KUALA LUMPUR – As the Malaysia Open kicks off tomorrow, Datuk Lee Chong Wei has but a few words for local shuttlers: “Don’t let your opponent leading the game be an excuse for you to give up”.
With a record-breaking 12 Malaysia Open titles under his belt, the legendary men’s singles shuttler encouraged Malaysian players to view the Super 1000 season opener as a prime opportunity to showcase their best performances before the home crowd.
Chong Wei, also a three-time Olympic silver medalist, shared a personal anecdote from the 2006 final in Sarawak, illustrating the significance of never giving up, even when facing a considerable deficit.
“Lin Dan was leading 20-13 against me in the rubber set, but I didn’t give up because the umpire had yet to call the game. I then clawed the score back to win the set 23-21 and the title.
“The fans want to see you fight until the end, even if you lose they won’t be too upset as you have fought your hardest.
“Your opponent leading the game should not be an excuse for you to give up, this is something that local players need to understand,” said Chong Wei.
Undoubtedly, he added that expectations are high from the thousands of badminton fans who will be flooding Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, coming from far and wide to lend their support.
The BWF Hall of Famer then shared a touching story about a supporter who travelled from Kuantan to support him at the Malaysia Open.
“The fan waited for me outside the arena to take a photo with me, when I asked how they came to the stadium they answered by bus from Kuantan and then took the LRT to the stadium.
“That really touched me, and I felt proud being able to deliver the win to them.
“This is why there is a heavy burden on local players to give their best at home,” he said after a ceremony to introduce India’s Sania Nehwal and Spain’s Carolina Marin joining The Legends’ Vision initiative by sports equipment manufacturer, Yonex.
For this year’s edition, he predicted that the national top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and independent men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia have the best shot at making it to the finals.
However, he said it depends on their performance and how they condition themselves during the tournament.
“The pressure will be there but if these players can handle it, our men’s doubles pair have the best chance of making it to the final.
“For Zii Jia it is a bit harder because his draw is more difficult, but I see that he has had good preparation in the off-season,” added Chong Wei. – January 8, 2024