news article for MAS Open 2010

Thanks... Eagle.

 

Wow..Lin Dan has now found favour with Taufik. Good start to building up
a well respected friendship.


[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Wednesday January 20, 2010[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Taufik challenges Chong Wei to beat Lin Dan more often[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']INDONESIAN Taufik Hidayat has thrown down the gauntlet to Lee Chong Wei to win tournaments this year in the presence of Chinese superstar Lin Dan.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Taufik noted that most of Chong Wei’s successes last year were achieved in the absence of the 2008 Olympics and three-time world champion.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']“The fact is Lin Dan and Chong Wei are currently the best two players in the world while players like me, Peter (Gade Christensen, Chen Jin and Bao Chunlai) are in the second chasing pack,” said Taufik, who is now ranked at No. 3 in the world.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']“But Lin Dan is one step better than Chong Wei. Last year, Chong Wei won most of his titles when Lin Dan was not around.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']“The challenge for him this year should be to beat Lin Dan regularly. It’s a pity that Lin Dan has withdrawn from the Malaysian Open.”[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Last year, Chong Wei bagged seven tournaments – the Open in Malaysia, Switzerland, Indonesia and Hong Kong; the Grand Prix Gold events in Malaysia and Macau; and the Super Series Masters Finals. Lin Dan did not feature in these tournaments except for the Swiss Open.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Chong Wei also bagged the Korean Open last Sunday in the absence of Lin Dan, who won five tournaments last year – All-England, World Championships, China Masters, China Open and France Open. Except for the French Open, Chong Wei featured in all the tournaments won by Lin Dan. While throwing the challenge to Chong Wei, former Olympic and world champion Taufik is also ready to meet the targets he has set for himself this year.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Since becoming an independent player last year, Taufik has yet to win a Super Series title. He was a winner in two tournaments last year – the India Open and OCBC US Open.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Taufik opens his season in the Malaysian Open and it is possible for him to have a match against Chong Wei in the semi-finals[/FONT]

 

Badminton can never catch up with tennis. the total prize money for one single t'ment, 2009 wimbledon was 20,000,000 USD (20 millions) with the last 32 loser takes home 50,000 USD.

if the badminton sponsors increase the SS prize money by 10 folds say and cut down the t'ments by half. i'm sure everyone will get there, even with broken limbs.

just my 2 cents

 

Rexy’s tears expose strained relations with BAM:
http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2010/1/25/sports/5539403&sec=sports