes and
netplays in the whole game of badminton, but if not complimented by the
fitness level to keep up with his skill, all these talent will just go
to waste. It's a shame that Taufik didn't achieve more in his career
when he showed such potential in qualifying for the finals of the All
England when he was just 17. Whether he identifies this problem and
changes it, it will be up to him. He is after all, not playing for the
money anymore. Taufik is playing the game because he enjoys the game,
and running 10 kilometers a day dosen't really appeal to him, I am sure.

Will Taufik choose to be a World or Olympic Champion again, by improving
his fitness, or will he forever be a formidable opponent, that never
wins anything, aka Mr Runner Up? Will he take badminton seriously once
more, or will he continue playing, just because he enjoys the sport?

As always,
MALAYSIA BOLEH!

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

Winners Koo and Tan clinch another title while gallant tigers Choong and Lee put up brilliant exhibition of Men's Double's badminton at its best

Its time for Malaysia to start dominating Men's Doubles badminton again. After the brilliant performance by all 4 players, I can confidently say that this, is Men's Doubles badminton at its best.

The solid defense and offensive skills exhibited by all 4 players on court today stunned many stubborn critics of Malaysian badminton. Koo and Tan exhibited such brilliance in the way they defended each point; Koo even injured himself in the process. Some may condemn it and call it a stunt, but I believe this represents the ultimate epitome of the dedication to the sport... only one who plays the sport with all his heart, can truly claim to be a true sportsmen, and I believe Koo and Tan today, with their fighting spirit, and their never die attitude when faced with 3 match points for the veterans, have shown the world. Kudos to Koo and Tan. Malaysia is proud of them, and will always be behind you!

Choong and Lee on the other hand, although losers of the tightly contested final, deserve a special mention. The manner in which Choong and Lee kept up with the pace of the young Koo and Tan is simply breathtaking. The ways that Choong and Lee used to cope with such fast exchanges was just admirable. No one expected these pair of old hands to put up such a fight, such a brilliant display of badminton. Indeed, in my opinion, on another day, Choong and Lee would have won the game. It is unfortunate that the game had a loser, because I felt that the performance by all four players deserve to be rewarded, and all of them deserve to be winners.

Such good performance by Malaysia in Macau Open certainly brighten Malaysia's prospects in the 2008 Thomas Cup and Olympic Games. It now remains to see whether these pairs can keep up the good work and continue consistently sweeping titles for Malaysia.

As always,
MALAYSIA BOLEH!

Spotlight on Pair: Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong

Winning the All England, Malaysian Open, Swiss Open, and Philippines Open titles in less than a year of formation is indeed impressive. Apart from that, after their finals performance in the Macau Open, they are the new world number 1. So what identifies this new pairing from others?
As always, successful badminton pairings have contrasting personalities: Rexy Mainaky was the explosive one. Ricky was the shyer one. Cai Yun is the confident one. Fu Haifeng is the more reserved of the pair.

Indeed, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong do have contrasting personalities too: Kien Keat is the 'obnoxious' one on court while Boon Heong appears to be, in relation to Kien Keat, more reserved. When Kien Keat did his little jig when he got a matchpoint at the All England finals, this no doubt irked many badminton fans. Many accused Kien Keat of being unsportsmanlike and arrogant. Many despise his antics and label it as obnoxious stunts. So is Kien Keat really this obnoxious monster we know on court?

Kien Keat himself begs to differ. On his blog, he begs everyone to be aware that these are just badminton mind tactics employed by all top pairs. In real life, he claims, he is a nice and easy going guy. In a sense, I do agree with him. Mind games on the badminton court excite viewers; they are a indescribable aspect to this game. They give us the much needed drama on court... so whats wrong with it? Accept it people - mind games, including those little 'stunts' by Kien Keat bring the whole court to live.

Boon Heong on the other hand, earned him some Malaysian haters after their shock lost in the Quarter Finals of the World Championships. Missing an easy half court smash at match point, they went on to lose the game. After the matches, profanities were screamed and shrieked at Boon Heong, who sat by the court wiping his tears, immediately extending his apologies to Kien Keat. Since then, however, he has bounced back in the still ongoing Macau Open, scalping the highly regarded Korean pairing of Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae and exterminating the reigning world champions and world number 1 Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan. Hence, it appears that this pair is out of their slump, and are ready to achieve greater heights for Malaysia.

Another recent news regarding this relatively new pairing is the conflict between Kien Keat and Boon Heong. While conflicts between partners are not new news for Malaysian badminton fanatics, this still intrigues and fuels our interest. Since the days of the bickering pair of Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang, we have grown used to the fightings and the disagreements of our players. Still, these pair have always managed to deliver: Soon Kit and Beng Kiang delivered the winning point for our triumph in the 1992 Thomas Cup. It remains to been seen whether Kien Keat and Boon Heong can better Soon Kit and Beng Kiang's achievements and win the Thomas Cup for Malaysia again.

As always
MALAYSIA BOLEH

Badminton Statistics - Badminton vs Tennis

Many people think that badminton is an easier sport than tennis. Some ignorantly profess that 'anyone can play this sport'... Well, let the statistics speak for itself:

At the 1985 All England (Tennis) Championships, Boris Becker defeated Kevin Curren 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4. At the 1985 World Badminton Championships in Calgary, Canada, Han Jian of China defeated Morten Frost of Denmark, 14-18, 15-10, 15-8. The following is a statistical comparison of those matches.

                             Tennis          Badminton
Time:                    3 hrs & 18 mins   1 hr & 16 mins
Ball/Shuttle in Play:      18 mins            37 mins
Match Intensity*:          9 percent         48 percent
Rallies:                       299              146
Shots:                        1,004            1,972
Shots Per Rally:               3.4              13.5
Distance Covered:             2 miles         4 miles

* The actual time the ball/shuttle was in flight, divided by the
length of the match
(http://www.badminton.bnl.gov/ten-bad.html)

Although the tennis game lasted twice the duration, the time of the shuttle/ball in play was DOUBLE for badminton. This means that of the 3 hours and 18 minutes, 18 minutes were actual play while there were 3 hours of resting, towel downs and bickering with the umpire. On the other hand, badminton had 37 minutes of play, and less resting. In addition to this, the distance each players had to run was double for a badminton player, and the number of shots played was also doubled. Although there were more rallies, the average shots per rally for tennis was 3.4 while there were on average 13.4 shots per rally for a badminton rally. In essence, badminton players had half the time to play double the shots and run twice the distance, and play twice the amount of time...

Badminton is easy... anyone?

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

Taufik vs Chen Jin
Taufik Hidayat hasn't exactly been in top form as he struggled to beat Park Sung Hwan. However, big credit to him for being friendly all throughout the match. Chen Jin on the other hand, struggled to beat veteran Wong Choong Hann in a nail biting encounter. As for who would win this encounter, I have been extremely impressed and convinced by Taufik's netplay in his SF against Park. Both players posses the firepower, but ultimately I think this game would go to Taufik in three sets, as he posses the superior experience; Chen Jin does not know how to handle Taufik.

Jun Jae Yun vs Xie Xingfang
I am not very sure which way this battle will go. If Xie had a little more consistancy in previous tournaments, then no doubt badminton queen Xie would win. But the experienced Jae Yun might cost her this title if Xie plays erratically like she has in the past few tournaments. However, this trend appears to be ceasing, as Xie has been extreme focussed in the past few matches, trouncing her opponents without mercy. Hence, I think this game will go to Xie Xingfang in 2 games.

Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong vs. Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah
This Malaysia vs Malaysia match will not decide much: Koo and Tan are already the new World Number 1s, and Malaysia will have a gold medal in Macau. Which is exactly why I am predicting that Koo and Tan will win this match. Koo and Tan work best without pressure, and unless some crazy thing goes wrong with them, I expect them to prevail in 2 straightforward games.

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

all hear the roar of the Harimau... Malaysia claims top spot in Men's Doubles ahead of the finals!

With the surprising but not unexpected annihilation of top seed Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah join teammates Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong in the finals of the Macau Open. This is obviously a very encouraging result for Malaysian badminton, as it is not often we see the Men's Doubles disciplines being dominated to such an extent by one country. Indeed, the only other Men's Doubles tournament this year that had it's finals being contested by competitors of the same country was the Korean Open, and the standard of this GP GOLD event far outweighs the prestige of other more highly regarded tournaments; as all top players, (with the notable exception of Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya) competed, and had all the reason to do well; this tournament not only provides valuable ranking points for the Olympics, but it also might very well determine who is the new world number 1.

An added bonus to such encouraging results is the fact that Rexy Mainaky, the highly regarded and respected coach of the Malaysian Men's Doubles, was not present to give valuable tips and advice. This only proves one thing - that Malaysian badminton is becoming more independent. Even with the absence of Rexy Mainaky, the finals of a top grade tournament is still dominated by Malaysia - testimonial to the strength of Malaysian badminton. With the presence of coach Rexy, one does fantasize what higher heights Malaysian Doubles can achieve.

It would be unfair to not mention the success of other pairs in this still ongoing tournament. Special credit to Gan Teik Chai and Lin Woon Fui, who came agonizingly close to defeat the reigning world number 1 and world champions, and the Malaysian juniors Khoo and Latif, who got beaten in the Quarter Finals by big brothers Choong and Lee. All these reflects the immense depth Malaysian badminton has, and clearly shows that Malaysia has a bright future in badminton.

In addition to this, it has to be mentioned that without the help of Rexy, these doubles shuttlers have managed to dig their way out of many troubled waters; Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah managed to save a match point and go into deuce, eventually winning the first set against Fu and Cai. This will silence many critics who theorize and accuse Malaysian shuttlers of having low mental strength.

Finally, this post would not be complete without the mention of Wong Choong Hann, who fought gallantly through his injury only to succumb to the fresh Chen Jin. He fought through his injury, refusing to give up even when the odds were stacked against him. This, together with the successes of the Malaysian Doubles, will be the Roar of the Harimau in next year's Thomas Cup and Olympic Games.

It now remains to be seen if Malaysian badminton has consistency: can Malaysia retain this scintillating form into the next few tournaments, and show the world that Malaysian, is indeed a powerhouse in badminton?

As always,
Malaysia Boleh!

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

the March of the Malaysian Tigers!

Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah defeated former world number 1 and former World Champions Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng for the first time in 3 years in 2 straight sets!

The Malaysian veterens headed off in a shaky start, but showed tremendous improvement in their mental strength to clinch the first game 22-20. In the second game, their lead was established right from the first point; their dominance not reflected in the 21-18 score.

This dawns a new era on Malaysian badminton. Malaysia now have 4 representatives in the Men's Doubles Final, a feat not witnessed before with the presence of all top pairs participating. The Malaysian contingent's massacre to the final includes the scalping of Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan (current World Champions and World Number 1), Jung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae (World Champion runners up) and finally today, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.

Will this result spur our shuttlers onto greater heights? I believe it is time for Malaysian badminton to start dominating the Men's Doubles scene like Indonesians did in the 1990s. Many observers will be watching the Malaysians as they head into their next tournament, and it remains to be seen whether these players can retain this scintillating and punishing form.

As always
MALAYSIA BOLEH!!!

Badminton Tournament - Macao Open

Spent force?
Inconsistent?
Should be split up?

You've gotta be kidding. These were the comments Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong were receiving just last week. But the manner in which this pair defeated, I'm sorry, demolished their opponents, the current world number 1 and reigning World Champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan obviously begs to differ. Boon Heong and Kien Keat never looks threatened or pushed at all. Who's the inconsistent spent force now?

The reigning World Champions and world number 1 could do nothing. They were toyed around, and Kien Keat and Boon Heong dictated the pace all throughout the game. This certainly does augur well for tomorrow's final, possibly against former world champions Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng. Phase 2 of Malaysian badminton rejuvenation has just been completed. If Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fook are able to defeat Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng... I would confidently declare Malaysia as the new badminton men's doubles powerhouse.

Inconsistent spent force? Should be split up? Now who's the laughing one?

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

THE GREAT MASTER WONG

Wong Choong Hann was injured. Flashes of the gruesome Achilles tendon injury came back to me as I watched him agonise in pain as Malaysians around the world prayed. Still the fighter refused to give up. Instead of giving a standard walkover, he fought on. He pushed on and won the second game to level the games one all, although he was at serious disadvantage - he couldn't stretch his left leg. Refusing the give up the third game while trailing 7-11 at the interval, he took 6 points in a row to make it 16-12. Finally at matchpoint 20-18, he failed to close up, distracted by Chen Jin's slipping.

Obviously disadvantaged by his injury, Wong Choong Hann's lost today proved only one thing - Wong is a true Malaysian hero. He battled and battled, finally succumbing to the fresher Chen who yesterday, got a walkover from Chen Hong. In my opinion, the true winner of this match is Wong Choong Hann. He has earned my respect, along with thousands of worldwide fans. Sure, it would have been nice if he'd won this game, but the manner of which Wong carried on in his games; anything less than a legend would not describe him. His fighting spirit reminded me of the great Foo Kok Keong. This man is a fighter.

A tribute to Wong. A true Malaysian Hero. A true Malaysian fighter. A true Malaysian legend. A true Malaysian. Wong Choong Hann.

Spotlight on Player - Wong Choong Hann

this gallant Malaysian tiger has served Malaysia consistently through thick and thin

Wong Choong Hann. 2003 World Championship Silver Medalist. Former World Number 1. Simply put: Malaysian Legend.

Wong's illustrious career in badminton started in 1991, where he had to play in the qualifying stages of the Malaysian Open. Unfortunately, he failed to make an impact there, but this marked the start of more than 16 years of service to Malaysian badminton. He was the calm one. The mentally strong one. The one that could speak such good English that he could have easily pursued a career in linguistics, that being said, Malaysia would not have had such success in the Men's Single's badminton arena.

Aiding in Malaysia's near misses in the 1998 and 2002 Thomas Cup campaigns, he served as Malaysia's number 1 shuttler for more than 4 years. Not only that, he was frequently requested to play in the Men's Doubles disciplines, which ultimately highlighted his dedication to the sport, and his love of his country.

Funnily enough, despite his high world rankings in the late 1990s to the early 2000s, he did not win many titles. Still, whenever the occasion came, he delivered. Coming agonizingly close in defeating Xia Xuanze in Birmingham during the 2003 World Championships, Wong has always served as one of the 'rocks' of Malaysian badminton, even after he was overtaken by Lee Chong Wei as National number 1, serving as team captain in many BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) assignments.

Tragedy struck in 2006, where he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Quarter Finals against Park Sung Hwan of Korea. I remember feeling afraid for the first time for Wong; Of all the matches I've seen of him, even if he was losing, I still had confidence in him, as he emanated such confident aura. However, for the first time, I was afraid for Wong. Nothing troubled Wong - except injury. Malaysia watched mournfully as Wong was given a standing ovation for his efforts as he exited the stadium.

Everyone dismissed Wong as a spent force after that. Everyone expected him to hang up his racquet, and retire from badminton. Everyone... that is, except Wong himself. When everyone didn't believe in him, he believed in himself. He bounced back strongly in the 2007 Malaysia Open, almost scalping then World Number 4 Chen Jin, and at that tournament, completing a full circle as he had to play in the qualifying stages of the tournament; the irony being his first tournament was during the qualifying stages of the Malaysian Open. He sent Chen Hong, then world number 2, and Bao Chunlai, then world number 3, packing in the China Open and Macau Open. When everyone dismissed him, he refused to dismiss himself. This is one trait Malaysian players should actively learn - to never give up. To never give up, and to believe in themselves. Wong Choong Hann is a fighter - and Malaysians should learn from him.

As he takes onto court today against Chen Jin, Malaysia will be watching him. Malaysia will be praying for him, and Malaysia will be behind him supporting him no matter what the result is. Win or lose, he is a true Malaysian hero, and he deserves every ounce of support from our country he so gallantly represents.

Wong Choong Hann - Malaysian Hero, now and forever.

Badminton Tournament - Macau Open

choking of the great tiger - will history repeat itself?

Nowadays, Malaysian players have always been dubbed and branded as mentally weak, with little mental strength to deliver at crucial points. Today, badminton fanatics all around the world will witness whether the great tiger will deliver - or choke miserably.

Thomas Cup finals 2002. Having gallantly upset Taufik, Lee Tsuen Seng won a crucial 'unwinnable' point. However, in the next doubles match, Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah broke the hearts of many Malaysian viewers around the world, me included, by throwing away the game against Sigit and Candra. They had the oppotunity. They lost it.

Sudirman cup relegation playoffs 2001 - Our brave underdog women's shuttlers Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty gallantly won an 'unwinnable' point against the more experienced and skilled Japanese shuttlers. But just as it seems that Malaysia is finally out of hot water, Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah throw away their game against lesser opponents. Choked under pressure. Malaysia got humiliatingly relegated to group 2.

Now with the pressure on Choong and Lee to deliver another upset against world number 2 and former world champions Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng, it seems that if history were to repeat itself, Choong and Lee would lose. Would they lose, or would they prevail in this mouth watering epic battle? Cai and Fu are trying to gain revenge on this pair - will they prevail, or will they be beaten again?

Poker faced Wong Choong Hann is playing all out. He almost beat two time world junior champion Chen Jin in the Malaysian Open, coming agonizingly close but ultimately losing the match. Now, can he avenge the defeat, or is he destined to be a victim of the alleged Chinese foul play (Chen Hong gave a controversial walkover to Chen Jin, while Choong Hann was stretched to an energy sapping three games)?

Koo Kien Keat, Tan Boon Heong... the world's biggest piece of badminton news. Are they really back, or was their punishing victory against the respected Jung and Lee from Korea just a fluke? Will Kien Keat and Boon Heong deliver against the new and upcoming Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, who are trying to prove to the world that they are the best Men's Double's pair and at the same time trying to consolidate their newly aquired number 1 world ranking? Will their partnership hold, or will the blame game be played again?

Today will be a stiff test for Malaysian badminton. Will they pass or flunk it? Will this signal brighter days for Malaysia badminton, or will this just reaffirm the notion that Malaysia badminton is inconsistent? Find out today, at day 5 of the Macau Open.

As always,
MALAYSIA BOLEH!