Lee Chong Wei moved to within one win of his third successive All-England Open title when he edged past an old rival, Lee Hyun-Il 21-19, 21-18, on Saturday to reach the final.
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No men's singles player has achieved that since Rudy Hartono, the Indonesian great 38 years ago, but Lee's movement and ability to respond quickly to changing situations suggest he is well capable of it.
"I was well prepared today, but I have to improve my attacking," the Malaysian champion said. "I woke up with some pain in my hand today - I don't know why - but I managed to play through it all right."
The women's singles defending champion China's Wang Shixian was beaten 20-22, 21-18, 21-18 by her compatriot and world champion Wang Yihan.
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Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
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