National singles shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei has reiterated his desire to bounce back from his slump and continue climbing up the rankings ladder, ahead of the Rio Olympics next year.
The former world number one was over in Korea and Japan recently, but he stumbled in both competitions. He was initially knocked out of the Japan Open by arch rival Lin Dan, in the second round.
In South Korea though, he was sent packing in the qualifying stage, after falling to Heo Kwang Hee – something that the man himself is extremely frustrated about.
“Plenty of individuals have dropped criticisms on me, but I’m not going to pay any attention to them,” he told Harian Metro.
“I’m not playing for others. I’m playing for myself and for my beloved country. Winning or losing is a normal thing for me, it’s part of every professional sport.
“Most importantly, I just want to prepare well enough for the Danish Super Series as well as the French Super Series, which takes place next month,” he added.
WHAT DO WE THINK?
This is precisely the sort of mindset Chong Wei needs to have, if he is keen on getting back to his former best. He’s got to ignore every form of criticism coming his way, and focus on what’s ahead. Right now, Chong Wei’s battle isn’t only about his physical form, it’s also about his mental strength. Constant defeats to Chen Long and Lin Dan must have taken a big chunk of his confidence away. That’s the bid of confidence that he needs to recover before the Rio Olympics, next year.
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