KUCHING: The much awaited showdown between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan is on at the Malaysian Open final.
On Saturday, Chong Wei crushed Vincent Wong Wing Ki of Hong Kong 21-12, 21-9 in 39 minutes to reach the final at the full-house Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya.
Lin Dan turned on the power to beat Son Wan-ho of South Korea 27-25, 19-21, 21-16 in an energy-sapping one hour and 24 minutes match to make the final.
It will be a repeat of another final at the same venue after 11 years. In 2006, Chong Wei bounced back from a 13-20 deficit to beat Lin Dan for the Malaysian Open title then.
The 11-time Malaysian Open champion Chong Wei said he would go all out for a grand finish.
"Lin Dan and I are back at the same stadium after 11 years... and in the final again. It's our first final since the Olympic Games in Rio," he said.
"I'm not the only one who has been waiting for this but the fans all over the world too... it'll be a good show.
"Lin Dan is in good form here but I'll give my best to win my 12th Malaysian Open title," added the 34-year-old Chong Wei.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Men's singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Son Wan-ho (Kor) 27-25, 19-21, 21-16; Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Vincent Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) ....
Men's doubles: Fu Haifeng-Zheng Siwei (Chn) bt Chai Biao-Hong Wei (Chn) 17-21, 21-14, 21-19.
Women's singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Tpe) bt Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) 20-22, 21-13, 21-12.
Women's doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) bt Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-18, 21-19; Huang Yaqiong-Tang Jinhua (Chn) bt Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) 22-20, 18-21, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) bt Zhang Nan-Li Yinhui (Chn) 21-19, 21-14; Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) bt Tontowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) 21-8, 21-16.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/badminton/2017/04/08/chong-wei-to-meet-lin-dan-in-epic-final/#GkWScu9tOh8ICQcR.99
