Pemain perseorangan negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, bakal menyamai rekod legenda badminton negara, mendiang Datuk Eddy Choong, jika berjaya menggondol kejuaraan Seluruh England buat kali keempat musim ini.
Jaguh nombor satu dunia itu sudah pun menjulang gelaran Seluruh England sebanyak tiga kali iaitu pada 2010, 2011 dan 2014.
Memandangkan ia mungkin penyertaan terakhirnya, dia mengidamkan satu lagi kejayaan untuk menyamai apa yang dilakukan Eddy Choong dengan empat kejuaraan Seluruh England sepanjang karier bergelar pemain badminton.
Eddy Choong merangkul gelaran acara perseorangan Seluruh England pada 1953, 1954, 1956 dan 1957 serta dua kali muncul naib juara pada 1952 dan 1955.
"Semua pemain memang menyasarkan untuk menang Seluruh England kerana ia salah satu kejohanan kegemaran dalam kalendar kejohanan. Mungkin ini kejohanan paling lama.
"Yang penting, semangat mahu menang dan lebih fokus di samping elak meletakkan sasaran tinggi yang boleh memberi tekanan kepada diri sendiri," katanya.
Tetapi, laluan Chong Wei tampak tidak mudah, dengan pesaing dari China, Tian Hou Wei dan Chen Long, diramal menjadi halangan utama buat pemain itu pada pusingan seterusnya dalam laluan ke perlawanan akhir.
"Mungkin saya perlu bermain satu pusingan ke satu pusingan atau fokus satu persatu. Jangan fikirkan lagi untuk ke final.
"Saya (mungkin) perlu melepasi halangan dua pemain China, iaitu Tian Hou Wei dan Chen Long dalam laluan saya."
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Wed Mar 08 2017
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