Li-Ning China Masters 2024 preview

 I am looking forward to the China Masters, the last BWF Super 750 event of the year. It starts tomorrow and will feature all the top players in the world. In my original blog theme I have said I will be looking at lower to mid-tier events. However for this event I will change my coverage to include the super 750 event. I don't think there is a clear favourite to win this tournament. I believe it will be won by someone outside the top 10. My dark horse pick is Lei Lanxi but I will be rooting for Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao. I also believe Loh Kean Yew from Singapore may go on a deep run in this tournament.      

Arctic Open Men SF Prediction

 This is my prediction for the men's semifinal matches. 

Indonesia's Jonatan Christie will beat Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn

Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen will beat Japan's Koki Watanabe

The final will be between Jonatan Christie and Chou Tien Chen 

Success and Adversity #1

 James 1:9-10

Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation - since they will pass away like a wild flower. 

 When we succeed or struggle, we know this can only be temporary. In adversity we have a God who is with us and has redeemed us, so there is no more punishment, just loving discipline. This adversity will pass and God will give us wisdom from this.  When we succeed, without God the success does not mean much and can lead to further problems in life. Therefore, recognising that we will only be here temporarily, let us choose to honour God with our success. Let us remember that God loves us and delights in us.   Proverbs 3:9-14.     

Lee Zii Jia Olympic shuttler #1

 Although Zii Jia did not win the gold medal in the Paris Olympics, his bronze medal finish was a great achievement not just for him but for Malaysia . To be 3rd best shuttler in the most prestigious badminton competition ( in my opinion) is fantastic. His honesty, raw emotions and fighting spirit has made me a fan. His game has also matured into an all round game, not just reliant on his smashes but he can be patient with his rallies too. Defensively he has improved a lot this year. Mentally he has been through a lot of challenges, but I believe he can weather these obstacles and win more titles. I look forward to see him play in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.       

God's peace #2

 The mind governed by flesh is death , but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6. Flesh means living for your self ( flesh spelt backwards without the h). Living according to the flesh means living a self-centred life and this cannot please God ( Romans 8:8).     

What does God look at #1

 Be comforted and challenged that God looks at things that the world does not look at . 1 Samuel 16:7. But the Lord said to Samuel. Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance , but the Lord looks at the heart. 

The heart matters, God can see it. The words and actions of a person come form he heart. The heart matters more than ability, talent and experience. God chooses those that have a heart to serve. It does not matter if you are weak or inexperienced, God will empower you and equip you if you have a heart do serve Him.       

God's peace #1

 Inner peace in life is important. Once you have found it , it is to be treasured, because only God can give us true peace. This is the peace the world cannot give.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3  

God can give us perfect peace if we choose to put our trust in Him. Amen. 

Conquerors

 Do we view ourselves as conquerors? Rarely I guess, given all the pressures and stresses we face in life. The verse that brings me strength and comfort is from Romans 8:37. 'No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us'. Note here -  we are more than conquerors, isn't that amazing? Because of Jesus we can lead a victorious life as believers. This does not mean life will be easier but that with God's love we can overcome the various difficulties that we face. We know that he is for us, he is in control and he has a good plan for us. Therefore nothing can shake us. Amen.    

A tale of Tee and Man #2

 Tee Kai Wun and Man Wei Chong finished as runners-up in the Indonesian Open. They lost to World no 2 Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang from China in 3 sets in the final today. Despite losing they have regained their form and confidence. There is no doubt the Chinese pair were the better a players, but Tee and Man can hold their heads up high and look forward to better results in their next tournaments. They play a very fast paced game, can attack and defend well. An exciting pair to watch and a dangerous pair to play against.    

A tale of Tee and Man #1

 Mental resilience. They were not selected for Thomas Cup 2024. They did not qualify for Paris Olympics. They had lost in the first round in all their previous BWF Super 1000 tournaments. Yet at the Indonesian Open 2024, Tee Kai Wun and Man Wei Chong have excelled beyond expectations. Despite being only  ranked no 20 in the world and Malaysia's 3rd best pair, they have advanced to their first ever Super 1000 final at the Indonesian Open. Permainan bergu lelaki in mantap. They will face the world no 2 tomorrow in the final. Whatever happens , they have shown that setbacks help you develop resilience and will make you stronger . Go Kai Wun and Wei Chong, you are making Malaysians proud of you. Do your best tomorrow.       

Malaysian Masters #2

 The star performers were Malaysian nens doubles pair Yap Roy King and Wan Arif Junaidi . They reached the semifinals but lost to the eventual winners. This is their best performance in the Super 500 tournament. They are the 5th best pair in Malaysia and ranked 47 in the world rankings.  Meanwhile Lee Zii Jia reached his second consecutive final at a Super 500 tournament, but lost to World No 1 Viktor Axelsen.   

Malaysian Masters #1

 The South East Asia swing moves to Malaysia with the Super 500 Malaysian Masters. Malaysian singles and doubles players are playing well here in the early rounds. In the doubles , I am keen to see how Yap Roy King and Wan Arif Junaidi perform. They did well to reach the quarterfinals at the Thailand Open last week. They are currently ranked no 47 in the world and were finalists at the Spain Masters in March this year.    

Jun Hao shuttler episode 5

 Leong Jun Hao is having a decent year. He has reached the last 16 of the Malaysian Masters super 500 tournament, beating the Chinese player Lei Lanxi. Last week at the Thailand Open, Jun Hao played a wonderful match against reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the last 16 and lost in 3 tight sets.  Can he upset the world no 4 Li Shi Feng in the last 16? It is a tough task but Jun Hao has the home crowd behind him and I believe he can upset Li and enter his first super 500 quarterfinal of the season. He is currently world no 37 but has the potential to break into the world's top 32 this year. Jun Hao boleh!

   

Thailand Open 2024 #2

 Lee Zii Jia is the new Thailand Open men singles champion. He beat Angus Ng convincingly in straight sets. The Malaysian should hopefully get a top 8 seeding for the upcoming Paris Olympics following this achievement.   The next stop on the Southeast Asia Swing is the Malaysian Masters. Lets see if Lee can make another deep run in his home tournament. His game is more matured now, employing a good net game and patient rallying in addition to his deadly smashes. He needs to be more consistent now to challenge the Worlds top 5 players. He is a medal prospect for the upcoming Paris Olympics. A bronze medal is more realistic but he certainly has the potential to get a gold medal if he plays to his full potential.    

Thailand Open 2024 #1

 The Southeast Asia badminton swing is here. The first stop is the Thailand Open , a BWF super 500 tournament. The highlight has definitely been the progress of Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao, the 2 Malaysian singles players. Lee is through to the final and will play against Angus Ng from Hong Kong. Leong played the match of his life against reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in he second round. Although he lost in 3 tight sets against Kunlavut, it was a terrific performance from him. The highly anticipated match between Lee Zii Jia and Angus Ng Ka Long will be held tomorrow. Lee is the favourite to win but Angus is a tricky player who has scored wins over Anders Antonsen and Kunlavut enroute to the final. I look forward to a good and keenly contested match.       

Easter weekend in London

 We had a lovely weekend in London, meeting family and doing some sightseeing. We were blessed with good weather too 

Hokkien prawn mee

 The famous Hokkien prawn mee in TTDI - for close to 40 years this hawker stall has been in TTDI .  For about 30 years the stall is in a coffee shop called Yong Len. I am so privileged to grow up eating delicious hawker food in this shop. This prawn mee holds a special place in my family because  the dish has gone through 4 generations from my grandmother to my son.   

Suffering #1

 What is the Christian response to suffering? The bible says we are to rejoice in our suffering. That is hard isn't it? You may lost a loved one, you may have lost your job or you may have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Yet in Romans 5:3-4, Paul says suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character and character, hope. The hope that we have will never spoil and will never be taken away from us.   

Anthony Ginting #1

 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting is World no 5 badminton player from Indonesia. He was the runner-up at the All England men singles final this year. Not only is he a fantastic player but a humble guy at heart. He is a Christian and has publicly shared his faith in his media interview. He is grateful for his performance and attributes his run to the final to God. To do such a fine interview after losing the final speaks volumes of this guy's character.     

All England 2024

 I feel privileged to be able to attend the All-England badminton championships in Birmingham today. There were plenty of top quality matches in the opening round, justifying this tournament as a BWF Super 1000 event. My top matches for the day was Kunlavut Vitidsarn versus Lu Guang Zu and Chen Tang Jie- Toh Ee Wei versus Depachol-Sapsiree. Kunlavut is a dark horse in this tournament and may just go all the way to win the title. He was a finalist at the French Open las week and so is in great form. Chen-Toh is a mixed doubles pair from Malaysia and ranked world no 9. I hope they go far in this tournament.     

Walk with God #6

 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of the many wicked :for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

Psalm 37 :16-17

Walk with God #5

 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7

Walk with God #4

 

God is in control. Psalm 37:23-24

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

We may be suffering now, but we have an eternal reward awaiting us. His presence and His word directs in our lives. 

Walk with God #3

 Commit your way to the Lord,

Trust in him and he will do this. Psalm 37:5

To commit is to 

1.follow him only

2.follow him daily

3.follow him wholeheartedly 

May this strengthen our relationship with the Lord as we walk with Him. 

Walk with God #2

 Dwell and delight in God

Psalm 37:3-4. When we walk with God, we are to dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

His joy becomes your joy. His desires become your desires. How do we delight in Him? By delighting in His word.

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Psalm 119:35.

Walk with God #1

 

Psalm 37:1-3

Don't be troubled and envious because of the evil doers or wrong doers. Like the grass and green plants, they will soon wither and die, they are only temporary. Instead we are to trust God and do good. Let's focus on His love and faithfulness, and walk in His obedience. 

Lei Lanxi badminton #2

 Lei Lanxi has moved to a career high no 38 on the world rankings. This is a result of his quarterfinal appearance at the Indonesian Masters. He is playing at the Thailand Masters this week, a BWF Super 300 event. He plays Su Li Yang, a Taiwanese player ranked 33 in the world in the last 16.

Godly leadership #3

 

 The prayer modelled after Psalm 46:1-3. God, you are my strength and refuge. You are my ever-present help in trouble . Therefore I will not fear, even though the earth be removed and mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. When everything else falls apart, God is our source of strength and is always accessible to help us. Amen.  

Lei Lanxi badminton #1

 

Following Lei Lanxi, a 26 year old badminton player from the Guandong province in China. He is left-handed and is ranked 48 in the world. He has just reached the quarter-finals of the Indonesian Masters, a BWF Super 500 event. This is probably one of his best achievements in his career. He has a good all-around game, mixing attacking and defensive shots against his opponents. Although he lost to Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals, he gave a good performance and stretched Antonsen in 2 close sets. Hopefully he can maintain his good level play in the next few BWF tourneaments. He has the potential to win a Super 300 event and break into the world's top 32 this year.     

Jun Hao shuttler episode 4

 Leong Jun Hao has made a promising start to 2024 at the Indonesian Masters, a BWF Super 500 event. He beat Japan's Kenta Nishimoto but lost in the last 16 to local favourite and world no 4 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. Nevertheless Jun Hao gave a good fight and had to win 3 matches to get to the round of 16. The world-famous Istora Senayan is a really cool venue for world-class badminton. If Jun Hao replicates his form at next week's Thailand Masters, he should break into the worlds top 32 soon.        

Lee Cheuk Yiu badminton #3

 It was a good effort from Lee Cheuk Yiu but he ultimately lost to arguably the most in-form player this season , Shi Yu Qi. Lee lost in straight sets to Shi in the final of the Indian Open, a Super 750 event. However Cheuk Yiu is now in a great position to qualify for the Paris Olympics and a realistic shot at breaking into the world's top 10. He next plays at the Indonesian Masters next week.   

Lee Cheuk Yiu badminton #2

 Lee Cheuk Yiu is through to his first final of a BWF super 750 tournament at the Indian Open. What a match he played, defeating World no 6 Kodai Naraoka from Japan in 3 sets. He now faces World no 2 Shi Yu Qi from China. This will be Lee's biggest test with Shi in excellent form, reaching his second consecutive BWF tour final. Lee has nothing to lose, and should just go out and enjoy himself in the final.  

Lee Cheuk Yiu badminton #1

 We shall be hearing more about Lee Cheuk Yiu, a Hong Kong badminton professional ranked no 18 in the world. He played a fantastic match against reigning world champion Kunvalut Vitidsarn, coming from behind twice to win in 3 sets against Kunvalut at the last 16 of the Indian Open.   He is coached by Malaysian former world no 1 Wong Choong Hann, and it looks like the partnership is beginning to flourish. The Malaysia- Hong Kong  connection is the real deal, with Angus Ng Ka Long from Hong Kong reaching the Malaysian Open quarterfinals least week. Angus is also coached by Choong Hann.   

Godly leadership #2

 

From my last blog on Godly leadership, King Hezekiah went to the Lord to commit the problems before Him. So how does he start his prayer ?

And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the Earth. You have made heaven and earth. 2 Kings 19:15

When we start our prayers to God, 

1.We acknowledge Him and praise Him for who He is. He alone is God, and He is above all other gods. There is no other god besides Him.    

2. We acknowledge Him as a creator . Our God created heaven and earth,

 When we seen the moon and stars , we are reminded of God's wonderful creation. 

An Evening Scene in Worcester #2

 This scene was taken outside my son's nursery in Worcester. It was 5.50pm . I loved how the light from the moon illuminates the branches of the trees. Sometimes in life when it seems dark, the light shines brightly.

The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John1:5  

Lin Chun-Yi badminton #1

 Following Lin Chun-Yi, a rising badminton star from Taiwan. He is 24 years old, left-handed and ranked no 21 in the BWF . He plays a deceptive game with nice forehand drives and cross-court smashes. He has just reached his first super 1000 semi-final in the Malaysian Open. He had defeated Li Shi Feng, the world no 3 and China's no 1 player in the quarterfinal. I think he will break into the top 15 this year and will be a threat to the top 10 players in the major tournaments 

  

An Evening Scene in Worcester #1

 

An evening scene with the crescent moon and fading light in Worcester. My 2 year old son gets excited when he can see the moon. The changing day to night also symbolises that our days are numbered. However rather than dwell in despair about it, it is about the precious time that God gives us and what we can do with it.

Psalm 90:12 . Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Godly leadership #1

 What does it mean to be a Godly leader? It means looking to God at all times, especially in times of trouble. Let's look at King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:14.

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.  

It is worth noting that King Hezekiah did not respond immediately to King Sennacherib's letter. In fact he went up to the temple and presented the letter to the Lord. In difficult times, it is very easy to respond or react. However a Godly response requires Godly wisdom and Hezekiah responded correctly by seeking God's wisdom in prayer.   

Under the sun

 Everything is meaningless. What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3  

Under the sun, things we work for don't last. So why bother? Under the sun, we only see it from the human perspective. It will only matter when we see all that we do from God's perspective (above the sun). 

Shine like stars

 Happy new year! We thank God 2024 has arrived and am grateful that we have another year to grow in Him and to flourish as a family. Last year I have managed to write 46 articles on this blog. That is almost one every week and the most I have blog since I started this blog in 2020.  This year I hope to share more stories about my interests and thoughts. The above picture was taken this evening on 6th Jan 2024 at 8pm. It was a clear starry night in Worcester but with my smartphone camera I could only capture the biggest star outside my home. My son gets very excited now when he sees a star. For my first article of the year I would like to share my bible verses for 2024.   The bible verses for me to hold onto this year has to be Philippians 2:14-16.

Do everything without arguing or grumbling, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. 

These verses are both a challenge and an encouragement to me. Praying that the Lord will help me focus on these verses this year.