Just a day after revealing the Lee Chong Wei Cup trophy, the Malaysian icon received praise from a former opponent from South America who played against him 10-years ago.
Suriname shuttler Soren Opti, who played Lee at the 2016 Olympics group stage, said playing against Lee was a life-changing experience.
“As a 19-year-old Surinamese badminton player, I had the incredible honor of stepping onto the Olympic stage and playing against one of the greatest players this sport has ever witnessed, Lee Chong Wei.
“Looking back, I realize just how much I’ve evolved since that moment — not only as an athlete, but also as a person. I’m truly grateful for every experience, every challenge, every lesson, and every opportunity that has shaped my journey,” posted Opti on his social media.
In that match, the now 29-year-old shuttler only managed to amass five points against Lee as he lost 2-21, 3-21.
But the match seemed to have such a profound effect on the Opti, who went on to become one of Suriname’s top men’s singles shuttler with six national championships title.
Opti, who also plays in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles, incredibly got a mention from badminton commentator Gillian Clark who commented in that match against Lee.
“You’re right, sport isn’t just a wonderful thing in its own right, it’s also a wonderful medium for personal growth and development as a human being,” said Clark.
Lee, meanwhile, will be busy with his own self-titled tournament which begins at the Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara from Aug 29-Sept 6.
The Lee Chong Wei Cup will offer a RM100,000 lucrative prize purse, and also feature the 15x3 scoring format that will make its debut at the BWF World Tour next year.
