5 years ago
0
Read more
Thomas Cup: Battle Against Malaysia Will Be Tough For China, Says Li Yongbo
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- China's head coach Li Yongbo said the clash with Malaysia in tomorrow's semi-finals would be tough for the "Great Wall" team.
He said his assessment was based on the powerful performance by the hosts in their 3-2 quarter-final win over Denmark yesterday.
"Skipper Lee Chong Wei and all the shuttlers were in high spirits to win yesterday. I think they might perform well in the semi-finals," he said Thursday.
Li said although the standard of the Malaysian shuttlers' play was lower compared to his charges, the hosts held the advantage of playing on home ground and set to get strong support from the local fans that could spur them further.
The former doubles ace said he had earlier expected Denmark to enter the semi-finals after Malaysia's unexpected loss to Japan in the Group B stage.
"However, I am sure my charges, especially our singles ace Lin Dan will win the game tomorrow as he is better than Chong Wei," he added.
-- BERNAMA
He said his assessment was based on the powerful performance by the hosts in their 3-2 quarter-final win over Denmark yesterday.
"Skipper Lee Chong Wei and all the shuttlers were in high spirits to win yesterday. I think they might perform well in the semi-finals," he said Thursday.
Li said although the standard of the Malaysian shuttlers' play was lower compared to his charges, the hosts held the advantage of playing on home ground and set to get strong support from the local fans that could spur them further.
The former doubles ace said he had earlier expected Denmark to enter the semi-finals after Malaysia's unexpected loss to Japan in the Group B stage.
"However, I am sure my charges, especially our singles ace Lin Dan will win the game tomorrow as he is better than Chong Wei," he added.
-- BERNAMA
0
Read more
Uber Cup: Korea To Face China In Final For Sixth Time
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- Saturday's Uber Cup final at the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil here will see South Korea facing China for the sixth time.
Previously, it met China in the final in 1988, 1990, 1992, 2002 and 2004, but had never once won the cup in all the matches with the Great Wall team.
Although Korea is eager to break China's hold and take the cup home this time, team manager Kim Jong Soo was realistic when he admitted that China was a hard nut to crack.
"If our singles can play better than their usual performances this Saturday, we might stand a chance," he told reporters after the semifinal match against Japan here Thursday. The Koreans won 3-1.
Korea are going to the finals with setbacks.
Their first singles, Bae Seung Hee, was down with fever since arriving in Malaysia last week, while their second singles Bae Youn Joo suffered a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile in another semifinal match tonight, China easily beat Indonesia 3-0, making its way to its 13 finals of the championship.
China coach Li Yongbo said Korea was an old nemesis who certainly would give them a tough fight. However, he is confident that the Chinese would score a win over the Koreans again.
China has won the cup 11 times.
-- BERNAMA
Previously, it met China in the final in 1988, 1990, 1992, 2002 and 2004, but had never once won the cup in all the matches with the Great Wall team.
Although Korea is eager to break China's hold and take the cup home this time, team manager Kim Jong Soo was realistic when he admitted that China was a hard nut to crack.
"If our singles can play better than their usual performances this Saturday, we might stand a chance," he told reporters after the semifinal match against Japan here Thursday. The Koreans won 3-1.
Korea are going to the finals with setbacks.
Their first singles, Bae Seung Hee, was down with fever since arriving in Malaysia last week, while their second singles Bae Youn Joo suffered a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile in another semifinal match tonight, China easily beat Indonesia 3-0, making its way to its 13 finals of the championship.
China coach Li Yongbo said Korea was an old nemesis who certainly would give them a tough fight. However, he is confident that the Chinese would score a win over the Koreans again.
China has won the cup 11 times.
-- BERNAMA
0
Read more
Thomas Cup: Who Will Deliver The Third Point For Malaysia & China ?
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia are expected to face an uphill battle when they meet defending champion, China in the Thomas Cup semifinals at the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil at 7.30pm tomorrow.
Based on their rankings and match records of the two countries, China clearly are in a better position to win.
In the Malaysian camp, however, much hope is placed on Datuk Lee Chong Wei in the first singles and the first doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong to deliver Malaysia's first two points tomorrow.
Although it is a tall order, they have no choice but to win their respective matches to pave the way for Malaysia to proceed to the final.
If the Malaysian first singles and first doubles pair were to succeed in producing the two crucial points, the big question mark will then be who are we banking on to deliver the deciding point.
The subsequent player in the Malaysian line-up is the second singles, Wong Choong Hann, followed by the second doubles pair and the third singles, Mohd Hafiz Hashim.
Is Choong Hann, who is now 33, capable of achieving this feat or will it be up to the second doubles or Mohd Hafiz to continue his outstanding performance when he beat Denmark's Joachim Persson, last night to take Malaysia to the semifinals.
National singles chief coach Rashid Sidek said Malaysia actually has no choice but to ensure that world number one singles shuttler Chong Wei beat Beijing Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan, and Koo/Tan beat Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong.
"Malaysia must collect two points from the first singles and first doubles and hope that either one of the other singles player or the other doubles pair will deliver the third point," he told reporters, here Thursday.
Malaysia last won the prestigious Thomas Cup in 1992 here.
He said that on paper, Chong Wei has a 50-50 chance of winning when facing Lin Dan, who is one rung below him in the world ranking, but they had not met each other for quite some time.
The last time Chong Wei played Lin Dan was in the semifinals of the China Masters Championship in September last year where the Malaysian lost in three sets, 20-22, 21-15, 7-21.
The match record between Chong Wei and Lin Dan previously was 6:13 in favour of the latter.
Meanwhile, Koo/Tan, the world number one doubles pair, has a match record of 3:4 against the China top pair of Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong, ranked fifth in the world.
However, if China decides to rest Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong and field Cai Yun/Fi Haifeng instead, the Malaysian pair has a match record of 2:0 against the China pair.
Meanwhile Choong Hann, who lost 17-21, 18-21 to Sho Sasaki from Japan in the Group B match and was again defeated by Danish player, Jan O Jorgensen in three sets, 20-22, 21-16, 18-21 in the quarterfinals yesterday, said he has regained his touch.
"My match momentum is improving although I lost in the two previous matches," said the player who had competed in six editions of the Thomas Cup previously.
Based on the match record, if China were to field their second singles Chen Jin, who is also ranked third in the world, the Malaysian shuttler trails 2:6.
While Malaysia's third singles Mohd Hafiz, ranked 22nd in the world, is tied at 2:2 with China's third singles, Bao Chunlai, who is the world number eight.
-- BERNAMA
Based on their rankings and match records of the two countries, China clearly are in a better position to win.
In the Malaysian camp, however, much hope is placed on Datuk Lee Chong Wei in the first singles and the first doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong to deliver Malaysia's first two points tomorrow.
Although it is a tall order, they have no choice but to win their respective matches to pave the way for Malaysia to proceed to the final.
If the Malaysian first singles and first doubles pair were to succeed in producing the two crucial points, the big question mark will then be who are we banking on to deliver the deciding point.
The subsequent player in the Malaysian line-up is the second singles, Wong Choong Hann, followed by the second doubles pair and the third singles, Mohd Hafiz Hashim.
Is Choong Hann, who is now 33, capable of achieving this feat or will it be up to the second doubles or Mohd Hafiz to continue his outstanding performance when he beat Denmark's Joachim Persson, last night to take Malaysia to the semifinals.
National singles chief coach Rashid Sidek said Malaysia actually has no choice but to ensure that world number one singles shuttler Chong Wei beat Beijing Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan, and Koo/Tan beat Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong.
"Malaysia must collect two points from the first singles and first doubles and hope that either one of the other singles player or the other doubles pair will deliver the third point," he told reporters, here Thursday.
Malaysia last won the prestigious Thomas Cup in 1992 here.
He said that on paper, Chong Wei has a 50-50 chance of winning when facing Lin Dan, who is one rung below him in the world ranking, but they had not met each other for quite some time.
The last time Chong Wei played Lin Dan was in the semifinals of the China Masters Championship in September last year where the Malaysian lost in three sets, 20-22, 21-15, 7-21.
The match record between Chong Wei and Lin Dan previously was 6:13 in favour of the latter.
Meanwhile, Koo/Tan, the world number one doubles pair, has a match record of 3:4 against the China top pair of Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong, ranked fifth in the world.
However, if China decides to rest Chen Xu/Guo Zhendong and field Cai Yun/Fi Haifeng instead, the Malaysian pair has a match record of 2:0 against the China pair.
Meanwhile Choong Hann, who lost 17-21, 18-21 to Sho Sasaki from Japan in the Group B match and was again defeated by Danish player, Jan O Jorgensen in three sets, 20-22, 21-16, 18-21 in the quarterfinals yesterday, said he has regained his touch.
"My match momentum is improving although I lost in the two previous matches," said the player who had competed in six editions of the Thomas Cup previously.
Based on the match record, if China were to field their second singles Chen Jin, who is also ranked third in the world, the Malaysian shuttler trails 2:6.
While Malaysia's third singles Mohd Hafiz, ranked 22nd in the world, is tied at 2:2 with China's third singles, Bao Chunlai, who is the world number eight.
-- BERNAMA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
► The Real Blogger Status by Chuck
► Blogger Buster by Amanda
► Blogger University by Annie
► Quite Random by Fernando
► Blog Doctor by Vin
► Blogger Trick