Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian professional shuttler Liew Daren has booked a slot in the semifinals of the Perodua Malaysian Masters badminton championship, thus proving to all that he is not a spent force.Although no longer with the Badminton Association of Malaysia, the 31-year-old is showing consistency, having also reached the semifinals of the Thailand Masters last week.However, his clash in the last four against Viktor Axelsen of Denmark will be a different ball game altogether as Axelsen is the world number one men's singles shuttler.
ADVERTISEMENT
He admitted that although playing on home turf, it would not be easy against the tall Dane."Everyone knows he is the best player in the world right now. I once beat him which was about six years but tomorrow I will to give everything I have in order to beat him," he told reporters after his 21-18, 21-17 win over Suppanyu Avihingsanon of Thailand in the quarter-finals at the Axiata Arena here, Friday.
Meanwhile, Axelsen has called on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to review its new regulation requiring world top 15 players to participate in 12 tournaments in a year.He cynically said if BWF wanted to see more world-renowned players being knocked out in the first round, then it would be even better to set a hundred tournaments for players.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I think we should be able to choose tournament to play. If they want to look at quality they should consider (review the rules) otherwise all the top seeds would be out after the first round."I'm not sure the fans want to see that. Let us choose instead of playing 100 tournaments," Axelsen told reporters at Axiata Arena, KL Sports City, here, Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Under BWF's new event structure, it is compulsory for the world top 15 men's singles players and 10 men's doubles players to compete in 12 tournaments in a year, that is, three in Level 2, five in Level 3, and four in Level 4.Offenders can be fined up to US$5,000 (RM19,800).
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
"We have to train and at the same time to look at tournament. After Super Series final on December, I had no training at all because I need to play in a league at India…I just did what I can," he added. In Friday's quarter-final match, Axelsen took one hour to defeat Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in 21-15, 19-21, 21-12 and would meet national men's singles player Liew Daren in the semi-finals on Saturday. – Bernama
