World No 1 Lee Chong Wei’s quest for his fifth World Super Series crown got off to a shocking start when he suffered an early defeat to South Korea’s Son Wan Ho in the first Group B match in Dubai on Wednesday.
Chong Wei, playing in his first tournament since the Denmark Open in October went down tamely 21-10, 21-16 in just 38 minutes to Wan Ho, who is also the tournament’s second seed.
Chong Wei, 34, revealed he was not in his best condition, allowing the South Korean to pressure him into making too many mistakes.
“I wasn’t in my best condition and I wasn’t really feeling it on court. I made too many mistakes in the first game, allowing Wan Ho to walk away with an easy win.
“I tried to catch up in the second game. It was point for point but it was a bit too late for me. It’s okay I still have a few more matches to go,” said Chong Wei who plays Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long on Thursday.
Meanwhile, men’s doubles World No 1 Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong received a walkover from Denmark’s Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen who had to pull out after Boe fell sick at the eleventh hour.
The Malaysians play China’s Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen next.
In the women’s doubles, Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei who got a last minute ticket to Dubai, went down 21-7, 21-17 to Denmark’s Kamilla Rytter Juhl-Christinna Pedersen in Group B.
They will take on South Korea’s Jung Kyung Eun-Shin Seung Chan in their second group tie on Thursday.