GLASGOW: England’s Chris Adcock playfully tapped on the shoulders of Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem at the media zone after losing to the Malaysians in the mixed team event of the Commonwealth Games on Monday.
“I will get you guys ...,” he said with a big grin as he walked past the Malaysians.
It may be a friendly banter but Adcock’s statement should be treated as a statement of intent.
Top seeds Adcock-Andrew Ellis will be Wee Kiong-V Shem’s major stumbling block for the men’s doubles gold in the individual competition.
In the mixed team event, Wee Kiong-V Shem beat Adcock-Ellis 21-19, 21-17 in 47 minutes to help Malaysia overcome England 3-1 in the final.
But the match was close and it could have gone either way.
The same applies should they meet in the individual competition.
Adcock could actually deliver a double blow to Malaysia.
He is also the heavily fancied to live up to his top billing in the mixed doubles with his wife Gabrielle.
Adcock and his former partner Imogen Bankier finished as runners-up in the mixed doubles of the World Championships in 2011 in Wembley.
Wee Kiong revealed that the 25-year-old Adcock “is our good friend off the court”.
“We’ve known him from our junior days ... from when we were 15 years old. He is funny but he has grown to become a very good player,” said Wee Kiong.
“I’m sure they (Adcock-Ellis) will bounce back strongly. V Shem and I will be ready for them.”
The other title contenders are third seeds Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyachart of Singapore. They are in the bottom half of the draw with second seeds Chris Lngridge-Peter Mills of England and Malaysian scratch pair Chan Peng Soon-Liew Daren.
On the opening day of the individual event on Tuesday, which saw many players enjoying a bye, Wee Kiong-V Shem defeated Mark Constable-Alexander Hutchings 21-18, 21-14 in 24 minutes.
They will take on Canada’s Andrew D’ Souza-Toby Ng and should make it to the third round.
Adcock-Ellis had a first-round bye and should also make it to the third round by disposing of Falkland Islands’ Douglas Clark-Rose Stewart.
If everything goes according to plan, Adcock-Ellis and Wee Kiong-V Shem are expected to clash in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, it was an easy day’s work for Malaysia's singles shuttlers in the individual competition at the Emirates Arena.
Liew Daren defeated Sam Daniel of Ghana 21-14, 21-16 to join Chong Wei Feng in the third round on Wednesday.
In the third round, Daren will take on Sri Lanka's Dinuka Karunaratna while Wei Feng should get past Tony Stephenson of Northern Island to check into the quarter-finals.
In the women's singles, Tee Jing Yi beat Elme De villiers of South Africa 21-12, 21-13 to set up a meeting with Nadeesha Murukkuwadura of Sri Lanka.
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