38th Chong Wei-Lin Dan showdown today

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Lee Chong Wei is congratulated by fans after the semi-final. — Photos by Muhd Rais Sanusi

Lin Dan

KUCHING: Malaysia’s Datuk Lee Chong Wei and China’s Lin Dan have set up a dream final for the 2017 Malaysia Open men’s singles title. The two perennial rivals, however, took contrasting routes in the semi-finals played yesterday.

Chong Wei took 39 minutes to easily defeat Hong Kong’s Vincent Wong Wing Ki 21-12, 21-9.

Lin Dan, however, was stretched to three sets by South Korea’s Son Wan Ho before prevailing 27-25,19-21, 21-16 in a match lasting 84 minutes. The two-time Olympic champion also suffered a bad fall and rushed back to the hotel after the match for physiotherapy treatment.

Both are fully aware that their meeting today has been keenly awaited by badminton fans.

“Both of us have done the best preparations for this event and I hope all the fans will come and support me tomorrow and we hope to give them a good show,” Chiong Wei said after his match last night.

Recalling the last time the two met in Kuching for the 2006 Malaysian Open final, the world number one quipped, “After 11 years I am back in the same tournament, same stadium and meeting the same opponent Lin Dan.”

In an interview yesterday, Lin Dan said he was not that surprised at the idea of meeting his arch rival in the final in Kuching after 11 years and hoped that both can produce their best game and not disappoint the fans.

In today’s women’s singles final, Olympic champion Carolina Marin, seeded second, will meet top seed Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying.

The men’s doubles title will be contested by unseeded Fu Haifeng-Zheng Siwei of China and Marcus F Gideon-Kevin S Sukamuljo, the fourth seeded pair from Indonesia.

Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota of Japan and the Chinese pair of Huang Yaqiong-Tang Jinhua will play in the women’s doubles final.

The mixed doubles final will be an all-China affair between top seeded Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen and Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong, the no. 4 seed.

The Malaysian Open finals will start at the Sarawak Indoor Stadium from 1pm today.