Group stage will be our biggest challenge at London Olympics, says Malaysian player Tan Boon Heong
Malaysia’s Men’s Doubles shuttler Tan Boon Heong said that the group stage at the upcoming London Olympics 2012 will be their biggest challenge as they are expected to face top shuttlers before the knock out round.
Boon Heong and Koo Kien Keat, who are currently ranked at number eight in Men’s Doubles world ranking, may face more than two top pairs at the group stage.
In the event of Badminton at London Olympics, the Men’s Doubles draw will comprise on four groups having four pairs each.
Only top four pairs have been seeded in Men’s Doubles category at Olympics and they will be positioned into four different groups. All other 12 pairs will be placed after a blind draw and it is quite likely that a group can have all pairs who are ranked
in top eight positions in the world.
Considering this, the competition will become extremely tough from the group stage. Only two pairs from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
The top four seeded pairs are China’s Fu Haifeng – Cai Yun, Korea’s Lee Yong Dae – Jung Jae Sung and Yoo Yeon Seong – Ko Sung Hyun and Denmark’s Carsten Mogensen – Mathias Boe.
So, Boon Heong and Kien Keat may face the top shuttlers in all of their matches at the group stage.
Boon Heong said, “The group system does not necessarily make it easy although we get more than one opportunity to qualify for the quarter-finals. This stage will be our biggest challenge in London, not the knockout rounds. There is more pressure during the
group stage compared to the knockout rounds.”
He further added, “Although we have not produced results on the international stage this year, my approach will be simple. We have to try and win all three matches in the group stage which means we will have to beat one of the seeds.”
Boon Heong and Kien Keat have been struggling hard lately while playing all top players in Men’s Doubles category but many think that they have what it takes to become world beaters.
The coaches of Boon Heong and Kien Keat want them to remain focused in their preparations and play with aggression to earn glory the mega event.
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