Resurgence of Muhammad Hafiz Hashim brings hope to Malaysia to qualify for Thomas Cup Finals
Malaysia’s experienced shuttler, Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, stunned the top seed Lee Chong Wei in a simulation match on Wednesday, February 8, in Kuala Lumpur and proved that he still has enough fire in his belly to beat any top player in the arena of badminton.
This resurgence of Hafiz brings hope to Malaysia in a bid to qualify for the most important team event championship, Thomas Cup Finals, which will be held in May at Wuhan, China.
Hafiz will play the second Men’s Singles match in the Thomas Cup Qualifying Round, which will kick off in Macau from Monday, February 13.
The World Number 33 Hafiz played sensational game against Chong Wei, who is currently at the top in Men’s Singles world standings.
Hafiz, who is former All England Champion, displayed his remarkable skills while playing against the top shuttler and won the match in straight games.
All were expecting a completely one-sided fight at Hafiz is no match to in-form Chong Wei, who has recently clinched two back-to-back Super Series titles. However, the veteran proved that he still has enough game to trouble any player in the world.
Hafiz was not sure of winning against Chong Wei as the later has created a huge skill difference in the recent years. However, Hafiz’s experience helped him to overpower a sluggish Chong Wei, who was visibly not at his best.
The experienced Malaysian won the opening game easily with a one-sided margin of 21-10. However, in the second game, Chong Wei showed glimpses of his brilliance but at the concluding phase, Hafiz dominated the rallies and won the set with a 23-21 score on
the board.
Hafiz said, “I was expecting a tough contest from Chong Wei and to be honest I did not imagine myself winning at all, and in such fashion.”
He further added, “I could tell that he was not really playing at full level and was following my rhythm a lot, which allowed me to dictate play and deliver more killer shots. Overall, I’m quite pleased with my performance but I still need to work on my
physical fitness, especially my recovery after matches.”
However, Hafiz also expressed that this 21-10 and 23-21 victory over his higher ranked compatriot has boosted his confidence and he is determined to perform well in the qualifying matches and help Malaysian team to qualify for the Thomas Cup Finals.
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