GUANGZHOU: World number one Lee Chong Wei will face Chinese superstar Lin Dan in the World Championships final today that fans were hoping for, after a tense three-game victory in Guangzhou.
The Malaysian lost the first game of his semi-final yesterday against Du Pengyu in the southern Chinese city, sending shots out and into the net in a tentative start.
He clawed his way back from an 11-5 deficit but China’s Du, ranked third, found answers to Lee’s returns and raised the roof of the Tianhe gymnasium when he took the first 22-20.
Lee, who has never won a world title, came out fighting in the second, leaping around the court, combining powerful smashes and delicate drop shots, with Du struggling to keep up. While Du fought hard in the third, Lee went on to take it 21-15 setting up a showdown with arch rival Lin, who beat him at the previous World Championships and in the last two Olympic finals.
“I was not nervous, the problem was that Du Pengyu had prepared very well for the match, especially for the first game. Whatever I gave the shot, he could always return it,” said 30-year-old Lee.
Lin, 29, widely regarded as badminton’s best ever player, took on seventh seed Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam in his semi-final.
Back on court after almost a year on the sidelines to spend time with his family, Lin slipped behind in the first game after misjudging Nguyen’s early returns and was error-prone throughout the match.
But as it progressed he injected pace with jump smashes and unreachable shots down the line, taking a 21-17, 21-15 victory.
“I haven’t really played any world level matches over the past year and it’s unbelievable that I’ve got into the finals,” Lin said.
The women’s singles will see top seed Li Xuerui of China take on Thai 18-year-old Ratchanok Intanon, who outplayed fellow teen PV Sindhu in their semi-final.
Li strolled to a 21-5, 21-11 win against Bae Yeon-Ju of Korea while India’s Sindhu was unable to cope with Ratchanok’s power and precision, losing 10-21, 13-21.
“If I win tomorrow it will make history for Thailand because we have only ever reached the semi-finals,” Ratchanok said after her match. AFP
