Lin Dan says he’s not bothered by injury scare in US Open

Full stretch: China’s Lin Dan in action during a training session at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

IT would be a folly to believe what they say about Lin Dan.

Instead, see for yourself how the five-time world champion of China is getting along at the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Open, following his injury scare two weeks ago at the US Open.

Then, he conceded his first round match to South Korea’s Lee Dong-keun. Lin Dan, the world No. 8 lost 13-21, 12-19 (retired).

Yesterday, Super Dan seems to be untroubled by the injury during a training session and apparently is eyeing to retain his men’s singles crown when the tournament gets under way today.

“I strained my muscle in the US. But I’m okay now ... getting better,” said Lin Dan in a brief reply as he humbly refused interview with the press ahead of the Malaysian Open.

Last year, Lin Dan dethroned Chong Wei to nail his first-ever Malaysian Open title in Kuching. He pulled off a 21-19, 21-14 win in a 55-minute thriller.

The win buried Lin Dan’s elusive chase for the Malaysian title for 12 years.

His most painful defeat at the Malaysian Open was in 2006 when he allowed Chong Wei to make one of the greatest comebacks. He was leading 20-13 in the third game and the fans were starting to leave the stadium when Chong Wei came back from the brink to pull off a 21-8, 18-21, 23-21 win for the title.

Archrivals Lin Dan and Chong Wei are in the same half in this year’s edition and a mouth-watering semi-final clash is on the cards if both players can successfully negotiate their way through the early rounds.

Unseeded Lin Dan will open his title defence against Hong Kong’s Vincent Wong Wing Ki today. His next two matches could be tricky as compatriots Shi Yuqi and Chen Long may most likely be his opponents.

Lin Dan may meet third seed and All-England champion Shi Yuqi in the second round and if he wins, Chen Long awaits him in the quarter-finals.

Seventh seed Chong Wei has a tricky opening match against Kazumasa Sakai of Japan.

The Malaysian has beaten the Japanese in all the last four meetings but it will be unwise to underestimate the world No. 30 Sakai, who has beaten Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Son Wan-ho of South Korea en route to reaching the final of the Indonesian Masters in January this year.