KUALA LUMPUR, 3 Aug – It was mixed fortunes for Malaysia when the Badminton World Federation released the draw for the TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals on Aug 3 (Monday).
The men’s team got themselves a favorable draw in the Thomas Cup Finals.Malaysia, winners of the Thomas Cup five times in 1949, 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992 – was drawn in Group A together with perennial foes Indonesia for a company together European hopefuls England and Holland.
However, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage, Malaysia should battle Indonesia for a place to stay alive but at the same time should not underrate the English and the Dutch in the group stage.
Indonesia has stamped its supremacy over the Malaysians in recent times and as recent as February this year, won the Asian Team title with a 3-1 win at the final in Manila.
Indonesia also won the SEA Games men’s team gold also in Manila in December last year.
In the Uber Cup Finals draw Malaysia have a tough, tough draw in Group B with three-time champions Indonesia, and two-time runners-up South Korea standing in the way for a top-two place. The other team in the group is minnows Australia.
Malaysian women have never won the women’s team event and it is another tough road in the Finals which will be held in the Danish city of Aarhus from Oct 3-11. The finals were postponed from May due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We have a favorable draw in the Thomas Cup…but the same cannot be said for the Uber Cup,” said Badminton of Malaysia (BAM) coaching director Wong Choong Hann.
“Still, we will not write off our chances in the Uber Cup although we have a better chance in the Thomas Cup. Anything can happen in the Uber Cup and if we play our cards right our chances are as good as others but we will have to be at our best.”
THOMAS CUP
GROUP A
Indonesia, Malaysia, Holland, England
GROUP B
China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Australia, France
GROUP C
Denmark, India, Germany, Algeria
GROUP D
Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Canada
UBER CUP
GROUP A
Japan, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Egypt, Spain
GROUP B
South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia
GROUP C
Thailand, Denmark, Scotland, Canada
GROUP D
China, India, France, Germany
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