Jaguh badminton perseorangan negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, berhasrat membantu skuad negara menghadapi Kejohanan Piala Sudirman meskipun menyedari perlu lebih selektif dalam pertandingan yang disertainya tahun ini.
Selain Sukan SEA Kuala Lumpur, Piala Sudirman juga menjadi antara agenda utama skuad badminton negara tahun ini.
Bagaimanapun, bagi Chong Wei, dia mahu memburu gelaran juara Kejohanan Dunia di Glasgow, Ogos ini, sebelum hampir pasti menggantung raketnya.
Chong Wei dijangka sekali lagi akan mengetuai skuad negara dalam saingan Piala Sudirman di Gold Coast, Australia, Mei nanti.
Untuk rekod, Malaysia tidak pernah memenangi Piala Sudirman yang juga kejohanan berpasukan campuran, dengan pencapaian terbaik negara ialah ke separuh akhir pada 2009.
"Saya berharap untuk bermain dalam Piala Sudirman. Saya berharap setiap pemain akan memberikan yang terbaik di Australia. Menang atau kalah tidak menjadi masalah, yang penting kami memberikan yang terbaik," katanya.
Chong Wei turun ke gelanggang buat kali pertama untuk tahun 2017 selepas mewakili Kelab Badminton Petaling dalam saingan Purple League, semalam.
Namun, dia hanya beraksi dalam acara beregu campuran, digandingkan bersama pemain dari China, Zhao Yunlei.
Chong Wei turut mengakui masih banyak yang perlu dilakukan bagi memastikan dia tampil lebih bertenaga, khususnya untuk menghadapi Kejohanan Seluruh England, Mac nanti.
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Sun Jan 08 2017
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