Malaysians must scale new heights in home event, says national coach Rashid Sidek
National Singles head coach Rashid Sidek believes that Malaysia Open GP Gold is a great opportunity for back-up shuttlers to register their mark and they must show their class in the home event.
The Grand Prix Gold event started on May 2 in Johor Bahru and most of the local shuttlers easily cleared first hurdle in their race to glory and surged into second round of the tournament.
Meanwhile, the higher ranked national players like Lee Chong Wei, Daren Liew and Chong Wei Feng already have reserved spots in second round as they were granted first round byes.
Men’s Singles chief coach Rashid Sidek thinks that World Number one Chong Wei is the only prominent shuttler in the home event and relatively inexperienced shuttlers must relish this opportunity to hit the mark.
He said, "Chong Wei is the only world class player in the tournament and the other Malaysians must use the opportunity to make a breakthrough. They must show character and survive the two rounds."
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) announced preparation schedule for Thomas Cup Finals and national squad is supposed to sweat hard in Malaysia Open to avoid losing out in the upcoming prestigious team event.
The badminton guru Rashid gave a wake-up call to young shuttlers like Daren Liew and Chong Wei Feng by saying that they should be careful in this home event as they do not have a good track record against local shuttlers.
He said, "Daren never performs in local tournaments and has the tendency to stutter when meeting national back-up players while Wei Feng also struggles against teammates."
Daren and Wei Feng will open their marathon with defending Champion Chong Wei in second round.
The three time Champion Chong Wei will face Michael Fowke from New Zealand while Daren Liew will lock horns with Indian lad K Srikanth.
Wei Feng will be swinging his arms against Kento Momota from Japan to surge into pre quarter-finals of the event.
Rashid Sidek is confident that his shuttlers will reach in quarter-finals and he wants junior ones to make best out of this tournament.
He said, "I feel that at least four players can make it to the quarter-finals and it will be good if a back-up player joins the seniors in the last eight."
The other prominent Singles shuttlers who will be in action in second rounds are Hafiz Hashim, Misbun Ramdan Misbun and Zulfadli Zulkifli while Men’s Doubles event will see prime couples Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah striving hard
to rise and shine.
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