Arif quits BAM to save career

Moving on: Mohd Arif Latif said he ended ties with BAM after 10 years because he felt that his game had stagnated.

KUALA LUMPUR: Another former top junior shuttler has joined the BAM exodus in a bid to save their career.

Yesterday, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, a former Asian Junior runner-up, and a strong contender to represent Malaysia in next year’s Thomas Cup Finals, said that he had handed his resignation letter to the Badminton Association of Malaysia.

The 23-year-old Arif said he ended ties with BAM after 10 years because he felt that his game had stagnated.

Arif, who trains under former world champion Hendrawan of Indonesia, is the third big name to leave the men’s singles department this year after reigning national champion Misbun Ramdan Misbun and Chan Kwong Beng.

In recent times - Tan Chun Seang and Lim Fang Yang also left. Vountus Indra Mawan (men’s doubles), his sister Sannatasah Saniru (girls’ singles) and several others have also ended their stint with the BAM.

Arif is currently the country’s fourth ranked player after Lee Chong Wei, Chong Wei Feng and Liew Daren. 

He joined the BAM’s Academy as a Form One student in 2003 and made it to the national team in 2008 after ending his junior career on high.

In 2007, he defeated Chen Long of China en route to leading Malaysia to the team title at the Asian Junior Championships.

However, his stint in the national back-team squad had been a roller-coaster ride.

“I have been playing without motivation for the last few months and decided to make a decision on my career. I have handed my resignation letters to four people on Friday - BAM president Datuk Seri Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, general manager Kenny Goh, coaching and training chairman Ng Chin Chai and National Sports Council (NSC) director general Datuk Zolkples,” said Arif.

Arif, who is the first reserve for this year’s World Championships in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11, will be competing in the Indonesia and Taiwan Open Grand Prix Gold events next and is hoping the BAM will allow him to leave.

“I will train on my own and will look for a sponsor. I need to do this to take my game to a higher level.”

A close shave for Lee

Hard fight: Lee Chong Wei beat China’s Wang Zhengming 20-22, 21-4, 22-20 in the first round of the Indonesian Open in Jakarta yesterday. — AFP

PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei survived a nerve-wracking encounter against China’s Wang Zhengming before moving into the second round of the Indonesian Open in Jakarta.

The 30-year-old Chong Wei, seeking his fourth title of the year – after the Korean, Malaysian and India Opens – won 20-22, 21-4, 22-20 yesterday.

There was also some good news for the troubled world No. 3 pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong when they defeated Indonesia’s Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Hendra Gunawan 21-15, 21-11 in the first round.

Their reward is a second round date with another Indonesian pair – Alvent Yulianto-Markis Kido.

The wretched form of world No. 7 Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong continued as they lost to the scratch Indonesian pair of Andrei Adistia-Gideon Markus Fernaldi despite taking the first game.

Thien How-Wee Kiong, who have yet to get past the quarter-final stage of a tournament this year, went down 21-10, 18-21, 15-21.

The day, however, belonged to Chong Wei.

“Zhengming played his best game and put me under a lot of pressure early on,” said Chong Wei.

“I had to work really hard to stay focused and control the match.”

National singles coach Tey Seu Bock admitted that Chong Wei was “sluggish initially but improved as the match wore on”.

“Zhengming is a top player and a very tough first round opponent. So, it’s normal to see Chong Wei slow off the block,” said Seu Bock.

“Once he got used to the draught and the court, he picked up his game ... that’s what matters.”

Meanwhile, it was also a day of upsets with world No. 2 Chen Long being sent packing by home favourite Tommy Sugiarto 21-11, 21-18. Tommy will take on Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki next.

Fifth seed Kenichi Tago of Japan, sixth seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong and seventh seed Jan O Jorgensen also bit the dust in the first round.

The biggest upset in men’s doubles was the loss of world No. 2 and reigning Olympic silver medallists Mathias Boe-Carsten Morgensen in the men’s doubles.

The Danish pair were well and truly beaten 17-21, 23-25 by Russia’s Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov.