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TOKYO, JAPAN - Malaysia's world number one Lee Chong Wei admitted he was struggling with post-Olympics fatigue as he overcame a second-game lapse to reach the Japan Open quarter-finals on Thursday.
Lee, beaten in last month's Olympic final by China's world champion Lin Dan, was 11-3 up in the second game against local hope Sho Sasaki but faced a game point before winning 21-7, 22-20.
It was another unconvincing display by the defending champion, who also made heavy weather of his opening 25-23, 21-8 win over unfancied Chinese Zhu Weilun.
"I still feel tired as I only took a week off after the Olympics and prepared for this tournament as I wanted to take part in as many events as possible," said Lee, 25. "I lost my concentration and wound down after an 11-3 lead in the second game. That's why I was overtaken that way."
Lee faces a first ever match-up with China's 150th-ranked Qiu Yanbo in the last eight.
Qiu progressed when fifth-seeded Indonesian Simon Santoso pulled out with back pain when 21-10, 8-6 down. Santoso injured his back in winning last week's Taiwan Open.
In other matches, Indonesian second seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro outclassed Sairul Amar Ayob 21-8, 21-7 to face another Malaysian, Muhammad Roslin Hashim, who beat Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 21-17, 21-15.
Indonesia's ex-Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat beat Denmark's Jan Jorgensen 21-10, 21-12 to set up a quarter-final with another Dane, European championship runner-up Joachim Persson, who beat Tommy Sugiarto 21-14, 21-15.
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