Jurulatih KLRC tak faham syarat pelik dikenakan

Razif Sidek

MENGARUT dan tidak masuk akal!

Itulah kesimpulan bekas pakar beregu negara, Razif Sidek berhubung syarat dikenakan Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) kepada beregu bimbingannya, Mohd Zakry Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari andai mahu menjalani 'sparring' dengan skuad negara.

Antara syarat mengarut dan tidak masuk akal itu ialah pasangan kelab profesional KLRC itu tidak boleh membawa jurulatih, tidak dibenarkan memakai baju lain selain baju penaja BAM dan mereka tertakluk kepada arahan jurulatih BAM sepanjang ‘sparring’ dua kali seminggu selama tiga bulan yang ditetapkan itu.

“Saya tidak faham dengan syarat ditetapkan BAM itu. Adakah BAM benar-benar ikhlas? Mengapa melarang saya datang... Saya benar-benar tidak faham dan ia langsung tidak masuk akal,” kata Razif selepas latihan di New Vision Badminton Akademi di Petaling Jaya, semalam.

Apapun, tindakan BAM itu pasti mencetuskan kemelut baru sedangkan pertikaian antaranya dengan satu lagi beregu KLRC, Gan Teik Shai-Tan Bin Shen belum selesai dan mereka juga mungkin tidak lagi dibenarkan ‘sparring’ dengan skuad negara kerana ‘bermasalah’ dengan badan induk itu.

Adakah dengan tindakan mengarut dan tidak masuk akal BAM itu akan membantu perkembangan dan kemajuan badminton negara dan mengapa Morten Frost Hansen yang datang membawa skuad pelapis Denmark menjalani latihan bersama skuad negara sebelum Aidilfitri lalu tidak dikenakan syarat sama?


- Berita Harian

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL TENNIS STARS TO GRAB ATP POINTS

Si Yew Ming, Ariez Elyaas and Ahmed Deedat receive official wild card entries to play in this year’s ATP 250 World Tour Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011. One of the great benefits about having a prestigious world-class ATP World Tour tennis tournament on our shores is that it gives our local tennis boys a chance to pit their skills against some of the world’s best.

Every year, the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur as part of its junior development initiatives, which also include a pro tennis clinic for our aspiring youngsters, offers valuable wild card entries to Malaysian players, and this year will be no exception, with two singles qualifying slots and one doubles main draw spot being handed out.

Ariez Elyas Deen Heesham

Youngsters Ariez Elyaas Deen Heshaam and Ahmed Deedat Abdul Razak will lead the country’s charge in the singles qualifying tournament on September 24 and 25. This means the boys will need to record at least two wins (subject to draw size) against the pros if they are to make it to the singles main draw of 28 players. First round main draw losers who enter the main draw via a wild card are not eligible for ranking points, whilst players who reach the main draw via the qualifying tournament or based on their personal ATP ranking, receive ATP points for a first round main-draw loss.

Meanwhile, Malaysian number one Si Yew Ming will be partnered with an exciting fast rising ATP World Tour star, who has entered the singles draw, with the duo entered as a wild card into the main-draw of the doubles event. Tournament Director Nick Freyer of organisers IMG said, “Our long term dream is to someday have a local player qualify for the main draw based on ranking and eventually produce a home grown ATP Champion here. Creating opportunities such as these, together with our junior pro clinic and other programmes is our way of supporting the comprehensive development programme being managed by our partners and friends at the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia.”


This will not be the first time that Ariez has featured in the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, having lost out in the first round of the qualifiers to Frenchman Laurent Recourderc last year.

Seventeen-year-old Ariez however managed to obtain his ATP doubles points from the Khon Kaen ITF futures in April 2011. His ATP doubles ranking is 1453. He also played Davis Cup Men Asian Oceania Group 3 qualifying in Colombo and helped Malaysian team secure the top 4 position by winning the tie against Oman.

Ahmad Deedat Abdul Razak

For Ahmed Deedat, his inclusion in the tournament may have come as a welcome surprise to him, but his stellar performances for Malaysia in both the Junior and Men’s Davis Cup has thrust the teenager firmly into the limelight as a rising star of Malaysian tennis.

Sixteen-year-old Ahmed, who was once ranked as high as No.3 on the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Under-14 circuit, recently partnered Si Yew Ming in the doubles during the Davis Cup tie in Sri Lanka in June.

The duo helped their country secure crucial victories against the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which helped Malaysia their standing in the Asia/Oceania Group III, even coming close to promotion into Group II.
“I’m speechless, and a little bit nervous. But this is a golden opportunity for me and I will definitely give my best,” said Kuala Lumpur-born Ahmed, who has just returned from the ITF/LTAT Junior Championships 2011 in Nonthaburi, Thailand, where he made it to the second round.

Ahmed is currently ranked 1002 on the ITF Junior Tour, but has previously held a ranking high of 492.
As the number one ranked Malaysian tennis player, Si Yew Ming has featured in the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur since 2009. Last year, he received a wild card entry into the singles main draw after Lleyton Hewitt pulled out of the tournament with a serious wrist injury that required surgery.


Our Malaysian number one gave the partisan crowd something to cheer about when he took a surprise 2-0 lead against Indian star Yuki Bhambri in the first two games, but eventually lost out to the former Asian Junior champion in straight sets.

Si Yew Ming

The 32-year-old Yew Ming has however enjoyed strong form in the Davis Cup in June, notching four wins against his two losses (both singles and doubles), and will look to build on that during the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur.

This year, Yew Ming will be partnered in the doubles with a singles main-draw player that will be confirmed later in the week by organisers IMG, but what is for sure is that Malaysians will once again be privy to watching our very own ‘anak Malaysia’ play with one of the world’s best in the main draw of an ATP World Tour 250 tournament - one of the highlights of the local sporting calendar.

For more information and updates on the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011, please log on to www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING … BACK! MALAYSIAN HOSPITALITY DRAWS BACK PAST CHAMPIONS

He won the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur in its inaugural year, and he won the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur in its second year… and now they are both coming back to try and keep the title in Russian hands.

Tournament Director Nick Freyer of organizers IMG, today announced that the 2009 Champion Nikolay
Davydenko and the 2010 Champion Mikhail Youzhny will be returning to Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, 24 September to 2 October, 2011. They will take on the already announced ATP World Tour stars that include Serbian Davis Cup hero’s Viktor Troicki (#15) and Janko Tipsarevic (#25), two-time Wimbledon doubles Champion Jurgen Melzer (#18), and fast rising Australian teenager and 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finalist, Bernard Tomic.

“A tournament always feels touched when past Champions decide to return, and of course we are delighted that both “Niko” and “Misha” are coming back to KL,” Freyer said. “This is a place where I know they feel very comfortable and where we enjoy having them as our guests – they are firm favorites with the tournament staff.”

“Malaysian fans will I am sure welcome back their past Champions, both of whom are gentlemen, with a sense of humor and who have achieved so much. It is entirely possible, either player, or maybe even both, will be seen in action on Sunday October 2, finals day.”

Davydenko

Davydenko, a 21 time winner on the ATP World Tour and a 6 time finalist, and who plays more tournaments than almost anyone else, remains one of the toughest players in the world. The 30 year old is a crafty opponent with outstanding endurance and determination – he is a very difficult player to beat at any time and on any surface.

He has been ranked at a career high of #3 in the world and has beaten all of the best players. Now ranked #30 because a number of injury bouts kept him off the tour last year, he is still just as determined every time he walks out on court. This year he won the title in Munich which was his 21st career title, and he reached the final in Dubai, his 27th career final, defeating Rafael Nadal en route.

“Any player who does well at a tournament likes to go back to that tournament,” Davydenko said. “There must be reason you do well there so you like to get that reason back. I feel this in Kuala Lumpur. Everybody was very nice there. I like the hotel (the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur) very much, my wife likes the shopping mall next door very much - this is why I had to win the tournament.”

This will be his third straight year at the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur. The 2009 season-ending ATP World Tour Finals and Shanghai Masters 1000 Champion, has won titles in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

Youzhny

Youzhny meanwhile is an incredibly fit individual, and tennis fans have come to expect him to do his trade-mark salute whenever he wins a match. Last year at the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, then ranked in the world’s top-ten, he was happy to oblige four times (def. Alexandr Dolgopolov, Marcos Baghdatis, Igor Andreev and Andrey Golubev in a brilliant three-set final) as he put his racquet on his head and with his other hand saluted to the different sections of the crowd. He did double duty last year and also reached the semi-finals of the doubles with partner Sergiy Stakhovsky.

The 29 year old Muscovite is currently ranked #14 and is close to his career high ranking of #8. He has won 7 career singles titles and 8 career doubles titles and has reached 10 other singles finals. In 2011 he has made the semis of Gstaad last weekend, Hamburg and Marseille where he beat Gilles Simon and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in back-to-back matches. He was also a quarter-finalist at Rotterdam and made the last 16 at Wimbledon.

“I am looking forward to coming back to Kuala Lumpur because I have good time there last year and everyone, they look after me so nicely,” Youzhny said from Switzerland where he was playing last weekend. The stadium was very good to play in and the people were nice and the buildings in the city are amazing. The two buildings with the bridge (the famous Petronas Towers) are incredible. I had not been to Malaysia before so did not know what to expect – and was very nicely surprised.”

For more information and updates on the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011, please log on to www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com

WIMBLEDON CHAMPION AND SERBIAN DAVIS CUP HEROES HEADING TO MALAYSIAN OPEN, KUALA LUMPUR

The third year of the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, continues to step up to the line and Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, 24 September to 2 October, 2011, is going to produce some excellent tennis.

Melzer

Tournament Director Nick Freyer today announced that Austrian Jurgen Melzer and Serbs Viktor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic will join sensational Aussie teenager Bernard Tomic as part of the line-up of players.

“Fans of the tournament have been asking for fresh stars to get to know for the third edition of the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, and we continue to work hard in being able to deliver on this, but at the same time accommodating many old friends, who wanted to return for a second or third year,” Freyer said.

“I am really delighted that Jurgen Melzer, Viktor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic will be making their debuts in Malaysia. With their strong rankings and with one being a Wimbledon Champion and the other two Davis Cup heroes for Serbia, we are excited to be able to welcome them, and look forward to introducing them to Malaysian fans.”

Melzer can lay claim to something not even Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer have achieved. He is the only player in men’s tennis this year to have captured titles at Wimbledon the last two years. In 2010 he teamed with German Philipp Petzschner to win the Gentlemen’s Doubles and this year claimed the Mixed Doubles with Iveta Benesova.

The 30 year old left-hander is ranked 18 in the world this week, ten places off his career ranking of #8 from four months ago. He has won three career titles and was a finalist seven other times. In 2011 he reached the last 16 at the Australian Open was a quarterfinalist three times (most recently last week in Hamburg) and a semi-finalist one other time.

Tipsarevic

“I have played throughout Asia but have never taken the opportunity to visit Kuala Lumpur before now and I am really looking forward to it,” Melzer said. “Other players have told me the hospitality and hotel is great and the people and fans there are very enthusiastic and welcoming. I think it will be great to visit a new country and city so, yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

Troicki and Tipsarevic have been producing their best tennis over the last year, which was most definitely highlighted by the incredible run Serbia had in the 2010 Davis Cup, which lead to them winning the coveted Championship for the very first time. Both players make it clear that the Davis Cup victory has given them even more confidence on court.

Troicki, 25, reached a career high ranking of 12 this year and is currently #15. He has one career title and has reached three other finals including Sydney this year. Also in 2011 he made the last 16 at the French Open, was a semi-finalist once and a quarter-finalist three other times.

Meanwhile, Tipsarevic who is seen as a bit of a philosopher on the Tour is quite a character with his tattoos and the wrap-around glare glasses he wears when he plays. The 27 year old is enjoying a career high ranking of 23 and has won two titles this year, Delray Beach on hard court and Eastbourne on grass. He has also twice been a semi-finalist in 2011.

Troicki

Tickets for the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur have been selling at an outstanding rate; in fact ticket sales have been moving at their fastest pace in the tournament’s three-year history.

“The new ticketing structure that makes the tournament accessible to everyone has caught on superbly and the way things are going I envisage a fantastic atmosphere at Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil,” Freyer said.

A concept started in the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur’s first year has become a tradition and will happen again in 2011; the tournament will give a main draw doubles wild card to a local player who will team up with one of the international marquee players.

“You can’t buy experience like that,” Freyer added. “We’ll keep it a surprise till closer the time as to whom the two players will be but I am sure the fans will really enjoy that match.”

The Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, a founding sponsor of the tournament, will continue to be the Official Hotel of the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur. The hotel remains a player favorite on the ATP World Tour.

For more information and updates on the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011, please log on to www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com

AUSSIE HOT-SHOT HEADING TO KUALA LUMPUR WIMBLEDON STAR BERNARD TOMIC TO PLAY MALAYSIAN OPEN

The tennis world is talking about him. He is one of the most exciting prospects in world tennis and he is coming to Kuala Lumpur. 18 year old Australian Bernard Tomic has told Tournament Director Nick Freyer that he will be playing the Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur at Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, 24 September to 2 October, 2011.

Nicknamed “A-Tomic”, he thrilled the record crowds at Wimbledon by reaching the quarterfinals where it took the might of the eventual champion Novak Djokovic to stop him and even then the four set match was one of most hard fought encounters Djokovic played during the fortnight.

Tomic’s run at the All England Club was one of THE stories of the Championships and he soon became tennis’s hot property. The teenager went through the arduous qualifying rounds, accounted for No. 29 seed and 2009 Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur winner Nikolay Davydenko in the first round, after that he rallied from two sets to love down to beat Igor Andreev, the No5 seed Robin Soderling followed in straight sets and then again in straight sets, he stopped Xavier Malisse.

“I am thrilled to have Bernard playing the Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur once again and to be able to welcome him back as well as and his father and coach John. I know the tournament is touched that he enjoyed the Malaysian hospitality enough to make an early decision to come back and play here,” Nick Freyer said.

“Malaysian tennis fans had a brief opportunity to see him last year in Kuala Lumpur when he accepted a Wild Card but when he arrives for this year’s tournament we will see a different Bernard Tomic. I had the opportunity to watch a couple of his early matches at Wimbledon and he was fantastic. He is a more confident guy. He is hitting the ball beautifully and he is playing with such maturity.

“Bernard has always had the talent and he has shown many glimpses of his promise but now he is genuinely showing the tennis world why he is considered the next big thing in world tennis. To have a youngster deliver so handsomely on his potential and do it with maturity that belies his age is very exciting. He promises to be a sensational addition to the player field for this year’s Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur.”

Tomic, who won the 2009 US Open juniors and in 2008 at 15 was the youngest player ever to win the Australian Open juniors, says grass is his favourite surface and his run at Wimbledon has made him excited about what is coming up for him.

“When you (have results) like this, it tells you you're only a few matches away from winning a title and I know what my goals are now,” Tomic said. “I definitely think I have the game. I definitely think I belong with these guys.

“This has just shown me what I'm capable of doing in the future. I am looking forward to coming to Kuala Lumpur again and continuing the type of tennis I played at Wimbledon. I enjoyed being in the city last year and hopefully the week there will be a great one.”

Goran Ivanisevic the 2001 Wimbledon champion and former World No. 2 has made it clear that it is only a matter of time before Tomic reaches the Top 10. Ivanisevic said: “From there it is up to him as to how far he goes.”
To prove that his rise up the rankings is firmly on the move, Tomic started Wimbledon ranked 158 and when he finished he was 72. He is now the highest ranked Australian on the tour, replacing Lleyton Hewitt who had held that spot since May, 2004.

Legends of the game, such as John Newcombe, say Tomic’s style of play is a throwback to a past era. He serves and volleys but he mixes up his returns. He doesn’t go for overwhelming returns on every shot he plays. Tomic will soft ball, move an opponent around and then come up with an explosive return. He also has the ability to comfortably change his game plan to suit the circumstance.

Tickets for the Malaysian Open Kuala Lumpur have been selling at an outstanding rate; in fact ticket sales have been moving at their fastest pace in the tournament’s three year history.

“The tournament team has been touched by the response from tennis fans as they have snapped up event tickets faster than at any time in the history of the tournament,” Freyer said. “It seems that the public know a great deal when they see one and the sporting public in KL and Malaysia have begun to appreciate and recognise the high quality of tennis, entertainment and fun the tournament has delivered to them.”

For more information and updates on the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011, please log on to www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com .

PRESS RELEASE 

KUALA LUMPUR: The US$1mil Malaysian Open men’s tennis championships from Sept 24-Oct 2 may be headlined by a world top five player for the first time.

Tournament director Nick Freyer, who officiated at the sponsorship signing yesterday of the biggest tennis showcase with ball and apparel suppliers Wilson until 2013, said that they were holding negotiations with a big-name player aside from trying to secure fresh faces who are making headlines in the ATP World Tour.

The current top five ranked players in the world are Spaniard Rafael Nadal, Serbian Novak Djokovic, Swiss Roger Federer, Briton Andy Murray and Swede Robin Soderling.

 “It is not easy to get these players because they have their own schedule to keep up and they normally commit much later,” said Freyer.


“A lot also depends on their results in the coming weeks ahead but we are talking to them. It does not hurt as we (event organisers IMG) manage two of them.

“We also want to get fresh faces who are exciting and marketable for the tournament.”

Freyer said that they hoped to finalise the players for the singles main draw of 28 by mid-August.

The Malaysian Open is one of only five ATP World Tour tournaments in Asia and the organisers announced yesterday a revolutionary ticket strategy that offers unreserved free seating on all days of the tournament and only one ticket price.

Ticket prices are now set at RM10 (Monday and Tuesday), RM15 (Wednesday and Thursday) and RM20 (Friday). Tickets will cost RM50 for the semi-finals on Saturday and the final the next day.

“It is the cheapest ticket a tennis fan can get for a ATP World Tour event,” said Freyer.

Tickets are now on sale through the tournament website at www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com or http://www.ticketpro.com.my/jnp/sports/tennis/669730-malaysian-open-2011.html

22 Local Professionals Participating in the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011

(L-R) Mohd Shaaban Hussin, Danny Chia & Ben Leong

                        1.          Danny Chia

2.          Mohd Shaaban Hussin

3.          Iain Steel

4.          Ben Leong

5.          Airil Rizman Zahari

6.          M. Sasidaran

7.          S. Sivachandran

8.          A. Sasar

9.          R. Nachimuthu

10.      Md Rashid Ismail

11.      Mohd Hanafiah Jamil

12.      Akmal Tarmizee

13.      Kenneth de Silva

14.      Gavin Kyle Green

15.      Jeremiah Kim

16.      Chan Tuck Soon

17.      Mohd Azman Basharudin

18.      Mohd Hisyam Abd Majid

19.      Khor Kheng Hwai

20.      Mohd Sukree Othman

21.      Nicholas Fung

22.      Shaifubari Muda

Win 2 season tickets worth over RM100 by clicking HERE

Win 2 season tickets to Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 !

Fancy winning 2 season tickets to the Maybank Malaysian Open ? Simple ! All you need to do is answer a few questions and follow very simple instructions and the tickets will be yours courtesy of our friends from Malaysian Golf Association (MGA)  =)

This is what you have to do :-

A. Answer the following questions :-

1. Who was the winner of the Maybank Malaysian Open in 2009 ?

2. Where and when will the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 take place ?

3. Why do you want to win two (2) season  tickets to the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011? 

MGA's website : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/index.asp  (hint) 

B. After successfully answering the questions , there's one more thing you gotta do. In your facebook status, please share the following " I am @Malaysians for Sports ". Please remember to tag us and set your sharing status to "Everyone " .  We have illustrated the simple steps below. Important : You need to "like" our page first before you're able to tag us. 

Step 1 :

 Step 2 :

Once you've completed (A) and (B), send us your answers to msian4sports@gmail.com with the following details :-

Name : 
Phone number :
IC number :
Answers for question (1-3) :
Facebook account name (if different from actual name) : 


Closing date is Friday, 8th April before 5pm.  GOOD LUCK ! =)

PAST CHAMPIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN MAYBANK MALAYSIAN OPEN 2011

Noh Seung-yul aims to successfully defend his title

Kuala Lumpur, 31 March 2011 – Noh Seung-yul will back to defend the Maybank Malaysian Open title next month and will be joined by former champions, Anthony Kang, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hedblom and Alastair Forsyth come 14-17 April at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

South Korea’s Noh became the youngest ever player to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, at the age of 19 years and 204 days. The catalyst for this success was his win at last year’s edition of the Malaysian Open where, at the time, he became the second youngest golfer to claim a win on The European Tour. Noh’s 2011 season was on the up-and-up when he recently qualified for his first WGC- Accenture Match Play Championship as one of the top 64 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“The first time playing in Malaysia, I had to adjust to the scorching weather. This time around, I have prepared myself mentally and psychically to withstand the heat, in hopes to win the Maybank Malaysian Open title for the second time in my career. The first win for me was meaningful because I had the opportunity to not only win on Malaysian soil but also defeat an idol of mine, K.J Choi. This time around it’ll be for my parents who have dedicated their time to follow me to Malaysia,” said Noh.

Korean-American Anthony Kang, who triumphed in 2009, will be back to play in the 2011 edition. Kang ended an eight-year title drought with a birdie on the 72^nd hole two years ago. It was a third career victory which subsequently catapulted him to third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. In 2010 he posted two Top 20 finishes to end the season in 13^th place on the Tour’s Order of Merit.

World renowned Thai golfer and former double Malaysian Open champion Thongchai Jaidee will lead the Asian challenge in the 156-strong field. Thongchai claimed three Asian Tour Order of Merit titles as well as 13 wins on the Tour alone. He became the only golfer to achieve this feat on the Asian Tour. He also became the first Thai to play in a Major at the 2001 US Open at Southern Hills where he tied for 74^th and subsequently became the first Thai to play in all four Majors. The 41 year old has four career European Tour titles to his name and in 2004 he became the first Thai golfer to win an event on The European Tour with his victory at the Malaysian Open. He successfully defended that title in 2005.

Aside from Thongchai, another veteran, Sweden’s Peter Hedblom has also confirmed participation. A member of The European Tour for over 20 years, the 41 year old picked up his first win at the 1996 Moroccan Open and went on to represent Sweden in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews in that same year. In 2007 he took a huge leap forward  by claiming his second victory at the Malaysian Open after shooting a final round of 68 to come from a seven shot deficit. He continued his good form with three top ten finishes in 2008 and secured the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in the same year.

Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth is looking for his first European Tour win since his success in the Madeira Islands Open BPI in Portugal back in 2008. He came close to claiming a third Tour title, but eventually finished tied for second at the Estoril Open de Portugal in that same year. The 35 year old Scot’s first career title on The European Tour was obtained at the 2002 Malaysian Open.

Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer, who is currently ranked Number One on the Official World Golf Ranking, have also confirmed their participation. Oosthuizen and Kaymer will be joined by South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel and Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

This year, the tournament reaches a milestone as it celebrates its 50th edition as some of the world’s best golfers gather to compete at the renowned Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club from the 14^th to 17^th April 2011.

 
Making history as the first ever co-sanctioned tournament in Asia by both the European and Asian Tours in 1999, the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will feature top players from the rankings of both these world-leading circuits to make up the 156-player line-up.

Points earned at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will go towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and will also add to the player’s 2011 Race to Dubai Ranking, granting them a chance to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

A star-studded field is expected at the 50th edition of the Maybank Malaysian Open, with the Malaysian professionals competing with some of the world’s best players for the championship title. With a USD 2.5 million prize purse up on offer, spectators can expect an exciting tournament this April. The four-day co-sanctioned event will take place at the West Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from 14th - 17th April 2011.

Blazing the lanes - An interview with Sidney Tung

We had the opportunity to catch up with Mr. Sidney Tung, the Secretary General of Malaysian TenPin Bowling Congress (MTBC) - one of the longest serving and dedicated officials in Malaysian Sports today. Hear what he has to say...

JY :   How did you first get involved in bowling?

ST:   I started bowling as a social bowler with a group of friends. After a few months, I got hooked to the game as I saw improvement week after week. Since then, became a crazy bowler bowling 6 times a week !  I started taking part in some local tournaments and had myself involved in organizing  events with some bowling centers.

In 1976, together with my team-mates who bowled almost every night together, founded the Kuala Lumpur Tenpin Bowling Federation.  We did very well as the best state association for Tenpin Bowling those days as we became the first state affiliate of MTBC to circulate a monthly news letter, and sending bowlers to represent the state in nearby Asean tournaments (ie Thai Open, Singapore Open and Indonesia Open etc.)  I was called up by MTBC to become Assistant Secretary in 1978, and took on the post as Secretary General since 1980 till today. 

JY  :  You've contributed a lot to the sports particularly with your involvement with MTBC . What's your motivation/inspiration for doing so till today?

ST :  The love in the sport of Tenpin Bowling is the major motivation and inspiration of my involvement with the sport until today. The satisfaction of seeing the success of our national bowlers in international events is ever rewarding for all the work and effort put in. It is beyond words when you see how our bowlers fight for honours in major tournaments, the celebration with tears after winnings and hearing the Negara Ku being  played. 

JY  :  There's been criticism that sports officials hold on to their position for too long. What's your view on that? Do you agree that there should be a fixed term for sports officials?

ST :  A sport  official serving an association is to ensure the particular sport is well regulated, well managed and well promoted with good results and money well spent. If an official is capable of fulfilling all these, and the sport is gaining in popularity and achievements, is there a need to change the official? Do we need to change an official just for the sake of change. On the other hand, if an official is not performing and the association is not managed well, then there needs to be change to see better things. 

JY  :  MTBC is one of the most successfully run association in the country, in your opinion why is it so? 

ST : In my opinion, again it is the love in the sport. The fully committed officials/volunteers are all heavily involved in a sport that they love wholeheartedly without any political or personal agendas. The leadership of Dato Dr. PS Nathan who himself was a great bowler, has great knowledge of the game and a great administrator, is the main key to the successful running of MTBC.

JY  :   MTBC has consistently produced world-class bowlers, why / how is it so?

ST :  Any sport must have a sound and solid development program to lead to success. MTBC put in place an 8-years nationwide development program in early 90s with the support of NSC to bring Tenpin Bowling in Malaysia to world standards. We achieved our target in 2003 when we won both the Men and Women’s Titles in the World Tenpin Team Cup in Odense,  Denmark, and in the same year won the Women’s Team Gold in the World Championship.  All members in the winning teams came from the development program which is still in existence and our source of new talent surfacing.

JY  :   Lately the NSC has decided to cut budget to sports associations across the board, how will this affect MTBC?

ST :  The decision to cut the budget for all sports associations by NSC will definitely affect the development of the sports.  Bowling is no different. But MTBC is in a process of finalizing our program, and getting back to NSC to seek the best possible funding to carry on with our development programme to our best. Failing which we are hoping to get other sponsors to come in to help to continue the development programs. 

JY :   When you're not involve in bowling, how do you like to spend your time?

ST :  Reading, surfing internet and spending time with my family, especially my grand- daughter.

JY :     Your outlook for the future of bowling in Malaysia?

ST :  With the Professional bowlers eligible to bowl in all tournaments, and the improvement from many other countries, it will be difficult for Malaysia to repeat their achievements as we did in the past.  The cutting of fund by NSC will make it more difficult to repeat our performance. We need to work very hard to ensure the best we can achieve with the limited resources.

JY :    Your advise on aspiring bowlers? 

ST :   Put more effort in strengthening oneself physically and technically, and to give nothing short of their  best  in every tournament they participate

JY :   Any last words? 

ST :    

Tenpin Bowling is one of the very few Sports that already reached world level. The government should work together with OCM to try and lobby for Tenpin Bowling to be included in the Olympic Games

Tenpin Bowling is one of the top Sports in the country,  it is a family game and is recognized by the government. All bowling equipments and bowling balls imported are tax free. But sadly the state governments are still demanding an entertainment fee to be paid annually for all bowling centers in the country. I brought this up with the previous few Sport Ministers, who promised to look into that, but no action has been done. This has to be looked into and the entertainment tax removed so that bowling centre owners can assist the game progress further.

 - interviewed by Jerome Yan

For the Glory of the Nation or Personal Fame ???

Was browsing through facebook lately and bumped into facebook pages belonging to some national backup players. Can't seem to understand why on earth do these guys own a facebook page ! Call me old-fashioned or cynical but I think these guys should instead focus their energies on producing results consistently in the international scenes (instead of crashing out in the early rounds usually) before they think of starting a facebook page.

In my view, you gotta "earn the right to portray yourself as a personality". Not that I'm against athletes having personal facebook pages, just that if you do, please have substance to back up your ego. Once you start achieving and producing results consistently , the fans will follow.  Period !

Yummy ! Champ League Quarters 2011

Which match you're looking forward to the most? Any potential upsets in the cards? =)

Quarter-finals: 1st League (April 5 & 6) , 2nd League (April 12 & April 13 )

World-class line-up for the 6th CIMB KL Open Squash Championships 2011

Press Release 
16/3/2011

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB today announced its title sponsorship of the CIMB KL Open Squash Championships 2011 for the sixth consecutive year. Taking place from 15 March to 20 March 2011, the tournament boasts a world-class line-up and promises exciting action for all squash fans, both from Malaysia and abroad.


To mark the sponsorship of the event, Dato’ Mohd Shukri Hussin, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation, presented a mock cheque to Dato’ Syed Mustaffa Syed Ali, President of Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) and Organising Chairman of CIMB KL Open, witnessed by Dato’ Charon Wardini Mokhzani, Deputy CEO, Corporate & Investment Banking, CIMB Group, and Dato’ Zolkples Embong, Director-General of The National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC).

Dato’ Mohd Shukri Hussin, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation handing over the title sponsor mock cheque to  Dato’ Syed Mustaffa Syed Ali, President of Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM). Witnessing the handover were Dato’ Charon Wardini Mokhzani, Deputy CEO, Corporate & Investment Banking, CIMB Group, and Dato’ Zolkples Embong, Director-General of The National Sports Council of Malaysia. 

“A top-notch championship such as the CIMB KL Open is very important as a good run at the championship provides our local budding players an opportunity to gain valuable world ranking points. We are pleased to have the support from CIMB to make this tournament a world-class sporting event,” said Dato’ Syed. 

Reiterating Dato’ Syed’s message, Dato’ Shukri added that CIMB is indeed proud to maintain its title sponsorship of this tournament that has not only gained international recognition, but it is also serving exceedingly well as a platform for the advancement of squash in Malaysia.

Fans can again expect to be captivated and inspired by the skill, determination and sheer talent of athletes at the top of their game. In the Women’s event, it will be a battle among the world’s best as 12 out of the top 13 women players in the world will be vying for the title.

Leading the pack as the defending champion and World No. 1 is our very own Dato’ Nicol David, who will be facing stiff competition from rivals Jenny Duncalf (World No. 2 from England) and Rachel Grinham (World No. 3 from Australia). Also in the Main Draw is Laura Massaro (World No. 8 from England) who is hoping to repeat her victory of defeating Dato’ Nicol earlier this year, ending Dato’ Nicol’s unbeaten 14-month winning streak. Malaysia’s fast rising star, Low Wee Wern (World No. 13) also makes the Main Draw on her own merit. Other Malaysians starting in the qualifying round are Delia Arnold (World No. 20) and Siti Munirah Jusoh (World No. 44). This star-studded line-up makes it almost equivalent to a World Women’s Championship.

In the Men’s event, former World No. 1 and current World No. 3, Karim Darwish, is back to avenge his defeat in the finals last year, but he will first have to fend off competition from former two-time World Junior Champion and current World No. 9, Mohamed El Shorbagy, who is seeded No. 2 in this championship. The Main Draw will also feature three Malaysians, namely Mohd Azlan Iskandar (World No. 10), Ong Beng Hee (World No. 23), and wildcard Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (World No. 47).

As with previous years, the preliminary rounds will be held at the National Squash Centre, Bukit Jalil. Quarterfinals onwards will be staged in a glass court mounted at the concourse area of Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur.

CIMB KL Open remains a highly rated Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Gold-45 for the Women’s event with total prize money of US$53,500, while the Men’s event is a Professional Squash Association (PSA) International 50 with total prize money of US$50,000.

In conjunction with the title sponsorship announcement, CIMB Foundation, SRAM and the NSC also inked an agreement renewing CIMB Foundation’s commitment as Rakan Sukan Squash. This covers title sponsorship of the KL and Malaysian Open, the CIMB Junior Squash Development Programme, and administrative expenses of SRAM.


To find out how YOU can win 2 Tickets to the Finals on Sunday, March 20th 2011. Click HERE 

Faces of Malaysian Sports 2010

Heartiest Congratulations to the winners of Anugerah Sukan Malaysia 2010.  You guys have made us proud and give us hope! Perhaps one minor thing that bothered me was our sports minister announcement that he is optimistic about achieving 4 gold medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games. To me this is unnecessary pressure on the athletes especially young diver Pandelela. 

The night however wasn't just about Nicol and Azizul Awang but also deserving winners as follows :-

Olahragawan Kebangsaan 
Azizulhasni Awang (Cycling)

Olahragawati Kebangsaan 
Nicol Ann David (Squash)

Pasukan Lelaki Kebangsaan 
Hockey 

Pasukan Wanita Kebangsaan 
Squash 

Olahragawan Paralimpik Kebangsaan 
Zul Amirul Sidi Abdullah (Swimming) 

Olahragawati Paralimpik Kebangsaan 
Nabilah Ahmat Sharif (Badminton) 

Jurulatih Lelaki Kebangsaan 
Stephen Van Huizen & Tai Beng Hai (Hockey) 

Anugerah Kepimpinan Kebangsaan 
Prof Datuk W Y Chin (Snooker & Billards) 

Anugerah Khas 
Datuk Lim Teong Kiat (Badminton) & Datuk Nashatar Singh Sidhu (Athletics)

*photo source from Bernama & The Star