K.M. Boopathy

LEE Chong Wei, sidelined with a left knee injury for three weeks, will be back in action in the Hong Kong Open which begins on Tuesday.

Chong Wei, who needs to play in the Hong Kong Open in order to maintain his World No 1 status, will renew his rivalry with Olympic champion Lin Dan of China.

A victory in Hong Kong will see Lin Dan, ranked World No 2, close the gap on his arch rival and could replace the Malaysian at the top of the world rankings by securing the China Open on Nov 17-22.

Chong Wei opens his campaign against Dicky Palyama of Indonesia before an expected meeting with a qualifier. A quarter-final showdown against the fast-improving Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam then awaits him.

Should Chong Wei get past Tien Minh, he is expected to meet Chen Jin of China in the last four.

Lin Dan, as usual, looks several notches above his rivals at the moment and should book his berth in the final with ease. It will not be an easy task toppling China's ace player.

Chong Wei needs to play in the Hong Kong Open to stay as World No 1.

Chong Wei will be more than pleased to clinch a spot in the final as it will safe guard his No 1 ranking for for least another week or more, depending on Lin Dan's result in the China Open.

The Super Series Masters in Kuala Terengganu on Dec 2-6 will be Chong Wei's next assignment where he will be aiming to defend the title he won in Kota Kinabalu last year.

In the men's doubles, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will receive a stiffer test with the presence of world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China in their half.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who won the Denmark Open but lost to Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the French Open final on Sunday, have a tricky first round match where they will play former world champions Tony Gunawan-Howard Bach of the United States.

The Malaysians, assuming they advance, are likely to meet Rian Sukmawan-Yonathan Dasuki of Indonesia in the second round before a quarter-final clash against compatriots Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah. China's Cai Yun-Haifeng await them in the last four.

Should they win, another clash against Markis-Hendra is on the cards if the Indonesians manage to avoid a defeat against South Korea's Jung Jae Sung-lee Yong Dae in the last four of their half of the draw.

Zakry Latif-Fairuzizuan Tazari should be cautious against Anthony Clark-Nathan Robertson of England in the first round but their toughest test is the expected quarter-final clash against Jae Sung-Yong Dae.

Courtesy of New Straits Times