That’s right folks, 2016 Olympics champion Chen Long from China has suffered a shocking exit from the 2017 All England badminton championship.
The two-time world champion lost to Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk during the second round fixture yesterday.
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, who is ranked world number 12, defeated the reigning world champion 21-16, 21-19.
Chen Long endured a tough battle against his Thai rival. After losing the first round, Chen Long tried to make a comeback in the second round of the match. Chen Long managed to bridge the gap between their scores as both shuttlers were up at 19-19 in the second game. However, Chen Long failed to keep the momentum going, and the victory was Tanongsak’s.
“Every player wants to win this title and I did too,” said Chen Long after the match. “My ambition is to get back my form.”
Chen Long’s exit is a major upset for China but could be a major boost for Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who lost to the 28-year-old during the 2016 Rio Olympics finals in the mens’ singles category.
However, Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s arch rival, Lin Dan, is still going strong in the tournament. Lin Dan showed no mercy and proved his prowess as he destroyed his opponent Huang Yuxiang with a 21-16, 21-11 win.
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