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Badminton: Chong Wei Is Champion Again

JAKARTA, June 26 (Bernama)-- Another match, another victory and Datuk Lee Chong Wei is the winner of the men singles crown at the Indonesian Open at the Istora Senayan here Sunday.

A comprehensive 21-11,21-7 win over Denmark's Peter Gade in the final has given Chong Wei his third title in a row and an accomplishment which will go down in the history books of the Indonesian Badminton Open.

After all he is the first non-Indonesian to have won the men's singles crown for the third consecutive time to take his rightful place alongside local heroes like Ardy Wiranata and Taufik Hidayat who had achieved a similiar feat.

For Chong Wei, title No 3 was easy. Too easy in fact as Gade's challenge collapsed totally in the face of some speedy attacking play from the world No 1.

"Rarely you see Peter (Gade) give up on the court. But today it was a rare occasion to see him doing so. I have so much respect for him as a fighter on the court. He never gives up whatever the score," said Chong Wei.

In fact, at 11-4 in the second game after Chong Wei had taken the first game at 21-11, The signs were so clear that Gade was no longer in the hunt as Chong Wei reeled off eight straight points to come within sight of victory.

And when the end came, it was more of a relief for the 34-year old Gade ending the total humiliation he had to endure at the hands of Chong Wei.

"I could do nothing more against him today. With his variation of shots and his speed, I just had no answer. Chong Wei was just too good for me," said Gade after the match.

The Super Series takes a break giving the shuttlers a breather before the World Championship in London in August but Chong Wei knows the Chinese are watching him closely.

Six of their best men's singles players were here but none made it to the final, including their reigning Olympic champion Lin Dan.

The Chinese cameras were mounted on the four corners of the Istora Senayan each time Chong Wei is in action and the Malaysian camp is aware of it.

The whole world is watching Chong Wei. He is the man to beat and at the 2011 Indonesian Open no one could come close to him, earning the Malaysian No 1 the US$45,000 (RM136,822) winner's cheque.

But the Chinese did enjoy their moments of glory too at the championship winning the men's doubles and also the women' doubles.

Their former world champion Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng beat teammate Chan Biao and Guo Zhengdong 21-13,21-12 to win the men's doubles while the combination of Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang picked up the women's doubles title with a 21-12,21-10 win over Vita Marissa and Nadya Melati.

-- BERNAMA

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