MALAYSIA have decided that they want to emerge as the winners of Group B for a direct entry to the Thomas Cup quarter-finals, even if it means going into the same half as defending champions China.

Malaysia chalked up a 5-0 win over England yesterday and they will play against South Korea at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta today. The losers will have to play an extra tie to get into the quarter-finals in the other half of the draw, which should have Indonesia and Denmark.

National singles coach Misbun Sidek said yesterday of their final group fixture: “Today, we fielded our best players. We will do the same to take on the South Koreans.”

If Malaysia beat South Korea to top the group, they will play against either Germany or Japan in the quarter-finals. The Germans were beaten 2-3 by Thailand in Group D yesterday and they will have to earn the quarter-final berth in a play-off against the runners-up in Group C.

Sweat it out: Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah needed all their experience to beat England’s Robert Adcock-Robin Middleton 21-19, 21-16.

And a quarter-final win for Malaysia will give them a tie against China for a place in the final.

Yesterday, a Malaysian team at full strength came under stiff challenges from the English side.

Lee Chong Wei, Wong Choong Hann and the veteran pair of Germany or Japan, especially, had to dig deep into their reserve to win their matches. The other two points came from Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Hafiz Hashim.

Misbun said that it was a good warm-up ahead of the tie against South Korea.

“The players took time to get adjusted to the draught in the stadium, the lighting and the whole environment. Some of our players struggled but I am not worried at all. Chong Wei did not show variety in his game and he has to improve on this,” he said.

National doubles coach Rexy Mainaky admitted that the Malaysian players would have to double their efforts, especially in the doubles.

“I understand why the players struggled today. They were the best Malaysian players and nothing but a win was expected from them. This affected their play,” he said.

On their chances against South Korea, Rexy said that it would depend on the line-up their opponents chose to field.

“You know the Koreans. They are full of mystery when it comes to the Thomas Cup Finals. In the Thomas Cup qualifiers (in Vietnam in February), they fielded a singles player in the doubles. They always have tricks up their sleeves,” he said.

“It is good for us if they field an under-strength team. Then, we can beat them easily and achieve our target. But the tie could go down to the wire if they field their best.

“At the last Finals, Malaysia managed to win only one point (from the doubles) and it will be great if both the pairs can deliver this time.”

If both teams are at full strength in the singles, Chong Wei will face Park Sung-hwan. The second and third singles matches will pit Choong Hann against Lee Hyun-il and Hafiz against Shon Seung-mo respectively.

But Malaysia may rest Tan Fook-Wan Wah and field Kien Keat-Boon Heong at first doubles against against All-England champions Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae. The younger Malaysian pair will have the better chance to cope with the pace of the Koreans.

This option will give Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari a match against Lee Jae-jin-Hwang Ji-Man.

Results

>> THOMAS CUP

>GROUP A

China bt Nigeria 5-0: Lin Dan bt Greg Orobosa Okuonghea 21-6, 21-11; Bao Chunlai bt Akeem Ogunseye 21-9, 21-3, Chen Yu bt Jimkan Bulus 21-7, 21-6; Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng bt Okuonghea-Ogunseye 21-4, 21-3; He Hanbin-Shen Ye bt Bulus-Faghemi 21-8, 21-11.

Canada bt Nigeria 5-0: Bobby Milroy bt Greg Orobosa Okuanghea 21-19, 21-5; Stephen Wojcikiewicz bt Jinkam Ifraimu 21-8, 21-17; David Snider bt Olauluwa Faghemi 21-15, 21-19; William Milroy-Mike Beres bt Jinkam Ifraimu-Olauluwa Faghemi 21-16, 21-7; Toby Ng-Alvin Lau bt Greg Orobosa Okuanghea-Akeem Ogunseye 21-10, 21-11.

> GROUP B

Malaysia bt England 5-0: Lee Chong Wei bt Andrew Smith 21-17, 21-15, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah bt Robert Adcock-Robin Middleton 21-19, 21-16; Wong Choong Hann bt Rajiv Ouseph 22-20, 21-16; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong bt Christopher Adcock-Christopher Langridge 21-12, 21-12; Mohd Hafiz Hashim bt Ben Beckman 21-15, 21-14.

> GROUP C

Denmark bt New Zealand 5-0: Kenneth Jonassen bt John Moody 21-8, 21-13, Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen bt Henry Tam-Nathan Hannam 21-9, 21-10; Peter Gade bt Joe Wu 21-4, 21-11; Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen-Craig Cooper-John Moody 21-12, 21-12; Joachim Persson bt Kevin Dennerly 21-7, 21-5.

> GROUP D

Thailand bt Germany 3-2: Boonsak Ponsana bt Marc Zwiebler 21-17, 21-19; Sudket Prapakamol-Tesana Panvisavas lost to Ingo Kindervater-Kristof Hopp 20-22, 17-21; Poompat Sapkulchananert lost to Dieter Domke 21-12, 19-21, 16-21; Songphon Anugritayawon-Nuttaphon Narkthong bt Roman Spitko-Michael Fuchs 21-19, 23-21; Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk bt Marcel Reuter 21-14, 21-19.

Indonesia bt Thailand 3-2: Sony Dwi Kuncoro lost to Boonsak Ponsana 17-21, 15-21; Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan bt Tesana Panvisvas Nuttaphon Narkthong 21-11, 21-16; Taufik Hidayat lost to Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 21-23, 18-21; Joko Riyadi-Hendra Gunawan bt Sudket Prapakamol-Songphon Anugritayawon 17-21, 21-8, 21-12; Simon Santoso bt Pakkawat Vilailak 21-11, 21-9.

>> UBER CUP

>GROUP W

China bt Usa 5-0: Xie Xingfang bt Eva Lee 21-10, 21-7; Gao Ling-Zhao Tingting bt Panitha Pongasavithas-Vimla Pongasavithas 21-5, 21-9; Lu Lan bt Chen Kuei Ya 21-5, 21-3; Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen bt Eva Lee-Mesinee Mangkalakiri 21-5, 21-6; Zhu Lin bt Rena Wang 21-4, 21-8.

Germany bt Usa 5-0: Xu Huaiwen bt Lauren Todt 21-9, 21-6; Juliane Schenk bt Chen Kuei Ya 21-5, 21-5; Karin Schnaase bt Rena Wang 21-17, 21-5; Juliane Schenk-Kathrin Piotrowski bt Eva Lee-Mesinee Mangkalakiri 21-14, 21-13; Birgit Overzier-Michaela Peiffer bt Panita Phongasavithas-Vimla Phongasavithas 21-14, 21-15.

> GROUP X

South Korea bt South Africa 5-0: Hwang Hye-joun bt Kerry Lee Harrington 21-8, 21-7; Lee Yun-hwa bt Stacey Doubell 21-6, 21-4; Bae Youn-joo bt Annari Viljoen 21-6, 21-4; Lee Kyung-won-Lee Hyo-jung bt Michelle Edwards-Chantal Botts 21-7, 21-7; Kim Min-jung-Ha Jung-eun bt Viljoen-Jade Morgan 21-5, 21-6.

> GROUP Y

Malaysia bt New Zealand 5-0: Wong Mew Choo bt Rachel Hindley 21-18, 21-6; Lim Pek Siah-Ng Hui Lin bt Donna Kranston-Emma Rodgers 21-7, 21-16; Julia Wong bt Michelle Chan 21-18, 21-7; Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui bt Rachel Hindley-Renee Flavell 21-13, 21-14; Lydia Cheah bt Jessica Jongowisastro 21-11, 21-8.

Denmark bt New Zealand 4-1: Tine Rasmussen bt Rachel Hindley 21-9, 21-6; Mie Schjott Kristensen-Christinna Pedersen bt Renee Flavell-Danielle Barry 21-10, 21-8; Nanna Brosolat Jensen bt Michelle Chan 21-8, 12-21, 23-21; Helle Nielsen-Marie Ropke bt Donna Cranston-Emma Rodgers 21-12, 23-21; Camilla Sorensen lost to Jessica Jonggowisastro 17-21, 11-21.

> GROUP Z

Indonesia bt Japan 4-1: Maria Kristin lost to Eriko Hirose 21-9, 20-22, 20-22; Lilyana Natsir-Vita Marissa bt Satoko Suetsuna-Miyuki Maeda 9-21, 21-19, 21-14; Adrianti Firdasari bt Yu Hirayama 21-11, 20-22, 21-13; Greysia Polii-Jo Novita bt Shiota Reiko-Tomomi Matsuda 21-14, 21-18; Pia Zebadiah bt Kaori Mori 21-19, 21-17.

Article source:

TheStar News

PETALING JAYA: The men’s singles will be the pride of China in the Thomas Cup Finals.

They have three Olympians in their side – Lin Dan, Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin. And China are certainly the team to beat for the top contenders – Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and Denmark – in the Final, which begin on Sunday in Jakarta.

Although their men’s doubles department has improved, China’s hopes of winning the Cup for the seventh time hinge heavily on the strength of their singles players.

Based on current rankings, Lin Dan, Chunlai and Chen Jin are the favourites and the trios are determined to put China on the right track as far as their preparations for the Olympic Games in Beijing are concerned.

Chen Yu is their reserve men’s singles player but he is unlikely to be fielded in crucial ties.

China have named three pairs – Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng, Guo Zhengdong-Xie Zhongbo and He Hanbin-Shen Ye. But only the former world champions and All-England winners Cai Yun-Haifeng have the better shots at contributing a point.

Third seeds Malaysia may meet China in the semi-finals if they finish as the winners in Group B, which also has South Korea and England. But if Malaysia end up as group runners-up, they can only meet China in the final. That would require them to eliminate Indonesia in the quarter-finals and Denmark in the semi-finals.

National singles coach Misbun Sidek said that it would be a blow for top seeds and defending champions China if their singles players crumbled in Jakarta.

“It is all a matter of prestige for China in the Finals. They have showed the world their greatness in the men’s singles by qualifying a maximum of three players for the Beijing Olympics. They get the chance again to boast of their strength in the singles in the Thomas Cup,” he said.

“China have strong doubles pairs too but we can take them on. It is still an open game as far as the fights in the doubles are concerned. But China are good to win a tie from the singles matches. Probably, the point their rivals can steal is the second singles (against Chunlai).”

At the 2002 Finals in Guangzhou, Chunlai turned out to be China’s weak link. He was beaten by Mohd Hafiz Hashim in the second singles and Malaysia went on to win the semi-final tie 3-1.

However, China came back strongly to win the Cup in the last two editions in Jakarta (2004) and Tokyo (2006).

Hafiz will be making his fourth trip to the Finals and his team-mates are Chong Wei, Wong Choong Hann, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif.

On paper, Malaysia’s chances of beating China are slim but Misbun said that it was not an impossible task.

“It is all about playing a psychological game. Malaysia may be rated lower in world rankings or skills but I believe that team spirit and self-believe could make the difference for,” he said.

“We have to hope for both our doubles to win and get the singles to steal a point. The hope may be on Chong Wei but it will not easy for him against Lin Dan.

“I think that Choong Hann and Hafiz can get the better of their opponents if they really put their hearts into it. They did well in the ABC (Asian Championships) last month and I hope that they have not raised false hopes.”

Article Source:

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2008/5/7/sports/21166801&sec=sports