Perseorangan badminton negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei, memuji aksi wakil Taiwan, Chou Tien Chen, tatkala kedua-duanya memberikan saingan mendebarkan dalam aksi separuh akhir Seluruh England, semalam.
Kali terakhir kedua-dua pemain ini bertemu adalah dalam suku akhir Sukan Olimpik Rio 2016, dan ketika itu kemenangan turut menjadi milik Chong Wei.
Namun, pertemuan kali ini menyaksikan Tien Chen memberikan aksi bertenaga sehingga Chong Wei tewas set pertama.
Mengakui ia bukan tugas mudah, Chong Wei bangkit dalam set kedua dan meneruskan momentum dalam set ketiga untuk menempah slot akhir.
"Bagi saya, set pertama, Tien Chen memberikan lawan cukup sengit. Dia mula menyerang sebaik perlawanan dimulakan, saya memang tidak biasa dengan keadaan itu," jelas Chong Wei.
Bagi Tien Chen, dia berbangga dapat memberi saingan terhadap pemain nombor satu dunia itu.
"Permainan saya cukup baik hari ini. Saya bermain sepenuh hati saya, jadi secara keseluruhan saya amat berpuas hati," katanya.
Akur dengan kekalahan tersebut, Tien Chen menganggap itu adalah persembahan terbaiknya sepanjang kempen Kejohanan Seluruh England untuk edisi kali ini.
Kejutan terbesar untuk kejohanan ini menyaksikan penyandang juara perseorangan lelaki, Lin Dan, ditunjukkan jalan keluar selepas tewas mengejut kepada rakan senegara, Shi Yuqi, 22-24, 11-21.
Yuqi berkata :"Sudah semestinya saya rasa gembira kerana dapat melangkah ke perlawanan akhir dan sudah semestinya pasukan saya membawa balik kejayaan, saya rasa prestasi saya agak bagus setakat ini."
Stadium Astro
Sun Mar 12 2017
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