Call it luck or fate, but the fact remains that Lee Chong Wei, one of the legends of badminton, continues to be without either the World Championships title or the Olympic gold medal
Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei returns to France's Brice Leverdez during their first round encounter in Glasgow yesterday
Call it luck or fate, but the fact remains that Lee Chong Wei, one of the legends of badminton, continues to be without either the World Championships title or the Olympic gold medal. Yesterday, pitted against a 31st-ranked Frenchman Brice Leverdez, Chong Wei, No. 2 in the world, crashed out 21-19, 22-24, 21-17. Before yesterday, Chong Wei's record against Leverdez was 7-1.
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Retirement plans?
Chong Wei put his retirement to rest after the Rio Olympics last year to target a 10th World Championships and add that elusive gold to his cabinet. He even convinced his former coach Misbun Sidek to return after six years to help him realise his dream, just as he did in 2006 to make made him No. 1.
France's Brice Leverdez is ecstatic after beating former World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei
After his first loss in the first round in 10 World Championships and the first to an unseeded player, Chong Wei said: "I put more pressure on myself and I made a lot of mistakes. I tried my best and he got lucky on a few points. I'm very disappointed."
A little later, meeting the media, he threw a bombshell. Asked if he still carried the dream of Olympics and World Championships, he added: "I don't know. Maybe I will I announce my retirement tomorrow. Right now my brain can't think about anything." He used the word retirement twice, but each time he smiled, as if to say, "Keep guessing."
Two months away from his 35th birthday, Chong Wei, with more than 60 titles around the world must be finding it hard to keep going. "I tried my best. I was even leading 15-10 in the third, but he played well." He also said that the loss to Leverdez in the 2016 Denmark Open did not play on his mind. "I beat him in the All England this year," he said. Chong Wei was runner-up at the 2011, 2013 and 2015 Worlds Championships. In 2014, he reached the final and lost to Chen Long, but was retrospectively disqualified as he was handed an eight-month ban for doping. He lost three Olympic finals — in 2008 (to Lin Dan), 2012 (Lin Dan) and 2016 (Chen Long).
Close encounter
Chong Wei lost the first game and then saved two match points in the second game, before sending the clash into a decider. He then led 15-10 before the Frenchman, whose best title win to-date has also come in Scotland in 2013, rallied to win the final game 21-17.
Chong Wei admitted to nervousness and was outplayed at the net for most of the 75-minute match. He led 19-18 in the first game but lost it with three consecutive unforced errors.
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