Malaysianfan
Regular Member
Saturday January 20, 2007
Three-time champion Chong Wei falls to China's Chunlai
MALAYSIAN OPEN SUPER SERIES
NATIONAL number one men’s singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei’s three-year reign as Malaysian Open champion ended yesterday when he failed miserably in his quest for revenge over China’s Bao Chunlai.
The 25-year-old Chong Wei went down 14-21, 18-21 to the World Championships runner-up Chunlai after dishing out an inspiring performances in 40 minutes.
Chunlai had beaten Chong Wei in the quarter-finals of the world meet in Madrid in a highly charged game.
The expectations and pressure on the small-framed Chong Wei were sky high and he just could not handle it.
But he took the defeat well.
“At least people will not call me Jaguh Kampung anymore. I put too much pressure on myself. I am glad that all is over now,” said Chong Wei.
It all went wrong for Chong Wei from the start against the very fired-up Chunlai.
“Everything was not right for me. The shuttle got tangled in the net and my returns were weak. It was a poor quality game from me. I just lost my confidence,” he said.
“But I did not give up at any stage of the game. I tried to physche myself up and fought back. But Bao was just too good today”
World number two Chong Wei said that he would now look beyond the Malaysian Open.
“It was not easy to win the title for three consecutive years. Now, I look forward to the other tournaments.
“I will take part in the Korean Open but for now, I do not want to set any targets,” he said.
Coach Li Mao welcomed the defeat.
“He may have lost this one but the target is the other one at home (the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur in August),” said Li Mao.
Chunlai was surprised with Chong Wei’s lack of fire.
“I came with high hopes of beating him. I read his game and was really prepared to face him. But he did not play his best,” he said.
Chunlai will take on fellow Chinese Chen Hong in the semi-finals. The other semi-finals will be an all-Danish affair with Kenneth Jonassen taking on Peter Gade-Christensen.
Three-time champion Chong Wei falls to China's Chunlai
MALAYSIAN OPEN SUPER SERIES
NATIONAL number one men’s singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei’s three-year reign as Malaysian Open champion ended yesterday when he failed miserably in his quest for revenge over China’s Bao Chunlai.
The 25-year-old Chong Wei went down 14-21, 18-21 to the World Championships runner-up Chunlai after dishing out an inspiring performances in 40 minutes.
Chunlai had beaten Chong Wei in the quarter-finals of the world meet in Madrid in a highly charged game.
The expectations and pressure on the small-framed Chong Wei were sky high and he just could not handle it.
But he took the defeat well.
“At least people will not call me Jaguh Kampung anymore. I put too much pressure on myself. I am glad that all is over now,” said Chong Wei.
It all went wrong for Chong Wei from the start against the very fired-up Chunlai.
“Everything was not right for me. The shuttle got tangled in the net and my returns were weak. It was a poor quality game from me. I just lost my confidence,” he said.
“But I did not give up at any stage of the game. I tried to physche myself up and fought back. But Bao was just too good today”
World number two Chong Wei said that he would now look beyond the Malaysian Open.
“It was not easy to win the title for three consecutive years. Now, I look forward to the other tournaments.
“I will take part in the Korean Open but for now, I do not want to set any targets,” he said.
Coach Li Mao welcomed the defeat.
“He may have lost this one but the target is the other one at home (the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur in August),” said Li Mao.
Chunlai was surprised with Chong Wei’s lack of fire.
“I came with high hopes of beating him. I read his game and was really prepared to face him. But he did not play his best,” he said.
Chunlai will take on fellow Chinese Chen Hong in the semi-finals. The other semi-finals will be an all-Danish affair with Kenneth Jonassen taking on Peter Gade-Christensen.
