CHONG WEI EXCELS AGAINST AXELSEN AT MALAYSIAN OPEN
Malaysian downs world champ for a second time
THERE was no epic battle between 11-time champion Lee Chong Wei and world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen. Instead it was quite a mismatch.
The 35-year-old Chong Wei flexed his muscles to crush the reigning world champion from Denmark 21-17, 21-9 to reach his 10th straight semi-finals in the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Open yesterday.
He will take on Indonesia’s former world No. 3 Tommy Sugiarto in the last four in a rematch of the 2014 Malaysian Open final.
Chong Wei certainly did not look like a player who is nine years older than his rival yesterday – as he was determined, faster and lunged for every opportunity to slam down a winner.
The opening game was tight but the second was a forgone conclusion after Chong Wei raced to a 11-6 lead. There was no turning back after that as he trooped home for a comfortable win.
But Chong Wei was modest in his victory.
“It wasn’t as easy as the score suggested. I had to fight hard for the first eight points before he finally threw in the towel,” said Chong Wei.
“I took advantage to break away when he struggled and told myself not to give him any chance to come back.”
Chong Wei was satisfied to have claimed his second straight win over Axelsen, having also beaten him during the Thomas Cup group stage in Bangkok, Thailand, last month.
The win extended Chong Wei’s brilliant head- to- head record against Axelsen to 11-3.
“He’s the world No. 1, the man to beat. I see myself as the challenger,” he said.
“After going on a three-match losing streak (before the win in Thomas Cup), I told myself that I must find a way to overcome him. The coaches and I analysed his game extensively and that led to my back-to-back win.”
Axelsen admitted Chong Wei was superior at home.
“I’ve no excuses. I’ve lost to a better player today,” said the 24-yearold.
On paper, Chong Wei is expected to bulldoze past Tommy, a rival he has beaten in all their previous 16 encounters.
But Chong Wei believes a rejuvenated Tommy, who won the Thailand Masters in January, will be out to prove a point.
“I’m not going to take him lightly. I have to play my best again to beat him,” he said.
Kento Momota of Japan made clear of his intent to spoil Chong Wei’s party at this year’s edition when he powered into the last four with a convincing 21-19, 21-11 win over Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen to set up a meeting against India’s K. Srikanth.