Chong Wei refuses to be condemned as the eternal second

Chen Long (right) and Lee Chong Wei on the podium at the World Championships in Jakarta. - AFP

JAKARTA: Forever a runner-up?

That’s what Lee Chong Wei must have felt when he ended his ninth campaign at the World Badminton Championships with his head hung low.

Once again, he was left singing the blues – for the fourth time – when the mighty Chen Long outplayed the Malaysian to defend the men’s singles title with an awesome 21-14, 21-17 win in a 65-minute final at the Istora Senayan in Indonesia.

Chong Wei finished with silver medals from 2011 (London) and 2013 (Guangzhou) championships. He had his silver medal stripped from the 2014 edition in Copenhagen after tested positive for dexamethasone.

When Chong Wei took the first point, it looked as though a closely-contested match was on the cards.

But Chen Long never really gave Chong Wei the time or room to settle down as he was superior in attack, defence and even controlled the game at the net.

Hardly making any mistakes, Chen Long grew confident and continued to torment Chong Wei to win 21-14.

In the second game, Chong Wei tried every trick in the book to break Chen Long’s dominant play but, unfortunately, nothing worked for him.

And it did not help that Chong Wei added to his own misery by making unforced errors to blow away his chance of becoming Malaysia’s first world badminton champion.

Chong Wei took his 12th defeat to the Chinese in his stride.

“I lost to an extraordinary player today. Chen Long was faster ... I could see the shuttles flying past me. He was in top form,” said Chong Wei, who also lost in similar fashion to Chen Long at the last year’s final in Copenhagen.

“I tried to increase my pace. I tried to attack, but all was not working. Once again, I have failed to fulfil my dream to become a world champion. It is disappointing.

“Those who watched the match today must have been disappointed as well. They ought to. It was not my best performance.”

Asked whether he would compete in the next World Championships in 2017, the 32-year-old Chong Wei said: “Honestly, I don’t know. If I stay injury free, why not. It all depends on my condition.”

Although disappointed, the two-time Olympic silver medallist has promised to bounce back. He now sets his eyes on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“No matter what I will not give up. I will come back stronger for the Olympics. I am not stopping. I am going to try again,” said Chong Wei.

“I have changed my game to counter Chen Long but it did not work today. I will change again and again until I get him,” added Chong Wei, who only returned to action in May after serving an eight-month ban for the positive dope test.