Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia hits the shuttlecock during his match against Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark in the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open Super Series in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. (Reuters)

 

AFP/Kuala Lumpur

World number one Lee Chong Wei was a match away from the men’s singles crown at the Malaysia Open after Jan O Jorgensen pulled out of the semi-finals with an injury yesterday.

The Danish shuttler suffered a muscle injury midway through the first game, aggravating an earlier injury sustained last month after the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Superseries Finals.

He called for the on-court doctor at the end of the game and tried to continue playing, but was forced to retire when 3-0 down in the second due to the pain.

“I only had 14 days of training before flying off to the Korea Open last week. It’s a muscle injury and it has been acting up the last couple of days,” said the world number three. “I tried to carry on, but the pain was too much.”

Lee said he initially thought Jorgensen was pulling a fast one when he called for the doctor.

“I didn’t expect him to retire and thought he was trying to play mind tricks,” said the Malaysian ace, who will meet Indonesia’s Tommy Sugiarto in tomorow’s final in front of his home crowd. “I don’t feel any extra pressure going for my 10th title. I will not underestimate Tommy even though I have never lost to him.”

The final will be a rematch of the BWF World Superseries Finals men’s singles gold medal match which Lee won 21-12, 21-10.

Tommy had a surprisingly easy victory over Japan’s Kenichi Tago, winning 21-13, 21-18.

The turning point came when Tommy’s return at the net hit Tago in the face and the fifth seed took offence, even though Tommy immediately apologised.

“I don’t know why he reacted the way he did. We are good friends off the court and I didn’t mean to hit him. He lost his cool and I took advantage to win,” explained Tommy.

Meanwhile, China are assured of winning the women’s singles crown and are also in with the chance to win three other crowns.

Olympic champion Li Xuerui will take on former world champion Shixian Wang for the women’s singles title after brushing aide teammate Yao Xue 21-17, 21-8.

Wang Shixian, the winner in Malayia two years ago, crushed South Korean Bae Yeon-Ju 21-9, 21-16.

The other Chinese shuttlers in the finals are Chai Biao-Hong Wei (men’s doubles), Bao Yixin-Tang Jinhua (women’s doubles) and Xu Chen-Ma Jin (mixed doubles).

 

Semi-final results

Men’s singles: 1-Lee Chong Wei (MAS) bt 3-Jan O Jorgensen (DEN) 21-13, 3-0 rtd; 4-Tommy Sugiarto (INA) bt 5-Kenichi Tago (JPN) 21-13, 21-18

Men’s doubles: Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah (MAS) bt Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra (INA) 23-25, 21-13, 22-20; Chai Biao-Hong Wei (CHN) bt Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa (JPN x6) 21-12, 21-12

Women’s singles: 2-Shixian Wang (CHN) bt 6-Bae Yeon Ju (KOR) 21-9, 21-16; 1-Li Xuerui (CHN) bt Yao Xue (CHN) 21-17, 21-8

Women’s doubles: 3-Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) bt Reika Kakiiwa-Miyuki Maeda (JPN) 23-25, 21-15, 21-13; 5-Bao Yixin-Tang Jinhua (CHN) bt 2-Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (DEN) 21-13, 21-11

Mixed doubles: 4-Xu Chen-Ma Jin (CHN) bt 2-Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (INA) 21-14, 21-13; 3-Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (DEN x3) bt 1-Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (CHN) 21-10, 21-12