KUALA LUMPUR: If there's one person who can send an entire stadium into a frenzy, it's Lee Chong Wei.
The 37-year-old former World No 1 made a special cameo at the Axiata Arena on Sunday, much to the crowd's surprise when he presented the Malaysia Masters souvenirs to the men's singles finalists, South Korea's Son Wan Ho and China's Chen Long.
Chong Wei has been out of action since July last year after being diagnosed with early stage nose cancer, and is slowly making comeback this year.
He is expected to return before the Olympic qualifying period, which starts in May.
In the final, Wan Ho edged the reigning Olympic champion Chen Long 21-17, 21-19 to bag his first title on Malaysia soil.
When asked to comment about the sandwich generation, in which he and Chen Long belong to, Wan Ho said: "I do not think players like Lin Dan (China) or Chong Wei should be written off. They can still win at the highest level.
"Of course, Chen Long and I belong to the generation in between those guys and the younger players like Kento Momota and Viktor Axelsen but when it comes to a tournament like the Olympics, it's anybody's game."
Chen Long, on the other hand, was touched to see Chong Wei presenting the flowers. The China ace then invited the Malaysian to stand on the podium with him and Wan Ho.
"I really want to see him back on court, I hope he will be playing at the Malaysia Open in April," said Chen Long.
Wan Ho pocketed US$26,250 (about RM108,000) in prize money while Chen Long settled for US$13,300 (RM55,000).
In the women's singles final, Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon successfully defended her title when she defeated Spain's Carolina Marin 21-9, 22-20.
In the women's doubles final, Japan's Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota lived up to their billing as top seeds by bagging the title after coming from behind to chalk up an 18-21, 21-16, 21-16 win over Indonesia's Greysi Polii-Apriyani Rahayu.
RESULTS
(All Finals)
Men's singles: Son Wan Ho (Kor) bt Chen Long (Chn) 21-17, 21-19;
Doubles: Marcus Fernaldi Gideon (Ina) bt Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) 21-15, 21-16;
Women's singles: Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Carolina Marin (Spa) 21-9, 22-20;
Doubles: Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) bt Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu (Ina) 18-21, 21-16, 21-16;
Mixed doubles: Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn) bt Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-18, 21-18