All England 2012 Final: Injury forces Lee Chong Wei to Retire Game!

Dato Lee Chong Wei was forced to retire in his match at the All-England 2012 final. His rival, Lin Dan, was crowned the All England champion.

It was a great disappointment for Malaysian badminton fans. Dato Lee Chong Wei chose to play at the All England final although he was advised NOT to compete due to a shoulder injury.

His determination to stay on the match earned respect and support from the entire crowd.

Lee Chong Wei had to call it a day during the second game at 6-2. The All England 2012 final match ended at 21-19, 6-2.

Concerns Among Malaysian Fans

Prior to the All England 2012 final match, no one knew how bad the world no.1’s shoulder injury was.

With heavy strapping on his racket arm, it was obvious that his right shoulder was injured.

It seems that Lee Chong Wei’s injury was not a minor one because the tournament doctor was summoned 3 times during the match to provide treatment.

Handicapped: Lee Chong Wei’s Strategy

Prior to his All England final match, Lee Chong Wei decided to play on despite being told that he shouldn’t.

He played strategically.

Lee never hit a single powerful smash!

He went for acute angle smashes, rather than power. He played more defensively as he could not launch quick attacks with his shoulder injury.

From a technical point of view, he hit high defensive clears, giving himself more time to recover from a strong defensive stance.

This strategy of hitting high clears slowed down the pace of the game and prevented Lin Dan’s explosive attacks.

It was an excellent strategy by Lee Chong Wei.

Although there were clear chances to finish off rallies with a powerful smash, he still went for accuracy, placing his shots at sharp angles.

It was clear that he did not want to worsen his injury.

Respect for Dato Lee Chong Wei’s Determination

Lee Chong Wei’s attitude and respect for badminton is worth admiring.

Given similar situations, other badminton players would have walked over before the match even started.

The world no.1 not only decided to play on until the very last minute, he even formulated a strategy to try to win the All England title despite his injury!

Hats off to Dato Lee Chong Wei!