Lin Dan asserts his mental superiority over Lee Chong Wei to become world champion yet again

Lee Chong Wei (facing) and Lin Dan are on their knees after a marathon World Championship final

Four thrilling matches had set up stage for a grand men’s singles final, on the last day of the World Championships. History beckoned both Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan.

This was Chong Wei’s great chance to gain his first world title and set to rest all speculation of his mental strength against his great opponent. For Lin Dan, who has mostly been out of action since last year’s Olympics, the final gave him another chance to cement his status as the greatest of this generation.

But by the end of the day’s proceedings, we were left with a hollow feeling. Lee Chong Wei had blown it once again. He’s done it before, but on Sunday he played the strangest game imaginable.

After winning the first game convincingly, Chong Wei gifted the second to Lin Dan on a platter. He made some seven or eight misjudgements at the lines – a fatal error against an opponent like Lin, against who even a single error can cause grievous results. What on earth was going on in Chong Wei’s mind?

If there was a problem with the drift, why was he taking chances near the lines? There was talk that the air-conditioning had been suddenly switched off, but it was incredible to see a top player making so many misjudgements in a major final. A year after a line misjudgement cost him the Olympics gold (he was 19-18 up in the third game when he allowed a shuttle to fall on the back boundary line), he’d fallen into the same trap again.

Lin Dan slowed the pace of the match to a crawl. Chong Wei turned passive, unwilling to challenge the defending champion on the terms he was setting. The Malaysian, thanks to his numerous misjudgements, had fallen 1-12 behind, and the game was good as over. The languid pace of the game appeared to be the lull before the storm.

Chong Wei did take the lead in the third at 7-3. Yet again he allowed Lin to control the pace, getting caught in the exchange of tosses, and seemingly paralysed into inaction. Lin crept up and ahead, but some errors from the Chinese saw the contest going to the wire.

A jump smash gave Lin Dan the lead at 19-15; Chong Wei responded with a shuttle that sat on the tape; another stunning piece of defence saw him at 17-19. The Malaysian winced and clutched his thighs; doctors were called courtside. It was obvious – the heat had caused the cramping. Chong Wei lasted one more point before calling it quits. Lin Dan had his fifth title at 16-21 21-13 20-17 retd.

If Chong Wei retires disappointed without a world or Olympic title to his name, he will have only himself to blame. At least in the World and Olympic finals, he mounted a fierce challenge and did not allow himself to be dictated by Lin. On Sunday, however, he allowed the Chinese to set the pace and he showed himself unwilling to change the script.

It was an unusually flat and placid performance from Lee. He was capable of so much more. In so many Superseries events we have seen him play magical badminton, fighting off pressure, conjuring points out of nothing. This was his grandest chance, for Lin Dan had played just one event the whole year. He didn’t appear at his best, for he was taking too long between points. Fans in Malaysia will cry. Chong Wei allowed another big moment to slip by.