Kejuaraan Terakhir Malaya di Piala Thomas

Pada tahun 1955, Malaya kembali ke Piala Thomas ke-3 untuk mempertahankan kejuaraan dua kali mereka. Pasukan kebangsaan dapat terus ke pusingan akhir ataupun ‘Challenge Round’ atas nama juara bertahan bertemu musuh tradisi, Denmark. Pasukan Nordic itu layak ke perlawanan akhir setelah mengalahkan Australia 9-0 dan India 6-3 dalam perlawanan antara zon. 

Skuad Malaya, dibimbing oleh ketua jurulatih Leow Kim Fatt, terdiri daripada Ong Poh Lim, Ooi Teik Hock, Lim Kee Fong, Tan Jin Eong, Eddy Choong dan kapten Wong Peng Soon.

Setelah dinobatkan sebagai  juara Juara All England pada 1954, Eddy Choong membuat  penampilan sulung di Piala Thomas. Beliau memang tidak melepaskan peluang berprestij ini dan berjaya menewaskan juara Denmark, Finn Kobberø 15-6, 15-4 dalam masa 19 minit. 

Kedua-dua kapten pasukan, Wong Peng Soon dan Jørn Skaarup, berentap dalam perlawanan yang seterusnya. Peng Soon menunjukkan kehebatan beliau dengan memenangi set pertama 15-5 tetapi mengejutkan semua setelah tewas pada set kedua, 16-18. Namun, legenda badminton Malaya kembali dengan gagahnya untuk menang set ketiga 15-4. 

Perlawanan beregu pertama menyaksikan Lim Kee Fong & Tan Jin Eong menentang Ole Mertz & Ole Ellertsen. Gandingan Malaya tersebut memperoleh satu lagi kemenangan setelah menewaskan lawan mereka 15-9, 15-3. Malaya menyapu  bersih pada hari pertama secara rasminya selepas juara dunia Ong Poh Lim & Ooi Teik Hock mengalahkan pemain muda Denmark, Finn Kobberø & Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 15-4. 15-8.

Bolehkah Malaya menumpaskan Denmark 9-0 selepas mendahului mereka pada hari pertama?

Perhatian semua tertumpu kepada Ong Poh Lim dan Ole Jensen untuk membuka tirai malam kedua dengan perlawanan perseorangan ketiga mereka. Poh Lim, yang memungut mata kemenangan pada edisi 1952, berjaya sekali lagi. Piala Thomas masih milik pasukan Malaya setelah Poh Lim menghampakan lawannya dengan serangan bertubi-tubi untuk menang 15-10, 15-8.

Seterusnya, Wong Peng Soon berdepan dengan Finn Kobberø. Selepas 19 minit, Kobberø berjaya memenangi set pertama 15-12. Namun, pemain No. 1 antarabangsa, Peng Soon, bangkit semula untuk menumpaskan lawannya 15-0 dan 15-7. Eddy Choong turut memberikan Malaya satu lagi mata dengan kemenangan atas Jørn Skaarup, 15-10, 15-9. Malaya kukuh 8-0 apabila Poh Lim & Teik Hock menewaskan Ole Mertz & Ove Ellertsen, memenangi 15-8 dalam set pertama sebelum membelasah mereka 15-1 dalam set kedua.

Denmark berjaya mendapat satu-satunya kemenangan mereka dalam perlawanan beregu terakhir pada malam itu, apabila Kobberø & Hammergaard Hansen terbukti lebih kuat berbanding pasangan Malaya Tan Jin Eong & Lim Kee Fong dan menang 18–13, 4-15, 15-6.

Malaya berjaya mengulangi kejuaraan edisi 1949 mereka dengan margin kemenangan 8-1 ke atas Denmark. 

//

Malaya’s Last Victory at the Thomas Cup

In 1955, Malaya were back at the 3rd Thomas Cup to defend their two-time championship title. As such, they headed straight to the Challenge Round to meet old foes Denmark. The Nordic team qualified for the finals after defeating Australia 9–0 and India 6–3 in the inter-zone playoffs. 

Coached by Leow Kim Fatt, the Malaya squad consisted of Ong Poh Lim, Ooi Teik Hock, Lim Kee Fong, Tan Jin Eong, Eddy Choong, and captain Wong Peng Soon. 

Already an All England champion in 1954, this marked Eddy Choong’s debut at the Thomas Cup. And he did not let the opportunity go to waste. Choong gave Malaya their first point after finishing Danish champion Finn Kobbero 15-6, 15-4, only requiring 19 minutes to do so. 

The two captains, Wong Peng Soon and Jørn Skaarup went up against each other next. Wong started strong after winning the first set 15-5 but shocked everyone after dropping the second set, 16-18. Nevertheless, the Malayan legend was back in shape to take the third, 15-4. 

The first doubles match saw Lim Kee Fong & Tan Jin Eong take on Ole Mertz & Ole Ellertsen. The Malayan duo secured another win after defeating their opponents 15-9, 15-3. Malaya officially made it a clean sweep on the first day after world champions Ong Poh Lim & Ooi Teik Hock brought down Denmark’s young players Finn Kobbero & Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 15-4. 15-8. 

Could Malaya take down Denmark 9–0 after their incredible lead? 

Buzz was in the air on the second day. All eyes were on Ong Poh Lim and Ole Jensen to start off the night with their third singles match. Ong, who scored the winning point in the 1952 edition, succeeded once again. Malaya retained the Thomas Cup after Ong smashed through his match to win 15-10, 15-8.

Wong Peng Soon was up next against Finn Kobberø. After 19 minutes, Kobberø won the first set 15-12. Nevertheless, the No. 1 player bounced back to take down his opponent 15-0 and 15-7. Eddy Choong also gave Malaya another point after a quick 15-10, 15-9 win against Jørn Skaarup. Malaya made it 8-0 as Ong Poh Lim & Ooi Teik Hock went up against Ole Mertz & Ove Ellertsen, winning their first set 15-8 before a swift 15-1 win in their second set.

Denmark managed to secure their first and only point in the following doubles match of the night, as Kobberø & Hammergaard Hansen proved stronger than Malayan pair Tan Jin Eong & Lim Kee Fong and thus, winning 18–13, 4-15. 15-6. 

Malaya have repeated their 1949 victory with a winning margin of 8-1 over the Danish team.