Believe in your own ability to succeed: Chong Wei

KUALA LUMPUR: National badminton champion, Datuk Lee Chong Wei said the success of a player depends on his own desire and fighting spirit, even though various facilities are there to raise the best badminton players.
Chong Wei, when met said junior players such as Lee Zii Jia, Soong Joo Ven and Leong Jun Hao were among the next generation of players with great potential but if they have no mission and vision in their badminton career, all the advantages would go to waste.
The triple Olympic silver medallist said lanky 20-year-old Zii Jia at 186cm tall has a bright future if he keeps his focus on the game.
"I am confident that whoever works hard in training and studies the technical game of senior players as well as world leading players, will be able to join the ranks of the world's top 10 players in two to three years.
"Give them time. I know these young players are aware of what they want in their badminton career. Badminton is a skill sport. If players have skills, talent and diligence, they can succeed," he said after a training session at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara.
Based on world rankings as at May 31, the gap between Chong Wei, ranked 7th with Lee Zii Jia who is ranked 45th is very wide while Joo Ven (59th) and June Hao (77th) are further away.
Based on his own experience, Chong Wei, 36, said he would go all out in all matches regardless of the outcomes of the game.
"Even from my younger days, I have been taught to play my best. I did not think of targets or have high hopes but I took my games seriously.
"The results maybe a win or a defeat but I am used to criticisms, win or lose," he said.
Chong Wei said the younger players should consider themselves lucky because at the age of 19, they were already selected to represent the Thomas Cup team and fielded against superb players from Denmark, Japan and Indonesia.
When he was 19, Chong Wei said he could only watch his seniors play from the spectator bench but he took the opportunity to study the skills of the great players during that time.
Chong Wei said young players who were fielded during the Thomas Cup should learn the technics and latest trend of badminton from the games in Bangkok recently.
"They should be aware young players such as Viktor Axelsen, Kento Momota, as well as many others from Denmark, Japan, Indonesia, China are their challengers, so observe your competitors' game to stay on top of them," he said. — Bernama