PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei will be out to win the Macau Open to inch closer to achieving a career season’s best.
Chong Wei is the defending champion in the tournament scheduled for July 27-Aug 1 and the absence of the top players from China has brighten his chance to add a sixth international Open title to his belt.
Chong Wei: ‘Setting records are small goals.’ He retained the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold title last Sunday in Johor Baru. Chong Wei also emerged as the champion in four Super Series tournaments – in Malaysia, South Korea, England and Indonesia.
Chong Wei’s career season’s best is seven titles, which he achieved it last year.
But Chong Wei said that he would not be distracted from his tasks in three remaining major assignments this year – the world championships in Paris next month, the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.
“There is another half year to go and chances to win more titles. I will do my best to retain the Macau Open title,” he said.
“Setting records are small goals. It is more important for me to do well in the world championships, Commonwealth Games and the Asiad.”
The hope is on Chong Wei to become the Malaysian to win a world championship title. He had under-achieved in the last two editions in 2007 (Kuala Lumpur) and 2009 (Hyderabad).
In the Macau Open, Chong Wei’s main challengers will be second seed Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark and third seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
Chong Wei is not in the same half of the draw a Sony, who defeated him in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open.
He has in his half a handful aspiring youngsters – Kenichi Tago (Japan), P. Kashyap (India), Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka (Indonesia) and Shon Wan-ho (South Korea). Also in the half are two seasoned campaigners – Indonesia’s Simon Santoso and Hong Kong’s Hu Yun.
The other half with Christensen and Sony are Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-hsing and two Malaysians Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Wong Choong Hann.
Malaysia also have back-up shuttlers in the fray. But Chan Kwong Beng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Liew Daren and Tan Chun Seang are not expected to make much headway based on their current form.
In the men’s doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will not be gunning for the title for a fourth time. Malaysia have three back-up pairs in the fray – Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong, Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah and Goh Wei Shem-Teo Kok Siang.
Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari has served out a one-month suspension for losing his cool during the Thomas Cup Finals in May and will make a return to competition with Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif. Also carrying the challenges for Malaysia are independent pairs Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng, Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah.
Chong Wei is the defending champion in the tournament scheduled for July 27-Aug 1 and the absence of the top players from China has brighten his chance to add a sixth international Open title to his belt.
Chong Wei: ‘Setting records are small goals.’ Chong Wei’s career season’s best is seven titles, which he achieved it last year.
But Chong Wei said that he would not be distracted from his tasks in three remaining major assignments this year – the world championships in Paris next month, the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.
“There is another half year to go and chances to win more titles. I will do my best to retain the Macau Open title,” he said.
“Setting records are small goals. It is more important for me to do well in the world championships, Commonwealth Games and the Asiad.”
The hope is on Chong Wei to become the Malaysian to win a world championship title. He had under-achieved in the last two editions in 2007 (Kuala Lumpur) and 2009 (Hyderabad).
In the Macau Open, Chong Wei’s main challengers will be second seed Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark and third seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
Chong Wei is not in the same half of the draw a Sony, who defeated him in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open.
He has in his half a handful aspiring youngsters – Kenichi Tago (Japan), P. Kashyap (India), Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka (Indonesia) and Shon Wan-ho (South Korea). Also in the half are two seasoned campaigners – Indonesia’s Simon Santoso and Hong Kong’s Hu Yun.
The other half with Christensen and Sony are Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-hsing and two Malaysians Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Wong Choong Hann.
Malaysia also have back-up shuttlers in the fray. But Chan Kwong Beng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Liew Daren and Tan Chun Seang are not expected to make much headway based on their current form.
In the men’s doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will not be gunning for the title for a fourth time. Malaysia have three back-up pairs in the fray – Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong, Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah and Goh Wei Shem-Teo Kok Siang.
Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari has served out a one-month suspension for losing his cool during the Thomas Cup Finals in May and will make a return to competition with Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif. Also carrying the challenges for Malaysia are independent pairs Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng, Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah.
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