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Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei prevented China from making another clean sweep of titles when he beat arch rival Lin Dan for the YONEX Japan Open men’s singles crown in Tokyo on Sunday.
The battle, lasting 80 minutes, was badminton of the highest standard as both players were evenly matched, but it was Chong Wei’s 22-20 win in the first game that set the tone for his memorable win over the three-time world champion.
The Malaysian dropped the second game 16-21 but roared back to win the decisive third game 21-17.
The Malaysian dropped the second game 16-21 but roared back to win the decisive third game 21-17.
At the World Championships in Paris alst month, China won all five titles and repeated the feat at the China Masters Super Series in Changzhou last week.
Chong Wei’s compatriots, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, once again, failed to match the power and strength of Cai Yun –Fu Haifeng as the Malaysians slumped to a 18-21, 21-14, 21-12 defeat in the men’s doubles.
At last month’s World Championships final in Paris, Cai-Fu beat the Malaysians in the final as well.
China, however, still reigned supreme, winning four of the five titles with the other three events – women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles – featuring an all-China final.
“It has been a long time coming but is a great feeling to have finally beaten Lin Dan,” said Chong Wei referring to his win over the Chinese at the Swiss Open in March last year.
“But I am sure there will be many more occasions where we will play each other, including the Asian Games (In November) and I have to work even harder to stay on top of my game.”
The win also consolidated the Malaysian’s position as World No 1 as the Japan Open title was the fifth Super Series title for Chong Wei this year to add to the Korea Open, Malaysian Open, All England and Indonesia Open titles. Besides these, he also won the Macau Open and Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold.
In the women’s singles, Jiang Yanjiao beat Wang Xin 23-21, 21-18 while Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang beat Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei 21-17, 21-6 to take the women’s doubles crown.
But there was some consolation for Yunlei as she won the mixed doubles title with Zhang Nan. The Chinese beat compatriots Tao Jiaming-Tian Qing 21-19, 22-20.
The Super Series circuit resumes after the Commonwealth Games with the Denmark Open (26-32 October) and the YONEX French Open (2-7 November).
The season ending Super Series Finals will be played in Chinese Taipei on 5-9 January 2011.
