Badminton: by winning the China Open, Wong Mew Choo has ended a 42-year wait
November 26th, 2007In world-class badminton tournaments, this is an even more remarkable achievement than Malaysia’s 25-year wait for the Thomas Cup title (1992), the 25-year wait for the men’s doubles title at the All England (2007), the 36-year wait for the men’s doubles title at the Asian Games (2006) or even the 37-year wait for the men’s singles title at the All-England (2003).
The last Malaysian lady to win a badminton tournament at the highest level is Rosalind Singha Ang who won the Malaysian Open in 1965.
And I can’t find any record of any other Malaysian lady who has won an Open tournament OUTSIDE Malaysia.
Wong Mew Choo, 24, world no.8, has done the impossible, winning the 2007 edition of China Open, defeating top Chinese players in their own backyard – that’s the hallmark of a true champion.
Check this out:
Quarterfinals: defeated reigning world champion Zhu Lin 18-21 21-9 21-13.
Semifinal: defeated China Open defending champion and reigning Olympic champion Zhang Ning 21-16, 21-19.
Final: defeated reigning world number 1 Xie Xingfang 21-16, 8-21, 21-17.
Salute
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[...] Mew Choo made Malaysia proud when she won the China Open. Yeah, she did it in style as well by defeating 3 Chinese player [...]
Yes I agree with what u said. Wong MC has done Malaysia proud, and she is even outdone Tan Boon Heong-Koo Kean Kiat for their achivement this year by winning the China Open.
From 1st round Wong had defeated a Chinese player in their own backyard, and then by defeating all chinese top players from Q-finals onwards, including former and current world no. 1 en-route to her and Malaysia first ever lady’s title overseas. I suppose this is a dream that no Malaysians have ever dream of.
It would be nice if Lee CW could follow suit, but unfortunately Lee falls at the last hurdles, which I think he is still immature and naive. Lee has been in prof. badminton for years and how could his performance being affected by a few bad line calls. If he really think it’s unfair not once or twice, but more than four to five times, then he should just give up the game and conceded a walk over, like what Korean double pair did.
If Lee CW chosen to continue, he should put up a professional fight against Bao CL, rather than just treating it as sparing session. This only bring shameful to himself and our nations as it shows just how easily he could be affected. Please be reminded that next year’s Olympic games is held in China and he shall expect more of the same when he steps into court. Otherwise he should just give up his chances of playing in Beijing rather than spending the Badminton Association’s money to take a training session all the way there.
Probably that’s just what his mentor, Misbun Sidek told him to do. Shame on you Misbun, brainless idiot!
THE QUESTION IS WILL WONG MEW CHOO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS AMAZING STREAK….. LOOK AT ZHANG NING, XIE XINGFANG, ZHU LIN AND PAST GREAT CHINESE WOMEN PLAYERS LIKE HAN AIPING, LI LINGWEI, GU JIAMING…. ALL OF THEM PLAYED CONSISTENTLY BY WINNG EVERY TITLES THE BADMINTON WORLD HAS TO OFFER, 1 REMEMBER DURING THE 80S OR 90S, WETHER IT IS WORLD CHAMIPONSHIP OR ALL ENGLAND OR OLYMPIC OR MALAYSIAN, INDONESIAN, CHINA OPEN ETC… THE FINALS WERE ALWAYS HAN AIPING VS LI LINGWEI…. OTHER PLAYERS BOLE JALAN…. EVEN SUSI SUSANTI OF INDONESIA PUN MENANGIS
At this moment I wouldn’t want to think about this champion winning more titles,.. but just to savour this great achievement of ever beating a chinese in thier own backyard.. Syabas Mew Choo, you have made many Malaysians proud with this huge win.. something we can only dream of in the past. May you have more success in the coming tournaments…..
yep, she does make all of us, Malaysians proud. Winning against the world number one was a great achievement, but winning outside Malaysia and of all places, China was even much better.
The only question is, will Wong Mew Choo be able to do well in the next tournarment? Let’s hope she will do well. Win is a bonus.
Whatever it is Congrats Wong Mew Choo!!!
BEBEK, SirAlf, markiekadus: I think it will be very difficult for her to keep winning tournaments, because she doesn’t have sparring partners of equal standard. The other Malaysian ladies’ standards are too far behind. Of course she can spar with the guys but, looking at how our squash queen Nicol David trains, that is probably not the best idea.
I think Mew Choo needs to have the same kind of training setup as Nicol David. That means, she could be based in China, where all the best players are, then have the greatest names in the history of women’s badminton coach her. Names like Li Lingwei, Ye Zhaoying, Han Aiping or even Susi Susanti.
No offense to Wong Tat Meng, but she could need more to go to the next level.
SEE, WHAT I SAID IS TRUE. TODAY THURSDAY 29 NOV, MEW CHOO LOST TO AN UNKNOWN THAI PLAYER – A SISTER OF BOONSAK POLSANA.. IN THE VERY FIRST ROUND OF HONG KONG OPEN…. AIYAAAAAAAAAA… APA MASAM BOSS
I think she’s still on cloud 9 after the china open triumph, still “diawang-awangan.” But if this trend continues in the next 2-3 tournaments, then we’d start to worry.
We should not put too much pressure on Mew Choo to perform like that all the time, as Malaysian women has never been consider powerhouse at international levels, let alone winning it. More so it’s been done in China homesoil, where in China Open history, only happened once a foreigner won the ladies’ single.
So we should just let Mew Choo concentrate in getting her focus right everytime she go on court, and perform to her very best. We mustn’t set a semi-finals or finals target for her just because she won the China Open once.
Look at Tan Boon Heong – Koo Kean Kiat, we have too much expectation of them after winning the All England and for few monhs they just couldn’t oerform. Now we need to slowly develop all our players, and not get carried away with just one success. Also hopefully we, supporters will not be rush into believing we will win gold medal in next year’s olympic simply because we have players at World No 1 ranking or winning tournaments here and there.
It is still much depend on the mental strength and phycological state of mind when competing in the tournament. Othrwise, it will just be another 2007 World Championship, KL.