Chong Wei sets up mouth-watering clash against arch rival Lin Dan in Japan Open

Former World number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei's wish to meet his arch rival Lin Dan from China after coming back from an eight-month suspension will materialize in the Japan Open Super Series Wednesday.

Chong Wei overcame a jittery start against Boonsak Ponsana from Thailand, losing the first set 10-21 before pulling up his socks to edge the Thai veteran 21-15, 21-16 in the next two sets to set up a mouth-watering clash against his nemesis from China at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan Tuesday.

After losing to current world number one Chen Long of China in the final of the 2015 World Championships, Chong Wei will be hoping to win his third title of the year after having won the US Open and Canada Open earlier.

Lin Dan, the fifth seed in the tournament, also had to go the distance to edge South Korea's Son Wan Ho 17-21, 25-23, 21-17 in three sets.

In the men's doubles, Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong were also made to work hard for their win by Japan's Hiroyuki Saeki/Ryota Taohata before winning 19-21, 21-19, 21-16.

V Shem-Wee Kiong will face Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen from Denmark after the Danish pair upset Taiwan's Lee Sheng Mu/Tsai Chia Hsin 21-14, 22-20.

In the mixed doubles competition Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying lived up to expectations by beating young Chinese pair Wang Yilv/Luo Yu 21-16, 21-18.

Peng Soon-Liu Ying will however, face an uphill task after drawing China's World Champions Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei.

Malaysia did not send any representative in the women's singles or women's doubles for the open that offers US$275,000 (RM1.186 million) as prize money.