Lee Chong Wei aces Japan Open test

Malaysian badminton star wins title for a record fifth-time.

TOKYO: World number one badminton player Lee Chong Wei put his heartbreak over Malaysia’s narrow defeat in the Thomas Cup behind him on Sunday to win the Japan Open for a record-stretching fifth time.

The 31-year-old Malaysian took only 35 minutes to stop Hong Kong’s veteran Hu Yun 21-14, 21-12 in the men’s final and lift the title for the third straight year.

In the Thomas Cup final three weeks ago, Lee beat Kenichi Tago but Malaysia allowed Japan to lift their first ever men’s team championship by 3-2. His badminton-crazy country had aimed for a first Thomas Cup victory in 22 years.

“I was depressed for two or three days after losing the close game,” said Lee.

“I was unable to have solid training and came here in a very bad condition.”

In the women’s final, China’s Olympic champion Li Xuerui struggled in the first game but regained composure to beat Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying 21-16, 21-6. Playing in her first Japan Open, Li scored her second victory in the 12-leg World Superseries so far this year. She has taken the Malaysia Open but finished runner-up in three other events.

“I had to refocus myself after I struggled to take the first game,” said Li. “My opponent probably became desperate after dropping the hard-fought first game. The second one went very smoothly for me.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2014.

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