His success prevented China from making a clean sweep of titles for a third consecutive time this season in international tournaments after the world championships in Paris last month and in the China Masters last week.
Wow now we have 2 world no 1 champions in our lovely country. Ratu Squash and Raja Badminton. Hopefully the number will increase as their success stories get others inspired.
Article from NST Online
LEE Chong Wei continued his run of good form in the Super Series when he upstaged nemesis Lin Dan of China to lift the Japan Open singles title in Tokyo yesterday.
Chong Wei, the top seed and World No 1, needed 80 minutes to secure a 22-20, 16-21, 21-17 win and a second Japan Open crown. He also made amends for the tame defeat in the Thomas Cup semi-finals against the Olympic champion in May.
However, men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong found the going tough again when they fell 18-21, 21-14, 21-12 in 46 minutes to China's three-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng.
The men's singles final lived up to its hype as Chong Wei and Lin Dan matched each other stroke for stroke and smash for smash with the Malaysian finding that extra bit to secure the title.
Chong Wei's performance also ended all speculation regarding his back injury, and to underline that fact, he announced he was going for gold in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next month and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.
"This is my second Japan Open title. I targeted to win the All England and the Japan Open, so I'm very happy that I won both of them," said Chong Wei.
On his strategy in the rubber, Chong Wei said: "I changed the rhythm in the final game and increased the speed of the shuttle to lead 11-7. I didn't rush too much when he (Lin Dan) started to catch up and I tried to keep attacking at my own pace."
Chong Wei added: "I couldn't play well in the Thomas Cup and I suffered an injury in Paris during the World Championships, but now that I am fit again I'm going to aim for glory at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games."
It was Chong Wei's seventh title of the year and his fifth Super Series crown after winning the Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia Opens as well as the All England.
He also captured two grand prix gold titles -- Malaysia and Macau -- this year and will be looking forward to increase his tally.
Winning the Commonwealth Games gold should be a formality for Chong Wei due to a weak field but the real challenge will come in the Asian Games where Lin Dan will enjoy huge home crowd support as he bids to clinch the only major crown which has eluded him.
Unseeded Jiang Yanjiao, who eliminated fellow China players Lu Lan and Wang Shixian on her way to the final, shocked another compatriot, World No 1 Wang Xin 23-21, 21-18 to claim the women's singles title.
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