I got you again. Wei Nan of Hong Kong defeats Chong Wei in the second round of the Indian Open. - M. AZHAR ARIF/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Lee Chong Wei’s Olympic gold medal credentials have taken another severe beating after he made an embarrassing second-round exit at the Indian Open.
The world No. 3, who is looking to bounce back from a shocking first-round loss to unheralded B. Sai Praneeth at the All-England two weeks ago, was humbled again – this time by Hong Kong’s Wei Nan – at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Top seed Chong Wei, a three-time winner in New Delhi, lost 19-21, 19-21 in 42 minutes.
It was his second straight defeat to world No. 14 Wei Nan, having gone down to the Hong Kong shuttler in the second round of the Denmark Open last October.
Chong Wei wasn’t the only big-name casualty, though.
His fierce contenders at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics – world No. 2 Lin Dan and world No. 5 Jan O Jorgensen – also bit the dust.
Luckily Malaysia’s challenge in the third Superseries event of the year is still very much alive after men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong checked into the quarter-finals.
The world No. 14 powered past China’s Wang Yilyu-Zhang Wen 21-18, 21-16 in 33 minutes to set up a last-eight clash against fourth seeds Mads Pieler Kolding-Mads Conrad Petersen of Denmark.
“We played really well ... we’re pleased to have met our quarter-final target. With the pressure now off us, Wee Kiong and I are looking forward to going as far as we can,” said V Shem.
Kolding-Petersen were also equally impressive in their 21-14, 21-17 win over Thailand’s Bodin Issara-Nipitphon Puangpuapech in the other second round encounter.
Malaysia’s independent partnership of Hoon Thien How-Teo Kok Siang found fifth seeds Ko Sung-hyun-Shin Baek-cheol too hot to handle and went down 19-21, 13-21.
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