PETALING JAYA: World No. 6 men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun are hoping their fifth appearance at the Asian Championships will finally deliver a podium finish when the tournament takes place in Ningbo, China, from April 7–12.
The pair ended their campaign at the All-England in Birmingham last week in the quarter-finals. Although they managed to break a run of three consecutive first-round exits at the prestigious tournament, it also marked their fourth quarter-final finish of the season after similar results at the Malaysian Open, Indian Open and Indonesian Masters.
With that in mind, Wei Chong and Kai Wun are determined to go a step further in Ningbo and return with a medal.
“We hope a bit of luck will also be on our side,” said Kai Wun.
“We’ve reached several quarter-finals this year but haven’t managed to break into the semi-finals yet.
“Hopefully the next tournament will be different and we can go further, maybe even reach the final and win a medal.”
To achieve that target, Wei Chong-Kai Wun know there are many areas they need to improve in the three weeks before the tournament begins.
“For now I think we need to cut down on our mistakes because the Olympic qualification points will only start next year. So this year is the last year for us to really focus on what we are lacking.”
Their past record at the Asian Championships has also been modest, with early exits in previous editions, giving them extra motivation to make a deeper run this time.
Meanwhile, Wei Chong will also use the preparation period to further strengthen his right leg after struggling with a knee injury. The 26-year-old took a risk by competing at the All-England despite discomfort in the joint.
