World No. 1 singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei has always faced Lin Dan of China across the net, but on Sunday the two greatest players will do the unthinkable and team up in men’s doubles to promote the sport.
On Monday, Lee Chong Wei said he looked forward to playing alongside Lin Dan in an exhibition match on February 16 in Lingshui, China. The match will coincide with the opening of a new national training centre in the province. To make it more compelling, the pair will take on Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, both former world champions from China.
The exhibition also marks the first time Lin Dan will appear before his fans since he beat Lee Chong Wei in the final of the World Championships in Guangzhou last August.
“I received an invitation from China’s chief coach Li Yongbo to take part in this exhibition match. I was surprised that he wanted me to play with Lin Dan in the doubles. I have not played doubles before, but this is a good idea to promote the game and will be good for the sport,” said the 31-year-old Lee Chong Wei.
Originally, Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei were set to face Cai Yun and Chen Long. However, Chen Long could not make it, so the pair will now face Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.
“There are three Chinese players and one Malaysian in this exhibition match, and it is an honour. I will do whatever I can to promote the sport wherever possible,” he said.
He added with a smile, “Maybe the experience of playing in an exhibition match like this will get me excited, and I may reconsider any plan I have of retiring from the sport.”
Training Centre Concerns at Home
Lee Chong Wei noted that training centres in China are mushrooming, but Malaysia still lacks one it can proudly call its own. Some training centres in the states, he said, are in deplorable condition.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has planned to build a new state-of-the-art training centre for some time, but the project remains a grand scheme on paper.
Lin Dan’s Return and a Possible Rematch
When asked about Lin Dan’s comeback after six months away, and the possibility of the two meeting at the World Championships in Copenhagen in August, Lee Chong Wei’s face lit up.
“I heard that he is coming back in March. I think it is good for the sport. I will be ready for him. I will train harder and prepare better to face him. Lin Dan is a great and strong player.”
Lee Chong Wei will compete in the All-England from March 4 to 9 in Birmingham. Lin Dan, ranked world No. 104, is likely to return at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold from March 11 to 16 and possibly at the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold in Johor Baru from March 25 to 30. He may also play in the two Superseries events in India and Singapore to collect quick ranking points before the qualifying period ends in May.
Club Success in Indonesia
Lee Chong Wei also celebrated his team’s success. Musica Flypower Champion defended its title in the Indonesia Super League (ISL) in Surabaya on Sunday. He had played twice during the group ties.
“At first, I had no plans to play in ISL because I wanted to spend my first Chinese New Year with my wife (Wong Mew Choo) and my son. But the owner of the club is a good friend of mine, and after much coaxing, I relented. He told me to play for fun, but how can I play for fun?
“I resumed training on the second day of Chinese New Year to prepare for the league, although I committed to play in two group ties. It was a small sacrifice from my side to promote the game,” added Lee Chong Wei.