Malaysia's Lee was put through his paces by Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh, and he had the net cord to thank as he edged a tight deciding game and took it 21-23, 21-16, 21-17.
"Today I didn't play so well," Lee said after the gruelling match which saw the sweat-drenched players changing their shirts and frequently towelling their faces.
"The first game was point for point -- I just tried in the second game. The two players (both of us) were very tired so I tried to become very fast in that second game."
Long-time number one Lee has frequently been undone by Lin on the big stage and the 31-year-old is now making his last attempt at winning Asian Games gold.
"Before I went out on court I heard Lee Chong Wei had told Chinese reporters that he had nothing to lose in a match against me," said Lin.
"This is the same for me. I will go all-out."
Nguyen, 30, fended off a barrage of Lee smashes as he took the first game, forcing the Malaysian star into a change of tactics.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
