BIRMINGHAm: Lee Chong Wei produced one of his finest performances despite an ankle problem to regain the All-England Open title doing so with an impressively emphatic straight games win over Chen Long in Birmingham yesterday.
The world number one from Malaysia beat the titleholder from China 21-13, 21-18 — revenge for his loss to Chen in the final last year — for his third All-England trophy and then admitted he may not be back to try and win a fourth title.
The variety of the 31-year-old’s game was often mesmerising, and his focus was steely enough to resist determined second-game fight-backs by Chen from 4-10 to 9-10 and from 13-18 to 17-18 and to within the width of the net tape of getting to 18-all.
Lee, however, said he may not be back — not because he is retiring but because this tournament has underlined that preserving his body for another Olympic bid has become increasingly problematic.
“I didn’t know how well I would be able to play, but I feel very happy with what I did,” Lee said.
“I had this injury before I came here and I just relaxed because I think it maybe my last time.
“I think I did my best. Now I want to go home and talk with my coach (Rashid Sidek, a former All-England finalist) and go back to doing some rehab.”
AFP
