Former world number 1 Lee Hyun Il (Korea) still got game! He is coming back into top of badminton by climbing up the rankings gradually. While unseeded in Auckland, the Korean had proven he was too tough to handle as he dismantled Australian Cham Chen in straight games to cruise into the third round 21-10 21-15 at New Zealand Open.
Korea’s Lee Hyun-Il is known for his graceful and spectacular swift movement and his fierce attack, he was badminton’s top-ranked men’s singles player from early 2000’s through mid-2000’s. He was beaten in the semifinals at the 2008 Olympics and suffered another heartbroken lost in the bronze medal playoff in the 2012 London.
The presence of the left handed charming Lee Hyun-Il has attracted a lot of attentions from his fans in New Zealand. He is considered as one of the best players to ever play here in New Zealand Open, and is garnering plenty of support from the expatriate Korean community in Auckland.