Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tat Meng hopes Mew Choo will make it to All-England semi-finals

KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s singles coach Wong Tat Meng would have already left to take up a new coaching post in Indonesia when Wong Mew Choo plays in the All-England badminton championships in Birmingham next week.

But deep in his heart, there is the hope that Mew Choo will be able to return from the prestigious tournament with her head held high.

Mew Choo, ranked 25th in the world, will play in the All-England with no major injury problems and there is hope that she can achieve a breakthrough by reaching the semi-finals.

Mew Choo will open her campaign against third seed Wang Xin of China, whom she lost to in the second round of the Malaysian Open in January.

Also in her path and a place in the semi-finals are two other Chinese – sixth seed Jiang Yanjiao and Lu Lan.

“I will not be joining her for the All-England but I hope she can dish out something good there,” said Tat Meng.

“We have actually prepared her well this time. Her game has also changed. We have trained her to be stronger in front-court attacks by drilling on certain strokes. It will make her game not so predictable to her opponents.

“Mew Choo is heading in the right direction this year. If her knees don’t give her any problems, I think she will progress well. It is good to see her coming back again.”

Tat Meng will, of course, find satisfaction if Mew Choo manages to make the climb back to the top 10 bracket.

Tat Meng is leaving the national women’s singles squad after a five-year stint to join Chinese coach Li Mao as part of the Indonesian coaching set-up.

The 44-year-old will be the first Malaysian to coach the Indonesian national team and he said that the chance to take up a posting outside the country was too good to resist.

“It’s not just the money but I also want to get a new experience. I have never coached outside Malaysia before and I want to gain more experience,” he said.

“It will be worked out when I arrive there but I guess I will be helping the players to achieve the target of qualifying for the London Olympics next year as what I will still have to do if I remain in Malaysia,” he said.

Mew Choo, who chalked up a sensational win at the 2007 China Open under the guidance of Tat Meng, is not likely to be put under the charge of either Rashid Sidek or Hendrawan, who have their hands full handling the men’s back-up squad.

It is likely that the BAM will get a coach from Indonesia or China to handle the women’s singles squad.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Coach Tat Meng leaves BAM to join Indonesian team

KUALA LUMPUR: National singles coach Misbun Sidek quit the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) recently. His controversial resignation has yet to be resolved.

Now another singles coach – Wong Tat Meng – is set to leave.

Tat Meng, who is currently coaching the women’s singles squad, is leaving BAM by the end of next month to take up a coaching offer with the Indonesian national team.

The 44-year-old coach, who was best known for guiding Wong Mew Choo to a sensational victory in the 2007 China Open, will join former national singles coach Li Mao of China at the national training centre in Cipayung there.


Goodbye: Wong Tat Meng has handed in his resignation to BAM.

Tat Meng, who has served as the national team coach since 2006, is now set to become the first Malaysian to coach in Indonesia at the national level and BAM secretary Ng Chin Chai said his resignation should be viewed positively.

“Tat Meng wanted to move to greener pastures and he has submitted his resignation letter.

“Tat Meng will be around until end of March and will prepare Mew Choo for the All-England next month.

“It should be looked at positively as he can come back one day and become a better coach as what Tan Kim Her did,” said Chin Chai, referring to Kim Her, who was the first coach to venture outside the country to take up stints in South Korea and England before returning to the BAM fold.

Tat Meng, who quit as a player after failing to make the successful 1992 Thomas Cup squad, got his biggest break as a coach when he was named as the replacement for Li Mao ahead of the more famous Sidek brothers – Misbun and Rashid after the Chinese quit in early 2007.

It has not been decided yet as to who will replace Tat Meng as Chin Chai said they will keep their options open.

“We may have a reshuffle or we may look for a new coach outside,” said Chin Chai, who is also the coaching and training committee chairman.

The coaching and training committee meeting yesterday also decided that Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will be exempted from the Indonesia SEA Games campaign at the end of this year.

“The Road to London Olympics campaign should be their main priority as Chong Wei and Kien Keat-Boon Heong should have no problems qualifying.

“We will also decide later whether the women’s doubles pair Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty will be exempted as well as much will depend on whether they have enough points to qualify for the London Olympics. It is easier for the singles players to qualify as it is a field of 32 compared to the doubles, which has only for 16 pairs,” he said.

Meanwhile, former national doubles pair Gan Teik Chai-Tan Bin Shen will be allowed to train with the national doubles squad in BAM twice a week.

Chin Chai said they have also agreed to take in part-time paid sparring partners.

“The women’s squad complained of lack of competitive sparring partners.

“The mix doubles department have also requested for Razif Latif-Chow Pak Chuu to come in as sparring partners.”

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Kien Keat: I’ll be ready for PROTON Malaysia Open

Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat, who forms one half of a deadly partnership with Tan Boon Heong, said he is ready to defend his PROTON Malaysia Open title which starts at Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, on Wednesday. The PROTON Malaysia Open is the season opening tournament of the 2011 OSIM BWF World Superseries.

Kien Keat injured his elbow while playing in the VICTOR BWF Super Series Finals 2010 in Chinese Taipei last week and there was speculation he may have to pull out of his home event which he and Boon Heong have won twice.

However, the 2006 Asian Games gold medallist said that while he is still undergoing therapy for his injured elbow, there is nothing to stop him from defending his title.

“There is still a week to go before the start of the tournament and I will be fine by then,” said Kien Keat , who on Thursday, received the Olympic Council of Malaysia-100PLUS Outdo Yourself Award for winning three badminton gold medals – team, men’s doubles and mixed doubles – at last year’s Commonwealth Games.

Kien Keat helped Malaysia win the team event by beating hosts India. He then partnered Chin Eei Hui in the mixed doubles and the Malaysian pair defeated England’s Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork 22-20, 21-12 in the final.

Later, Kien Keat would once again deny Robertson the chance of a gold medal when he and Boon Heong defeated Robertson-Anthony Clark 21-19, 21-14 to take home the men’s doubles crown.

“This award is a good start to the new year and is the perfect motivation for the Malaysia Open,” said Kien Keat.

Asked about the opening round clash with China’s Hong Wei-Shen Ye, the former All-England winner said he is confident of a good start.

The Malaysians are the top seeds in the absence of world No. 1s Carsten Mogensen-Mathias Boe, who captured their first ever VICTOR BWF Super Series Finals title last weekend.