# Malaysian veteran aiming to win his fifth World Superseries Finals title
# Malaysia’s hopes in men’s doubles lies with World No 1 V Shem-Wee Kiong
By Rizal Abdullah
After missing the BWF Superseries Finals the last two years World No 1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei has made this year’s Finals in Dubai from Dec 14-18 and the Malaysian has sent a strong message that he is aiming to win the title for a fifth time.
The 34-year-old Penangite knows that with the best competing in Dubai he has a fight on his hands but he is “ready for the challenge” after skipping the last two Superseries – the Thaihot China Open Premier in Fuzhou and the Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Open.
Chong Wei skipped the last two Superseries tournament because of injury which also forced him to pullout from the French Open. He sustained the injury while competing in the Yonex Denmark Open in Odense and was beaten by Germany’s Marc Zwiebler.
“It is a tough field but I am ready for the challenge…I aim to win the title for the fifth time,” said Chong Wei who completed a grand hat-trick of Superseries Finals title from 2008 to 2010 before adding a fourth in 2013.
It is enough for the three-time Olympic silver medal winner (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and 2016 Rio de Janerio) to motivate himself to end the year in glory after recovering from the hamstring injury and fever.
Chong Wei made the cut to Dubai as the seventh best in the Road to Dubai rankings where Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen finished on top. Others in the fray in Dubai are Viktor Axelsen Rio bronze medallist), Zwiebler, Son Wan-ho (Korea), Angus Ng Ka Long (Hong Kong), Tian Houwei, who is joined by Chen Long (China).
Chen Long has been given a wild card entry for the Dubai tournament as winner of the gold medal in the Rio Olympics.
Chong Wei is not the only Malaysian who will feature in Dubai. Joining the Malaysian ace are world No 1 men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong – who will make their debut in the Finals.
Wee Kiong hopes the pair will at least reach the semi-finals. The Malaysians have suffered a slump in their form after winning the Danmark Open – their first Superseries title.
