Chen Long ousts Lee Hyun Il to lift Men’s Singles title at the Thailand Open GP Gold
China’s impressive shuttler, Chen Long, has dashed the hopes of Korea’s Lee Hyun Il by beating him in the Men’s Singles final of the 2011 Thailand Open GP Gold, at Bangkok, on Sunday, June 12.
The World Number Four and top seed of the event, Chen clinched the match in straight-sets against the experienced Korean, who thrashed the ruling World Champion, Chen Jin of China, in the semi-final of the championship.
The final showdown between the Chinese and the Korean was not that thrilling, as Chen Long was dominant throughout the whole match. Long proved that he is the best shuttler in China after Lin Dan, who is currently the World Number Two spot holder.
In the opening game, both players kept the pace of the game at a high level and played superbly, with powerful smashes and incredible defensive strokes. As the match progressed, the Chinese started to dominate the game and reached 11-5 in the first-half
of the game. Lee Hyun was defensive, which allowed his opponent to hit more smashes.
Chen long finished the opening set with ease, as he faced no resistance of any sort in the entire set from the Korean. He spent only 16 minutes to finish the game by a stunning difference of 21-8.
In the second set, Lee Hyun elevated his game and matched the speed of the Chinese shuttler. The Korean planned to keep the shuttlecock parallel to the net, to put his opponent in a defensive position. An exchange of long rallies increased the excitement
of the packed indoor stadium.
The score was tied at 14-14, when the Chinese increased his speed towards the front court to play spinning net shots. His strategy worked well, as the Korean had to return the bird by hitting it high in the air, which allowed the Chinese to execute powerful
and steep smashes.
Chen Long took 29 minutes of top-class badminton to win the second game by a 21-19 difference. The final showdown ended in 45-minutes, with a 21-8 and 21-19 margin.
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