PETALING JAYA: Badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has delivered on his promise to give young players a taste of international competition through the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup.
Despite being a grassroots tournament, the event at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara has been organised with many of the features normally seen at international meets, including live streaming of matches and a proper court set-up for players, coaches and spectators.
It is in line with Chong Wei’s earlier vision of turning the tournament into a “mini Malaysian Open”.
Having spent years competing on the international circuit, Chong Wei wanted the young players to experience the atmosphere and set-up of a major tournament even before they get the chance to compete overseas.
“I said from the start that I wanted to give the players this experience.
“Some of them may not have the opportunity to play in an international tournament yet, but at least when they compete in the Lee Chong Wei Cup, they can get a feel of what it is like,” said Chong Wei.
“Some people may say that this is only a junior tournament and there is no need to have chairs beside the court or a proper place for their bags, but that is not how I see it.
“I want to do the best for these junior players. Even if they have not reached that level yet, at least they can experience the atmosphere here.
“Maybe two or three years from now, when they start competing internationally, they will already know what to expect because they have experienced something similar at the Lee Chong Wei Cup.”
One concern raised by some parents and players, however, was the nine-day duration of the tournament.
Chong Wei said the longer schedule was necessary as the competition also included qualifying rounds, which allowed players to be filtered according to their level before progressing to the main draw.
He believes the format also gives the organisers a better opportunity to identify promising young players.
“Some players said nine days were too long, but we have qualifying rounds and the main draw.
“If we put everyone straight into the main draw, there could be a big difference in standard between the players, so that is why we need the qualifying rounds.
“We have received feedback that the tournament is too long and that the timing may not be ideal because it is during the school holidays.
“But I wanted to hold it during the school break because I don’t want the children to skip school just to compete in the Lee Chong Wei Cup.
“This was something we discussed for a long time and one of the reasons we could not find the right time to organise it last year,” added Chong Wei.
