Victory in Malaysia means Lee Chong Wei is back on track, but the race to Rio remains wide open.
As the shuttle from Chen Long sailed long behind the backline, Lee Chong Wei raised his arms high into the air, signalling to the home crowd the moment of the victory. His 11th Malaysian Men’s Singles title, a timely boost for his confidence after suffering two early exits in the last two tournaments. Although it wasn’t a competitive match as many predicted, nevertheless it was a comprehensive and convincing win for Malaysia’s badminton superstar.
The victory over Chen Long also means that Chong Wei has levelled their head to head record to twelve a piece, having also won the last two meetings at China and Hong Kong in November. While Sunday’s performance wasn’t the best from Chen Long, struggling badly with the drift inside Melawati Stadium, the three victories over Chen Long signals that Chong Wei might have found the exact game plan to expose Chen Long’s weaknesses.
Similar to victories in China and Hong Kong, many points that were won by Chong Wei are rallies that lasted 10-20 shots. Instead of playing a patient game, he go on the offense by mixing up his attacking play, either going for the full power with heavy smashes or placement with delicate drop shots.
Interestingly, more points were won by attacking the backhand side of Chen Long. During the 2015 China Open final [Read previous analysis], a match where Chong Wei beat Chen Long convincingly (21-15, 21-11), a similar tactic was being employed. He fired 20 smashes to the backhand side compared to 14 to the forehand, and recorded 7 winners by attacking the backhand compared to 4 on the forehand side.
Picture 1: Lee Chong Wei’s smash placement in the first set of the men’s singles final match against Chen Long of China in the 2016 Malaysian Open.
Chong Wei will skip this week’s Singapore Super Series after competing in India a week before playing in Malaysia. A wise move from both Chong Wei and the coaching team to give him some extra rest. Instead, Chong Wei is expected to compete in the Badminton Asia Championship in Wuhan, China from April 26 - May 1. But don’t be surprise to see a withdrawal from him considering the Thomas Cup is just two weeks after the tournament.
“There are just four more months to the Olympics. This is the final push in my preparations,” said Chong Wei when he was being interviewed. The preparation for the Olympics is in its crucial stage. Despite the win, nobody can guarantee that Chong Wei will win the gold medal despite his return in form. There is still a long way to go.
Chong Wei will need to reduce his amount of participation in international badminton in the coming months. The Thomas Cup in May and another Super Series tournament (Indonesia or Australia) should provide him the match practice needed for his Olympic preparation. His fourth Olympic journey also means that he is getting older. Maintaining his physical condition is equally as challenging as staying injury free during his preparation of winning the elusive Olympic gold medal.
While grooming young talent is important for Malaysia’s badminton development, the short-term goal has to be the Rio Olympic Games. All necessary resources should be directed to assist Chong Wei in his preparation. Quality sparring and a well-planned training program need coordination from the coaches and players inside the national team.
As expectations from millions of Malaysians rest on the shoulder of Chong Wei, it would be a perfect gift for the nation should Chong Wei end up winning, ending the country’s long wait of its first ever Olympic gold medal. Four months of preparation will decide on whether the wait is over or another four more years of waiting.
As the shuttle from Chen Long sailed long behind the backline, Lee Chong Wei raised his arms high into the air, signalling to the home crowd the moment of the victory. His 11th Malaysian Men’s Singles title, a timely boost for his confidence after suffering two early exits in the last two tournaments. Although it wasn’t a competitive match as many predicted, nevertheless it was a comprehensive and convincing win for Malaysia’s badminton superstar.
The victory over Chen Long also means that Chong Wei has levelled their head to head record to twelve a piece, having also won the last two meetings at China and Hong Kong in November. While Sunday’s performance wasn’t the best from Chen Long, struggling badly with the drift inside Melawati Stadium, the three victories over Chen Long signals that Chong Wei might have found the exact game plan to expose Chen Long’s weaknesses.
Similar to victories in China and Hong Kong, many points that were won by Chong Wei are rallies that lasted 10-20 shots. Instead of playing a patient game, he go on the offense by mixing up his attacking play, either going for the full power with heavy smashes or placement with delicate drop shots.
Interestingly, more points were won by attacking the backhand side of Chen Long. During the 2015 China Open final [Read previous analysis], a match where Chong Wei beat Chen Long convincingly (21-15, 21-11), a similar tactic was being employed. He fired 20 smashes to the backhand side compared to 14 to the forehand, and recorded 7 winners by attacking the backhand compared to 4 on the forehand side.
Chong Wei will skip this week’s Singapore Super Series after competing in India a week before playing in Malaysia. A wise move from both Chong Wei and the coaching team to give him some extra rest. Instead, Chong Wei is expected to compete in the Badminton Asia Championship in Wuhan, China from April 26 - May 1. But don’t be surprise to see a withdrawal from him considering the Thomas Cup is just two weeks after the tournament.
“There are just four more months to the Olympics. This is the final push in my preparations,” said Chong Wei when he was being interviewed. The preparation for the Olympics is in its crucial stage. Despite the win, nobody can guarantee that Chong Wei will win the gold medal despite his return in form. There is still a long way to go.
Chong Wei will need to reduce his amount of participation in international badminton in the coming months. The Thomas Cup in May and another Super Series tournament (Indonesia or Australia) should provide him the match practice needed for his Olympic preparation. His fourth Olympic journey also means that he is getting older. Maintaining his physical condition is equally as challenging as staying injury free during his preparation of winning the elusive Olympic gold medal.
While grooming young talent is important for Malaysia’s badminton development, the short-term goal has to be the Rio Olympic Games. All necessary resources should be directed to assist Chong Wei in his preparation. Quality sparring and a well-planned training program need coordination from the coaches and players inside the national team.
As expectations from millions of Malaysians rest on the shoulder of Chong Wei, it would be a perfect gift for the nation should Chong Wei end up winning, ending the country’s long wait of its first ever Olympic gold medal. Four months of preparation will decide on whether the wait is over or another four more years of waiting.
Good read. jiayou!
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