Lee Chong-Lin Dan, 40th meet at the All England Open 2018

Legend Lee Chong Wei powered his way to the quarters to meet another legend Lin Dan at the All England Open Championships 2018 in Birmingham.

The defending champion ousted Lee Dong Keun of South Korea with 21-6, 13-21, 21-18 in the weary 64-minute second round event on Thursday.

In the opening game, Lee got past Dong thrashing with 21-6 in no time, but couldn’t control the stride and lost in the second game, to drag the match into the decider.

In the final game, Lee Dong was not willing to let go and managed to level the 35-year-old Chong Wei. When the second seed Chong took a commanding 16-12 lead, the Korean crept back into the game to level with 17-17. The four time All England champion proved the worth of winning the title.

“I just kept winning the crucial rallies. I had nothing to lose, just kept fighting,” said Lee Chong Wei.  

Lee Chong will face his long time nemesis Lin Dan, the six-time title winner, at the 40th meet in the quarter final match in Birmingham.

The five-time World champion Lin defeated Wang Tzu-Wei from Taiwan with 21-13, 23-21 in another men’s singles match of the second round and secured the berth for the battle with Chong Wei.

Chong, who won 12 of out their 39 meetings, said, “We both are old shuttlers. The match would be the fight until the end.”