Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian badminton superstar Lee Chong Wei withdrew from the upcoming New Zealand Open last Monday, a healthy scratch designed to maximize the World No. 2’s chances on winning his maiden World Championships title in August.
Lee has not given any reason for his withdrawal, but it’s not altogether surprising Lee made this decision, especially after the return of Malaysian badminton legend Misbun Sidek as the men’s singles head coach to Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
Talking to reporters during the weekend, Lee insisted he was willing to do whatever it takes to meet Misbun Sidek’s expectation.
“We had discussed about a lot of things including my playing style even before Misbun returned to BAM.”
“I’ve gone through some tough training sessions under Misbun in the last two weeks, but I am going to continue to work hard in training. ”
“I am not thinking about winning or losing right now, the most important thing for me is to make the best possible preparation for the World Championships.”
When asked about Misbun Sidek’s coaching style, Lee said: “Excellent!”
Lee Chong Wei will be accompanied by Misbun Sidek and Hendrawan in Glasgow, Scotland, and they may arrive early to the venue to allow enough time to get used to it.
