Datuk Lee Chong Wei
KUALA LUMPUR: National badminton champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei advanced to the men’s singles final in the Malaysian Open Super Series badminton championship at the Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil.
The world number one singles tamed the world number three, Chen Long from China 21-18, 17-21, 21-13 in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Chong Wei started well to win the first set, but Chen Long turned more aggressive in the second set to push the game into the decider.
In the third set, however, Chong Wei fought back after trailing 4-8 initially to overcome the Chinese player.
“The spectators at the stadium, who were supporting me all the way, also raised my spirit, probably because I did not want to lose on home ground,” he told the media.
He is also now on a mission to grab his eighth championship title and will face Kenichi Tago from Japan in the final today.
Earlier, Tago made it to the final when his opponent Chen Jin from China withdrew following a right ankle injury after doing a jumping smash early in the game.
Tago, when met later, said he was disappointed that he could not play against Chen Jin.
He said he would give his best despite knowing that Chong Wei had the advantage of home ground.
Meanwhile in the mixed doubles, the Malaysian pair of Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying lost to the first seed, Zhang Nan/Zhao Yenlei from China 21-13, 21-16, thus failing to make it to the final. — Bernama