Wong Mew Choo

Datin Wong Mew Choo (born 1 May 1983) is a Malaysian former badminton singles player. She was known for her exceptional stamina and endurance. Without any significant attacking weapons, she initially built her game on her ability to endure long rallies, sending the shuttle continually back against more powerful players. These tactics served her well, but put a lot of pressure on her knees and ankles. She suffered from various long term injuries during her playing career.

Wong Mew Choo
Personal information
CountryMalaysia
Born (1983-05-01) 1 May 1983
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Height1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight51 kg (112 lb; 8.0 st)
Years active2003–2011
Retired2011
HandednessRight
CoachMisbun Sidek
Women's singles
Highest ranking7 (30 October 2008)
BWF profile
Wong Mew Choo
Traditional Chinese黃妙珠
Simplified Chinese黄妙珠

Career

She first came to prominence in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games badminton women's singles, when she won the gold medal, along the way beating Singapore's Li Li, then the reigning Commonwealth Games Champion.

2005

She competed at the 2005 World Championships in Anaheim and reached the second round. She managed two quarterfinal appearances, in the Denmark Open and 2005 Asian Championships.

She managed to reach the semifinal of Indonesia Open, losing a tough encounter with Mia Audina. Later that year, she qualified again for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games women's singles badminton final, but had to settle for silver, losing to Adriyanti Firdasari of Indonesia.

2006

In the XVIII Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, she helped Malaysia clinch the gold medal in the mixed team event, taking the crucial point against England's Tracey Hallam that gave Malaysia the lead 2–1. Eventually the team won 3–1 over England for the first time in Games history. However, Hallam exacted revenge in the individual events women's singles final.

In the World Championships, she reached the third round before losing to Zhang Ning.

Her best achievement of the year was in the Korea Open semifinals, losing to eventual winner Zhu Lin. She also reached the China Open quarterfinals.

2007

The year 2007 was Wong's best year. She started by reaching the finals of the Malaysia Superseries, defeating big names like Pi Hongyan and Xu Huaiwen on her way. At the All England Superseries, she beat Chinese Lu Lan to become the first Malaysian women's singles player to qualify in the women's singles quarterfinal. Lu claimed revenge in the 2007 Asian Championships.

Her biggest win was at the 2007 BWF World Championships third round, where she shocked China's Xie Xingfang in straight sets to become the first Malaysian women's singles player to reach the quarter-finals of the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur. However, her progress was stopped by Zhu Lin, who went on to take the title.

She was beaten in the first round of the Denmark Superseries, but quickly rebounded a week later, at the French Superseries. Wong defeated higher ranked players like Wang Chen. However, Wong lost to Xie Xingfang in the semifinal.

Wong, who is unseeded at the China Open Superseries and has not won any major championship since the 2003 Southeast Asian Games, delivered a brilliant performance in Guangzhou, China by beating all the top three female shuttlers from China in succession, starting with world champion Zhu Lin, two-time Olympic Champion Zhang Ning, and finally world number one Xie Xingfang in three sets in the final. She became the one of only a few non-Chinese (overseas Chinese) winners of the China Open. She also became the first Malaysian woman to lift an international title outside the country.

2008

Wong started the year by reaching the semifinal of Malaysia Superseries before losing to Zhu Lin once again.

She played in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, becoming the quarter-finalist after her defeat from Lu Lan of China.

2009

Getting injured at the beginning of this season, Wong returned in Swiss Open Superseries and India Open. But her achievements were not yet satisfactory.

She was also chosen as the Malaysia's top women's singles player to play in Sudirman Cup. In the semi-finals, her team lost 0–3 to China.

In the China Open Superseries in November, Wong humbled China's Wang Yihan, the world number one, in two sets, 21–18 and 21–17. However, she was beaten by Wang's compatriot Wang Shixian in the quarter-finals.

In December, Wong clinched her first title of the year in World Superseries Masters Finals - downing Juliane Schenk, 21–15, 21–7. Many top players did not play in women's singles of Superseries Finals, allowing Wong, who was ranked 20th in Superseries rankings at that time, to participate.

Wong led Malaysia women's team in 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos. She and her teammates won the gold medal by beating Indonesia 3–1. However, Wong failed to reach individual final as she was defeated by Thailand's Salakjit Ponsana 18–21, 14–21. As a result, Wong only claimed bronze.

In 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi, she won silver in a closely contested final with Saina Nehwal of India, ranked No 3 in the world.

2011

In April, Wong has retired from competition, citing injuries that have taken a toll on her body.[1] Due to her experience and service to the national team, BJSS offered her a coaching contract to become one of the women coaches.[2]

Achievements

Commonwealth Games

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2006 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia Tracey Hallam 12–21, 15–21 Silver
2010 Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi, India Saina Nehwal 21–19, 21–23, 13–21 Silver

Asian Championships

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2007 Stadium Bandaraya, Johor Bahru, Malaysia Lu Lan 17–21, 18–21 Bronze

Southeast Asian Games

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2003 Tan Binh Sport Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Salakjit Ponsana 11–5, 11–5 Gold
2005 PhilSports Arena, Metro Manila, Philippines Adriyanti Firdasari 8–11, 7–11 Silver
2009 Gym Hall 1, National Sports Complex, Vientiane, Laos Salakjit Ponsana 18–21, 14–21 Bronze

BWF Superseries

The BWF Superseries, launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[3] is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries has two level such as Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, which introduced since 2011,[4] with successful players invited to the Superseries Finals held at the year end.

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2007 Malaysia Open Zhu Lin 15–21, 12–21 Runner-up
2007 China Open Xie Xingfang 21–16, 8–21, 21–17 Winner
2009 World Superseries Masters Finals Juliane Schenk 21–15, 21–7 Winner
  BWF Superseries Finals tournament
  BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix

The BWF Grand Prix has two levels: Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It is a series of badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2007. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2010 India Open Saina Nehwal 22–20, 14–21, 12–21 Runner-up

Career Overview

Year Tournament Achievement
2011 All England Super SeriesFirst round
German Grand Prix GoldSemi-finalist
Victor Korea Super Series PremierSecond round
Proton Malaysia Super SeriesFirst round
2010 2010 Commonwealth GamesRunner-Up
2010 Commonwealth Games – Mixed teamWinner
2009 BWF Super Series Masters FinalsWinner
Malaysia Grand Prix GoldSemi-finalist
Djarum Indonesia Super SeriesFirst round
Aviva Singapore Super SeriesFirst round
2008
Aviva Singapore Super SeriesSemi-finalist
Swiss Open Super SeriesSecond round
All England Super SeriesQuarter-finalist
Korea Super SeriesFirst round
Proton Malaysia Super SeriesSemi-finalist
2007
Hong Kong Super SeriesFirst round
China Open Super SeriesWinner
French Super SeriesSemi-finalist
Denmark Super SeriesFirst round
Chinese Taipei Grand Prix GoldQuarter-finalist
Japan Super SeriesSecond round
BWF World ChampionshipsQuarter-finalist
China Masters Super SeriesFirst round
Djarum Indonesia Super SeriesFirst round
Singapore Super SeriesSecond round
2007 Asian Badminton ChampionshipsSemi-finalist
Swiss Super SeriesFirst round
Yonex All England Super SeriesQuarter-finalist
Proton Malaysia Super SeriesRunner-Up
2006
China OpenQuarter-finalist
Japan OpenFirst round
IBF World ChampionshipsSecond round
Hong Kong OpenSecond round
Korea OpenSecond round
Thailand OpenSecond round
Djarum Indonesia OpenFirst round
2006 Asian Badminton ChampionshipsFirst round
XVIII Commonwealth GamesRunner-Up
Yonex All England OpenSecond round
Swiss OpenSecond round
2005
Denmark OpenQuarter-finalist
Indonesia OpenSemi-finalist
2005 Asian Badminton ChampionshipsQuarter-finalist
XXIII Southeast Asian GamesRunner-Up
2004
2004 Asian Badminton ChampionshipsQuarter-finalist
Japan OpenFirst round
Korea OpenSecond round
Yonex All England OpenSecond round
Swiss OpenFirst round
Syed Modi MemorialsRunner-Up
Thailand OpenSecond round
2003 XXII Southeast Asian GamesWinner

Record against selected opponents

Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.

Personal life

She has an elder sister, Wong Miew Kheng who was a former Malaysian national badminton player. She also dated the Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei. The duo were planning to settle down after 11 years of courtship, after the London Olympics.[5]

In year 2009, Lee and Wong announced they are no longer together during the 2009 World Championships in Hyderabad, India. However, Lee Chong Wei announced his reconciliation with Mew Choo after winning a silver medal in 2012 London Olympics.[6] They met in 2001 at a public badminton camp when they were both back-up shuttlers for the Malaysian crew. They got married on 9 November 2012. The couple had their first child, Kingston on 12 April 2013 and their second child, Terrance on 9 July 2015.[7]

References

  1. "Misbun makes an about turn, returns to BAM". Bernama. Daily Express. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  2. Rajes Paul (13 May 2011). "Teik Chai-Bin Shen out of world meet despite making the cut". The Star. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  3. "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
  4. "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". www.ibadmintonstore.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  5. "Wedding bells for Chong Wei". The Star. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  6. "Shuttler courts question marks over marriage date". The Star. 8 August 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  7. Rajes Paul (9 July 2015). "Chong Wei at ease after birth of second son (updated)". The Star. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
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