Chong Wei eager for action
Published on: Saturday, May 02, 2015
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's former world number one badminton men's singles player Datuk Lee Chong Wei says he is eagerly waiting to get back into action."I feel 'geram' (hungry to be back in action) because it has been so long since I was last in competitions. My spirits are high now," he said after rejoining the national badminton squad for training at Stadium Juara here Friday.The Sudirman Cup in Dongguan, China from May 10-17 will his first international meet after his eight-month suspension for a doping offence which ended yesterday.ADVERTISEMENT "In Dongguan, I hope to get back my ryhthm. It has been seven months since I was in competitions. In my entire career, I have never rested this long, the longest was three months because of an ankle injury," he said.On his drop in ranking (from No.1 to No.45) during his suspension, Chong Wei said he would broach this with his coach Hendrawan and Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Technical Director Morten Frost Hansen. "As I won't be playing in the Indonesian and Australian opens, I think my ranking will drop even further, maybe to 70," he added.He is now behind compatriots Chong Wei Feng who has been ranked 31st with 35,199 points and independent shuttler Zulfadli Zulkiffli ranked 41st with 28,910 points. ADVERTISEMENT "It (further drop in ranking) will be difficult for me because I will have to play in the qualifying rounds in all Super Series. "I will have to discuss with Frost and Hendrawan whether if I play in the United States and Canadian opens I can collect points," he said.
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Chong Wei will also be representing the country at the Singapore SEA Games next month.The US Open which has Grand Prix Gold status will be held from June 16-21 and Canadian Open (Grand Prix status) from June 23-28.