Fed-up Chi Wing aims to make it count at last meet of the year

Malaysian Sea Games Single Badminton player Lim Chi Wing training at BAM academy in Bukit Kiara.AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star.

PETALING JAYA: Two-time national men’s singles champion Lim Chi Wing (pic) is fed up with himself for not grasping the opportunities given to him.

“This year has been an absolute failure for me. I’ve been given lots of chances but I didn’t take them,” lamented the 22-year-old, who is now bent on closing the year by reaching at least the semi-finals at the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Inter-national Challenge, which begins at the Pasir Gudang Municipal Stadium in Johor Baru today.

Chi Wing will face Zheng Qin of Chile in the first round of the fourth-tier tournament.

“This is my last international tournament for the year and I want to reach at least the semi-finals,” said Chi Wing.

The lanky shuttler played in 14 international tournaments this year but only made four quarter-finals – in the Malaysia International Series, Belgian International, Czech Open and Indonesia International Challenge.

He was an early-round casualty in the other 10 tournaments.

“I’m disappointed with my performances. Hopefully, I’ll bounce back here,” said the world No. 92.

The 11th seed is in the same quarter as top seed Yu Igarashi of Japan and two other Malaysians – Leong Jun Hao and Goh Giap Chin.

The other Malaysian men’s singles shuttlers hoping to shine at home are Soong Joo Ven, Chong Yee Han, R. Satheistharan, Zulhelmi Zulkiffli, Iskandar Zulkarnain, Cheam June Wei, Tan Jia Wei, Soo Teck Zhi and second seed Lee Zii Jia.

National singles head coach Datuk Misbun Sidek is using the Malaysian International Challenge as one of the tournaments to finalise the team for the Thomas Cup qualifying tournament in Kedah next February.

Only four will be selected and all his charges – Chi Wing, Joo Ven, Iskandar, June Wei, Jia Wei, Teck Zhi and Zii Jia – will have to impress to be considered for the team event.

“I don’t want to be too concerned about the Thomas Cup qualifier. Right now, I just want to stay focused on getting my game going again,” said Chi Wing.

Last year, Malaysia dominated the Malaysian International Challenge when they won three titles through S. Kisona (women’s singles), Lee Jian Yi-Lim Zhen Ting (men’s doubles) and Soong Fie Cho-Tee Jing Yi (women’s doubles).