Everybody knows Lee YB has an enemy who is MAS's singles coach Li Mao. Actually, LYB has many enemies, and Hong Kong's Wang Chen was one of the other. To survive in China's national team, player has to obey all the time and kiss coaches ass. Wang Chen soared to the 3rd ranked in the world soon after turning pro. But Lee YB picked others to play U-cup and other important championships. Unlike other obedient players, Wang Chen chose to fight back for her own rights. Finally she's fired by LYB, but fortunately found a place in Hong Kong to continue her career, unlike most other players, totally disappeared if fired by LYB. From that time, one of LYB's mainly tasks in the tournaments has been to prevent Wang Chen winning. Like LYB did everything prevents Li Mao's winning. This got very heated in China national championship, in which Wang Chen finally boycotted the match, and vowed never play in mainland China again. Now this time at Doha, I already felt that Wang Chen had prepared well to do her revenge, even Lee YB never noticed that. No one else except me here in this forum predicted Wang Chen could win. When LYB fired Wang Chen when she's at her peak time, LYB said she's not good enough, but now, even she's over 30 years old, can still beat LYB's protege in straight sets. What a revenge! Well done Wang Chen, you deserve it!
Thanks for letting us know the history between Wang Chen and LYB. When we think about it, LYB still has the last laugh. During the 7 years that Wang Chen represented HK, she usually loses badly when playing against Zhou Mi, Gong Zhichao, and XXF (she beat XXF this time, but she usually loses to her badly). She does do well against Gong Ruina and Dai Yun, but Wang Chen has never won any touranment when China's top player are also playing in them. Assuming Wang Chen beats Yip Pui Yin tomorrow (sorry Yip Pui Yin. Don't mean to look down upon you. You played very well to reach the finals, and I hope you do very well tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I'll be cheering for you), this will only be Wang Chen's first Champion where she has to face the great walls of China. Wang chen may have won this battle by beating XXF in the semi's, but LYB's players have beaten Wang Chen so many times in the past 7 years. Unless Wang Chen constantly break the Great Walls of China in the new few tournaments, LYB is still winning the war and Wang Chen hasn't truly gotton her revenge yet. Separate question: Do you know whether Xu Huiwen, Pi Hongyan, and Yao Jie treated the same way that Wang Chen was being treated? Also, you mentioned that LYB will pick others to win champions. In the 2001 World Championship, is there any evidence that LYB ordered Gong Zhichao to lose to Gong Ruina? It's hard to believe that Gong Zhichao would lose to anyone given the way how she has dominated Camilla Martin 11-1, 11-0 in the Sudirman Cup just a few days earlier.
Exactly as you said, Wang Chen didn't deliver good results until this AG. LYB beat her badly for the last 7 years. But last year, these two LYB and Wang Chen got much more hostile to each other when playing at Kunshang, China, in the match between Wang Chen and Jiang YJ. Now no matter Wang Chen win or lose tomorrow, she and her teammate has already shut LYB totally down! That's the first time victory, that's the revenge I'm talking about. For your question, I don't think Xu Huiwen even got into the national team, Pi Hongyan was once in the junior team shortly and Yao Jie has represented China in a few tournaments. They were not as promising as Wang Chen before, and also playing now outside China. Wang Chen is different, because first, long time relationship with LYB, and also secondly, now playing for Hong Kong, part of China, so also meet each other often in the national championships. I don't think LYB like Gong Zhichao at all, LYB didn't like Ye ZY either, because both Gong ZC and Ye ZY were Li Lingwei's protege. Li Lingwei is LYB's another enemy. But I don't think LYB ordered Gong ZC to lose to Gong RN because Gong RN can beat Gong ZC easily, although RN was not as good as ZC in beating Camilla. But it is true that Gong ZC was arranged to win in Sydney Olympics semifinal. The only reason was that LYB had to win the lady's gold to keep his position. It was widely believed that Gong ZC had much better chance in the final.
Eh, but she chokes so often in finals it's not even funny. Local HK people regard it as "Wang Chen in the final? She'll lose anyway" (referring to previous tournaments). Even the local newspaper reported on her ability to choke.
Yup...somehow..she has that uncanny "ability" to always lose in the final The only major she won is probably the Asian Championships. Now, it will truely be another disappointment for her (but not for the HK Badminton Association) if Yippy could yet again prove this theory tonight.
Man I have to say what you said is really unfair to Wang Chen. Wang Chen is just one girl and she has been against the whole Chinese squad and the productive system behind it. HK's training and coaching cannot be compared with China's. Besides LYB and the Chinese coaching squad know everything about Wang Chen's style, while Wang Chen has to fight against generations of young talents newly released by the Chinese system after she left. It's really hard. Even players as greatly talented as Mia Audina cannot do better and break the Great Wall of Team China. So I would say, LYB is just doing fine in the past 7 years. It's normal for one or the other of his girls beating WC. But WC's win over LYB's favorite XXF is a significant victory. Just like Camilla Martin taking the 99 WC champion -- yes CM beated 4 Chinese players then, but CM is playing at her home ground. When WC was playing at her home ground, OMG, watch out, line judges! (In fact, if she beated JYJ in the semi, she really has great chance beating a retired GRN.)
Com'on. In the finals usually she is facing ZN, XXF or some other top Chinese girls. Given the age and training of WC, her losses should not be blamed.
Difficult to undo 7 years of choking with one match. She should have shown them a few months ago in the World Championships or the OG before that.
I don't think WC ever choked when facing inferior players in finals... She got two times ABC champions right?
Dude, i think if she ever gets this AG gold, she has redeemed everything! This one is definitely even more prestige than yearly held WC! (for my opinion)
I support everything ye333 said here. You'd better support your home player. You don't have to support like indra, but it is such cynical thing to ridicule or mock your hometown player like that. No matter Wang Chen win or lose tomorrow, she is great for her 7 years efforts and non-stopping fighting spirits.
You have a point there. Anyway its a win win situation for HongKong. Both players in the Finals of Asian Games! Thats already a record for Hong Kong.
This time Wang chen broke the Great Wall of Team China,last year she beat Mia audina in Indonesia open final.I hope she used a gold medal to prove her value .
Yes! Finally AG final WS without Chinese players after 1994 while Susi Susanti lost to Kanako Yonekura if I am not mistake. I really happy because great wall of China gradually will break. If we see, until LYB has not gotten player as great as Zhang Ning. That is why he still retain ZN in China WS squad. XXF is good, but sometimes inconsistent, even she had WC's title. Lu Lan, Wang Yihan, Zhu Lin almost same. I am glad when YPY, WC (HKG), WMC (MAS), HHY(KOR) starting rise up and improved.
