Li Mao, the renowned Chinese coach who once worked in Malaysia, has shared revealing insights into the immense pressure Lee Chong Wei faced during his playing career, especially on home soil.
Recalling his time coaching Chong Wei, Li Mao said the Malaysian legend was virtually unbeatable at home. “When I coached him in Malaysia, he never lost a match there. He won every Malaysian Open,” Li Mao said. “In Malaysia, he was treated like a hero. That status brought enormous pressure — he simply could not afford to lose.”
Behind the glory, however, was intense psychological strain. Li Mao cited the 2006 Asian Championships final against Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana as a key example. Despite being clearly stronger, Chong Wei was extremely nervous due to the expectation of absolute victory at home. “After winning the final point, he hugged me and cried like a child,” Li Mao recalled.
He contrasted this with Chong Wei’s earlier years, including a famous 15-0 win over Taufik Hidayat in 2005. “Back then, he played freely. Later, playing in Malaysia, the pressure changed him.”
Li Mao also revisited the 2006 Thomas Cup in Japan, where Malaysia failed to reach the semi-finals after losing to Denmark, with Chong Wei falling to Peter Gade. Upon returning home, a high-level meeting was convened involving officials and academics to analyse the defeat.
Li Mao explained that statistical analysis showed Chong Wei’s attack was even superior, but nervousness caused stiffness and technical errors. “He wasn’t worse — he was tense. One or two points going differently could have changed the match.”
When repeatedly questioned at the meeting about why Chong Wei was nervous, Li Mao lost patience. He openly criticised the environment, saying the scrutiny and reaction after losses were the very reasons for the pressure. “When we win, nobody shows up. When we lose, suddenly everyone appears. That’s why he’s nervous,” he said.
He compared this to China’s experience at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, where the team failed to reach the finals but was warmly welcomed home by leadership. “That kind of support motivates athletes, not fear.”
Li Mao concluded by saying his biggest wish at the time was for Chong Wei to lose a match in Malaysia just to release the crushing burden he carried. Chong Wei himself later echoed this sentiment, admitting that constant expectations from leaders, coaches, and fans to deliver Malaysia’s first Olympic gold weighed heavily on him.
Li Mao’s blunt remarks reportedly stunned officials, but earned quiet respect among fellow coaches. “For once, someone said what everyone knew but wouldn’t say,” he recalled.
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