Kuching: Former world number one shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei will be in town next Thursday to witness the Yonex Sunrise Malaysia Masters badminton championship which is being held in conjunction with this year’s BWF Grand Prix Gold series.
Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) yesterday confirmed that the badminton ace is coming to give morale support to his teammates from the national squad.
“Yes … Chong Wei is coming to Kuching and we do hope that he will stay on to watch the final round,” said SBA secretary Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir.
“We were informed by Badminton Association of Malaysia that his visit here is to support the teammates but unfortunately he is expected to return home on Saturday and not after the final round,” Hadi lamented.
According to him, SBA will try its best to persuade the shuttler to stay on until the end of the final round which is expected to be graced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who had expressed his keen interest to watch the world class players in action.
“It will be great if Chong Wei can stay on and be with us to watch who will become the champion because the last time we saw him compete here in 2006, he had defeated Lin Dan,” Hadi reminisced on the exciting final between Chong Wei and former world champion Lin Dan from China during the 2006 Proton Malaysian Open championship in June 2006.
Meanwhile, the final preparation for the tournament at the venue is expected to be completed this Sunday and the upgrading works of the lighting facility there has been conducted according to plan.
“Everything should be ready by this Sunday because we are expecting the players to start coming in including from the national team who are coming in one group,” said Hadi.
He also expressed appreciation to local badminton enthusiasts who have shown keen interest in attending the matches including those from Badan Amal Tenaga Isteri Isteri Sarawak (SABATI) led by its president Datin Patinggi Dato Hajah Jamilah Anu.
