Lee eyes Chen revenge after semis struggle
Print Edition
WORLD No. 1 Lee Chong Wei earned himself a grudge match against All-England champion Chen Long after escaping from close defeat to achieve a breathtaking victory.
The Malaysian did that with a 14-21, 21-19, 21-15 win over Son Wan-ho, the in-form world No. 11 from South Korea, after being close to the exit at a game down and 15-17 and 17-18 down in the second in Birmingham.
In those difficult moments, Lee played his most controlled badminton, either deep to the back-line or tight to the net, and picked his moments perceptively to apply the sudden moments of pressure which took him to his sixth successive All-England Open final.
Son, by contrast, tended to over-press in the crises after playing a superb match in which he took advantage of Lee’s error-tinged first game and also pushed on to an early four-point lead in the final game.
“Son played very well,” admitted Lee. “I saw his match yesterday (when he beat the fifth-seeded Kenichi Tago) and I saw how well he was playing.
“But I am also playing well — playing well for myself, playing for my country, and also enjoying being at the All-England.”
Today’s final will see the Malaysian against Chen Long for the second successive year, and China’s world No. 2 is likely to be at least as formidable as when he surprised Lee last time.
He was masterful in defense against compatriot Wang Zhengming, the rising world No. 9, winning 21-17, 21-14 and was patient in working openings to attack.
Chen also responded well to danger situations, and when Wang produced an audacious backhand cross-court short angle to reach 17-19 Chen punished him with two of his best rallies.
“I was aware of what was happening on the next court,” said Chen, when asked whether Lee’s struggle today might prove an advantage to him (Chen) tomorrow.
“But we will begin tomorrow on equal terms, and it will be a question of who performs better on the day.”
In the women’s semifinals, Wang Shixian, the fourth seed, upset her second-seeded compatriot Wang Yihan 21-8, 21-15. She will now play Olympic champion Li Xuerui after the top-seeded Chinese brushed aside world champion and third seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-18, 21-8.
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