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Monday April 17, 2006

Shuttler vows to justify status as first singles

By RAJES PAUL

KUCHING: Of the singles players in the top five teams for the Thomas Cup Finals, only Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei will be playing in the first singles slot for the first time.

But despite the lack of experience and occasional jitters, the 24-year-old Chong Wei is determined to justify his position in the Finals, scheduled for April 28-May 7 in Japan.

The other number one singles players of the top teams in the Finals are the usual suspects – world number one Lin Dan (China), Peter Gade-Christensen (Denmark), Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia) and Lee Hyun-il (South Korea).

SCENIC RETREAT: Lee Chong Wei discussing tactics with singles coach Li Mao at their centralised training camp at the Damai Beach near Kuching.
Chong Wei featured as a reserve in the Finals in Jakarta two years ago. Now ranked at number two in the world, Chong Wei has prepared well – physically, mentally and tactically – for the bigger role that he has to play in Japan.

“Two years ago, I was just the player trying to make the breakthrough in the international stage. Now I am the number one ranked Malaysian and this is a big change for me,” said Chong Wei, who enjoyed his one-day rest from training yesterday at the pool of their hotel here with his team-mates.

In the 2004 Finals, Chong Wei played the third match in the group tie against South Africa and Thailand and won both of them.

“The expectations will be greater on me this time. The team will be banking on me to go out and get it right and win the first point. Sometimes, I feel a little nervous just thinking about it,” he said.

“But I have been preparing well for the Finals and I know that when I get on court I will be ready to take on the top experienced players.”

The 2005 National Sportman of the Year and Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold medallist has not won a major title yet but he has shown steady progress over the past year and has beaten all the top players in the world.

And he thanked coaches Misbun Sidek and Li Mao for his rise as one of the respected player in the world today.

“Previously, under Misbun, my fitness level improved.

“Under Li Mao, I am better with my tactical game. I feel more like a Chinese player now. My skill at the net and my attacking shots have improved,” he said.

The Penangite added that under the new 21-point best-of-three games format, he had only played against Taufik and Hyun-il.

“In the Asian Zone Thomas Cup qualifying tournament (in Japur in India in February), I beat both of them in the first singles match. The wins have given me some confidence,” said Chong Wei.

“I have never lost to Gade-Christensen under the traditional format (15-point best-of-three games) while I have beaten Lin Dan once.

“Under the new scoring format, Lin Dan has showed some form of difficulty. Gade-Christensen beat him for the first time in the China Masters recently.

“It will be close among all the top players from these five teams. But for me, Lin Dan and Taufik will be the toughest to beat.”

For the Finals, Malaysia are the second seeds behind defending champions China.

Malaysia are down to play against either Indonesia or South Korea in the quarter-finals. The winners will face Denmark for a place in the final.

At the last Finals, Malaysia were eliminated by Indonesia in the quarter-finals.

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