He was battered in a game, and lagged behind in another. But he managed to hold his nerve and win. Badminton star Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia showed the power of persistence Monday evening in the Wembley Arena, stepping into the round of 16 in men's singles.

The first game seemed a cakewalk for Lee, seeded as No. 1, when he impressed spectators with his abrupt change of direction and speed, thrashed his rival, Ville Lang from Finland 21-8.

In the second game, Lang, who was ranked 45th in the world, adopted the same strategy as the 30-year-old Beijing Olympic silver medallist, with his ankle injury recovered 90 percent, began making mistakes. He lashed several smashes out of the court, and failed to retrieve the shuttlecock struck to the distant corner. A lift from the Fin brought the game to an end, 14-21.

The decider started with barrages of attack from both sides. Lee, who showed his sharpness again, unleashed such deadly smashes that the 25-year-old energetic Lang hit the shuttlecock to the other court. But the deadlock wasn't broken. At the interval, they were scored as 11-10.

While the two players exchanged position, the crowd gave them lasting applause to encourage both gritty shuttlers.

Lee made desperate attempts, forcing Lang to tumble or lapse with his signature explosiveness. The latter became inpatient and seemingly collapsed. During the second half of the decider Lee just lost one point, before his sturdy opponent whipped the shuttlecock out of the side line.

Audiences once again greeted him with thunderous applause, some rose up to pay tribute, while the modest Lee raised his racket in gratitude.

"I am not in good form as I suffered injury and haven't played for two months," Lee said. "It was hard for me to get adapted in the first competition."

Talking about his debacle in the second game, Lee said that his rival got excited at that time while he was slow.

"Then I stopped thinking too much and just performed in my own way, chasing the bird wherever it went," he said, hoping that situation could become better in the next a few days.

GADE'S VICTORY

In another competition on Monday evening, veteran Peter Gade beat Pedro Martins from Portugal 21-14 and 21-8.

The Danish four-time Olympian, now fifth seed, ruled on the court in spite of some small mistakes.

"I am very happy about it," he said. "Pedro played quite well at the beginning, made it difficult for me. But I have made it."

Talking about the Olympics, Gade believed it easier to play in London than in Beijing.

"China has many good players. When they play at home, they will be even more difficult to beat. So it is an advantage. The Chinese are used to playing here, but still less than us. We have to take that advantage."

Already 36, Gade was emotional when talking about what could be his last Olympics. "(You have) a lot of feeling when you enter a court you may know as one of the last time," he said.

Not thinking of his Chinese rivals at the moment, he is preparing for the next match. "My next game will be tough and I will need to work hard for my points," he said. "Today was a good workout, not a tough match but a good starting match."

Gade, together with Lee, Indonesian genius Taufik Hidayat and Chinese pin-up Lin Dan had been known as the "big four", who have dominated world badminton arena for a decade. It was generally believed that they might bow out after the London Olympics.

Earlier on Monday, Lin defeated his Irish rival Scott Evans to march into the round of 16. Tauffick has yet another test before further advancement.

Fingers crossed for those ace shuttlers to continue their victories and leave no regret for themselves.