TheStar PETALING JAYA: Singapore may be the minnows of the Sudirman Cup badminton competition but Malaysia would rather avoid the republic and face Japan instead in the play-offs for Division One in Beijing next week. National doubles head coach Yap Kim Hock feels Malaysia stand a better chance of securing a ticket to the top tier of the world mixed team competition if they meet Japan instead of Singapore. The Japanese are seen as favourites to top Group B of Division Two and go into the play-offs. They have Singapore, Germany and Ukraine for company in their group. Malaysia are in Group A of Division Two with Holland, Taiwan and Russia and should top their group. The group winners will go into a playoff for the one promotion ticket. Kim Hock, however, felt Singapore could spring a surprise and pip Japan to a place in the play-offs. “I would prefer Malaysia to face Japan. If Singapore top their group ahead of Japan, Malaysia will have a tougher time achieving our aim. “Singapore have a well balanced team this time. Against Singapore, we do not have an advantage and our chances in all ties will be 50-50,” he said. Singapore certainly have the material to beat the odds this time. Their men's singles challenge is spearheaded by last year’s Japan Open champion Ronald Susilo and former World Junior Championships finalist Kendrick Lee. Susilo has beaten the top Malaysian singles players like Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Wong Choong Hann and even qualified for the quarter-finals at the Athens Olympics. Singapore's Indonesian-born doubles pair of Hendri Kurniawan and Hendra Wijaya are capable of stealing a point in the men’s doubles tie. China born Li Li will be fancied to clinch a point for Singapore in the women’s singles tie while the world number ten women’s doubles pair of Jiang Yanmei-Neo Yuyan will also be fancied to win. Malaysia, helmed by their strongest players, are also bidding to earn promotion to the top flight this time. National No. 1 Lee Chong Wei heads the men's singles challenge with Hafiz and Choong Hann. The two doubles players are Koo Kien Keat and Chan Chong Ming. The five women players in the Malaysian team are Wong Mew Choo, Julia Wong, Chin Eei Hui, Wong Pei Tty and Fong Chew Yen.
His concerns are valid. However, Malaysia needs to concentrate on topping the group first, before even thinking that far. As for Singapore, the women's department is pretty strong. The Men are also OK with Ronald (Kendrick is still too young I think). That is why they are so dangeous.
Ah, don't worry. We just throw LCW into MD, WCH in XD, Hafiz in MS and practically we get 3 points . If not we're hosed
Hahaha...singles power converted to doubles. LCW did try out in MD during the trials last 1 month, am I correct?
Yeap . Did quite well too if I'm not mistaken. It was a report on the star newspaper. And from what my mom told me bout WCH playing MD in the TC it should be godlike
