Badminton / Build-up to Malaysia Open

LEE Wan Wah knows he and partner Choong Tan Fook will qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

What is of even more concern is whether the pair, semi-finalists in Sydney 2000, can deliver a winning performance in Beijing.
A knee injury suffered two months ago raised doubts about the pair's qualifying chances but having made a speedy recovery, Wan Wah reckons they will be in Beijing.

Tan Fook-Wan Wah, currently ranked World No 5, are skipping the Korea Open on Jan 22-27 and risk dropping to sixth if they fall in the preliminary rounds of the Malaysia Open.

The pair, who play qualifiers in the first round, are expected to meet either compatriots Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock or Hong Kong's Albertus Susanto-Johan Hadi Kusuma in the second round.

If they survive, they should take on World No 1 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in the last eight.

At this stage, the Malaysia Open quarter-finals will do but having beaten Kien Keat-Boon Heong before and with the Olympic dream burning in their hearts, don't discount the veterans of advancing even further next week.