Lin Dan won a record fifth All England Open badminton title in anti-climactic fashion when defending champion Lee Chong Wei retired with a shoulder injury in the final Sunday. Lin was leading 21-19, 6-2 after 31 minutes when Chong Wei summoned the medical trainer for a third time and quit, holding his right playing shoulder. He said it was sore when he woke Friday after sleeping awkwardly on it. Even though he still reached the final, he considered not playing his great rival of the past decade but didn't want to disappoint the fans. Lin became the first man in the 33-year Open era to win five All Englands, adding to titles in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009. In the post-war era, only Rudy Hartono, eight in the 1960-70s, and Erland Kops, seven in the 1960s, have more men's titles in the world's oldest tournament, when it was regarded as the unofficial world championship. The all-Chinese women's final was also a surprise, as Li Xuerui stunned world champion Wang Yihan 21-13, 21-19 to win her first All England title. For Chong Wei, who lost his bid to become the first man to win three successive All Englands in the Open era, the Olympics are his priority, especially after losing the 2008 Beijing Games final to Lin. He is Malaysia's best hope of a first Olympic gold medal. Lin was surprised by Chong Wei's retirement, but believed the top-ranked player, whom he regards like a brother, did the right thing by being “professional” so he'd be fully fit for the Thomas Cup finals in May and London Olympics. “In the first game we played like usual, chasing each other,” Lin said. “In the second game I was very happy because I was always leading. I wish the injury hadn't influenced the outcome.” After Lin beat Chong Wei for the 19th time in 28 matches, they unexpectedly swapped shirts. Unlike both men, Wang was the overwhelming favorite in the women's final being the world No. 1 who had won seven of eight finals in the past year and had never lost to No. 5-ranked Li in four previous matches. She'd crushed Li two months ago in the Malaysia Open quarterfinals. But Wang walked the high wire in the National Indoor Arena, saving four match points against Tine Baun in the quarterfinals and forced to win the longest match of the tournament to depose defending champion Wang Shixian Saturday.
