Chong Wei will continue to dominate the local circuit if he wishes to play on until 2014 but the World No 1 wants to make way for the younger generation.
It was in the 2003 National GP Finals where Chong Wei won his first local title and has always taken pride in competing in the event.
It was his determination to win and become the first player to win 10 straight men's singles titles that has kept him going but he announced earlier this year that it would be his last.
This will pave the way for keener contests involving Arif Latif, Liew Daren, Chong Wei Feng and Chan Kwong Beng to become Chong Wei's successor.
However, the next four days will only be academic as Chong Wei should slice through the field.
His coach Tey Seu Bock said the GP Finals will become a matchplay event and is part of Chong Wei's preparation for the upcoming Denmark Open and French Open over the next three weeks.
Chong Wei is in Group A with Lok Chong Chieh, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin and Chong Yee Han and is expected to meet Arif in the last four.
Daren, Wei Feng and Kwong Beng will be in a three-way tussle to earn the right to meet Chong Wei in the final.
In the men's doubles, Goh Wei Shem-Lim Khim Wah start as favourites as Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, who qualified with Zakry Latif and Hoon Thien How respectively, have withdrawn to focus on preparing for the European Super Series events.
Siblings Lydia and Sonia Cheah are expected to battle it out in the women's singles while fast rising Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei are the favourites to win the women's doubles in the absence of Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui.
No comments:
Post a Comment