Chong Wei confident Thomas Cup squad will give their best

National badminton champion, Datuk Lee Chong Wei has pledged the Malaysian squad would put up their best performance in the 2016 Thomas Cup championships in Kunshan, China from May 15 to 22.

Chong Wei, still fresh from the 2016 Asian Badminton Championships conceded the competition this time was more balanced but he did not want to promise any target for local fans.

"We have nothing to lose, we promise the team will go all out, try their very best and this is the best attempt. As we were the runners-up in the last edition, maybe, fans would want us to go one step further.

"We cannot promise we can enter the final or win the cup but we will do our best," he told reporters here today.

Chong Wei was met by reporters at the wedding of his former coach Datuk Misbun Sidek's son, Misbun Syawal Misbun and Nur Hidayah Muhamad.

Chong Wei with the newlyweds along with his former coach Misbun (second, left) and wife Datin Latifah Sidek (fourth, right), Datin Wong Mew Choo (fifth, right), Rahman Sidek (left), Rashid Sidek (third, right), Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek (second, right) and wife Datin Seri Zaleha Mohd Khalid (right). - BERNAMApic

He said the national squad would be having closed training to improve the focus of players as they were expecting stiff competition from countries such as China, Denmark and South Korea.

"Denmark has three good singles, Viktor Axelsen, Jan O. Jorgensen and Hans-Kristian Vittinghus. China has players such as Chen Long, Lin Dan and Tian Houwei, so we have to be careful.

"Apart from that, our top two doubles, Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong and Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong were seen tired after playing many tournaments to collect points for the Olympics. I hope they will fully recover when we reach Kunshan," he added.

Malaysia's Thomas Cup squad comprises Chong Wei, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Chong Wei Feng and Goh Soon Huat with doubles' pairs of V Shem/Wee Kiong, Kien Keat/ Boon Heong as well as Teo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin.

Meanwhile, Misbun admitted Malaysia had always been among the world's top four teams, but some hard thinking was required to capture the cup which had eluded Malaysia for 24 years.

"The chance is there but it depends on how we patch up some areas to win. From our strength, if Chong Wei maintains his form, it will be difficult to threaten him, so we need just two doubles or one more singles.

"So, we are not far from success but if we depend on Chong Wei alone, it will be hard as this is a team play. China is also very tricky and they may change their players.

"This is because China has a large pool of players but for us, Chong Wei is the only player and he is being watched from four sides, so even Chong Wei may be shaken," he said.

On the country's second singles, Iskandar Zulkarnain, Misbun said the 24-year-old player needed to strengthen his attack and tactical strategy to 'kill' his opponents.

For the record, Malaysia were the runners-up in the 2014 Thomas Cup after losing to Japan in the final and were the cup champions for five times in 1949, 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992.