Kuala Lumpur: What was Badminton World Federation (BWF) thinking by allowing four Chinese players to compete in the World Championships, Copenhagen this coming August? On Thursday, BWF has decided to allow Tian Houwei to play in the World Championships after Singaporean Ashton Chen withdrew from the competition.
Other Chinese players who already qualified for the world meet are Chen Long, Wang Zhengming and Du Pengyu.
Malaysia’s singles chief coach Rashid Sidek warned that other players should expect these Chinese players to come out flying at the World Championships after their embarrassing 0-3 defeat to Japan in the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup Finals last month.
“China will arrive at Copenhagen on a revenge mission. Fueled by disappointment in the Thomas Cup, they must have formulated a plan to regain their supremacy,” said Rashid.
“Chen Long, Wang Zhengming and Du Pengyu are already top men’s singles player in the world. And now, with the addition of Tian Houwei, it will require lot of efforts to be able to crumble the Great Wall of China,” said Rashid, half jokingly.
China makes winning World Championships seems so easy with 12 gold medals in men’s singles since 1985. After losing to Taufik Hidayat 3-15, 7-15 in the 2005 World Championships, Lin Dan has seized the title for five times – 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. Chen Jin who is now the women’s coach of China, won it in 2010.
With the absence of Lin Dan, Malaysia is hoping world number one Lee Chong Wei could take home the title for the first time at Copenhagen.
