Chong Wei makes flying start in Dubai

KUALA LUMPUR: World number two player, Datuk Lee Chong Wei made a flying start by beating Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong in the World Super Series Finals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), today.
Age does not seem to slow down the 35-year-old who took only 40 minutes to win in straight sets, 21-14, 21,13, thus avenging his loss to Angus in the China Open Badminton Championship last month.
Chong Wei will face Son Wan Ho of South Korea in another Group A match after Chen Long of China, the world number five player and Rio Olympic Games gold medallist, withdrew due to injury.
Chen Long's exit means that Chong Wei has a clear route to the semi-finals of the tournament which offers total cash prizes of US$1 million (about RM4.09 million).
Based on the format, only the group champions and runners get to advance to the next stage.
In Group B, Shi Yuqi of China beat Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan, 21-19, 21-17 while another match will involve world number one player, Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and K. Srikanth of India.
For the record, Chong Wei has won the Super Series Finals four times, in 2008,2009,2010 and 2013.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian pair of Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing failed to keep the winning momentum, losing to Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China, 12-21, 11-21, in a mixed doubles Group B match.
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing will face Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia and Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock of England in group matches. — Bernama