INDONESIA OPEN 2016 Finals – 6th Title for Lee Chong Wei

Lee Chong Wei beat Jan O Jorgensen in three games to match Taufik Hidayat and Ardy Wiranata by winning his 6th Indonesia Open title.

By Mathilde Liliana Perada, Badzine Correspondent live in Jakarta.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Lee Chong Wei (pictured) began his match in the Istora Senayan as the former world #1 but he finished as the #1-elect, as his performance this week should see him end Chen Long’s reign at the top.  Lee didn’t play well in the first game.  He lost 17-21 and struggled for the next game to make a history in Indonesia.

The 2014 champion Dane led 19-17 in the second but Lee kept the match going by snatching four points in a row to finish it out 21-19 and send it to a decider.

“Today Jorgensen played very well.  I just tried to focus and I was relaxed and in the beginning I didn’t play so well.  In the second game, when he was leading 19-17, I was preparing myself to lose.  I just wanted to try for each point,” said Lee.

Jorgensen looked like he lost the momentum to win and didn’t play as well as the first game.  He made lots of unforced errors while Lee felt more confident in the last game.  Lee secured one title for Malaysia after taking the deciding game 21-17.

“I’m very happy to win the Indonesia Open for the sixth time.  I hope I can come next year to Indonesia and retain my form,” he added.

Lee also admitted that Jorgensen is one of the toughest opponents in the tournament and that he needs to be wary of him at the Olympics: “Jorgensen played much better today compared to previous matches.  I beat him in Malaysia but he played a better game today.”

Jan Jorgensen (pictured), on the other hand, was very disappointed to have lost the chance to get his second Indonesia Open title:  “I’m very disappointed right now.  I thought that I had the game in my hand and I think should have won it,” said Jorgensen.

“Most if all, credit to him for making an effort when he saw the chance and my weaknesses and I was disappointed from the second game and I couldn’t take the right decision in the end.”

Impressive Tai Tzu Ying

Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying had had a crazy week so far.  Unseeded at the beginning of the event, she managed to beat, back-to-back, home favourite Maria Febe Kusumastuti, then Olympic champion Li Xuerui, then Superseries Finals winner Nozomi Okuhara, then Asian Champion Wang Shixian before she stepped on court on Sunday.

The difference was quite striking when she and Wang Yihan entered the arena.  Wang was focused with a closed face while Tai Tzu Ying was obviously there to enjoy the moment, all smiles, while sending T-shirts to the public as she was making her way in.

It took one game to wear out Wang.  Tai Tzu Ying (pictured bottom) was all over the place, dictating the pace, and points were scored either on her winning shots or her mistakes.  Until 6-all, it was an even game, but the Taiwan player looked much fresher.  After that, Tai was ahead of two or three points most of the game, playing in full confidence, disguising her shots really well.

Wang Yihan (pictured) was obviously tired from her previous matches and the deception from her opponent was just too difficult to read and too tough to reach if she wasn’t on top stamina-wise.  After Tai won the first game 21-17, it was a done deal and the second game was to be a one sided story. Tai won comfortably 21-8, with her usual mix of raging fist in the air and sweet smile after each rally.

With this performance this week – dropping only one game to Okuhara, the Chinese Taipei shuttler enters again the handful of players who will be favourites for a medal in Rio, while on the other side of the net, Wang Yihan was still unsure whether she will participate at all, with her coaches soon to decide which of 5 Chinese shuttlers will get the nod for only 2 Olympic spots.

Final results
WD:  Misaki Matsutomo / Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) [1] beat Tang Yuanting / Yu Yang (CHN) [3]  21-15, 8-21, 21-15
XD:  Xu Chen / Ma Jin (CHN) [5] beat Ko Sung Hyun / Kim Ha Na (KOR) [3]  21-15, 16-21, 21-13
MS:  Lee Chong Wei [2] beat Jan O Jorgensen (DEN) [5]  17-21, 21-19, 21-17
MD:  Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) [1] beat Chai Biao / Hong Wei (CHN) [5]  13-21, 21-13, 21-16
WS:  Tai Tzu Ying (TPE) beat Wang Yihan (CHN) [4]  21-17, 21-8

Click here for complete results