You are only as good as your last game.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Lee Chong Wei had lost to Chen Long in the final of the Denmark Open. At the time, it seemed as though he had lost the aura of invincibility he had against the world's top players, excluding Lin Dan. Errors began to creep into his game, and smashes tat routinely found the line were nowhere to be seen.

People started doubting his abilities. Was he past his prime, over the hill? Losing to Chen Long twice, who though promising, is not yet in the same class of Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan, certainly seemed to suggest so.

Then came the semi-final of the French Open.

Datuk Lee came up against Chen Long again. It looked like another tough game, as the first set had to go to extra points. Datuk Lee showed resilience in taking the first set 23-21, and eventually took the match as well.

Yet it was in the final that convinced the world that Lee Chong Wei was still a force to be reckoned with. Kenichi Tago had given him problems, but not enough to ruffle his feathers. Datuk Lee had won the previous 6 games against Tago. The first set began like a see-saw, with points going to both players like a pendulum swinging. Some of it was down to the great attacking play that Tago was capable of, but most of the points he earned had come from errors Datuk Lee made. Long clearances, wide placements and smashes that weren't hitting the target. With just enough effort, Datuk Lee took the first set 21-16.

But if the first set was a nailbiter, the second was anything but. Lee strung a run of 11 points together to pull away from Tago, and the Japanese was visibly frustrated. At one point, the Malaysian began toying with Tago, diving for a shot he could have easily reached. It seemed all too easy for Lee.

Perhaps the doubts were slightly premature. Lee has after all come back from uber-demoralising losses, noticbly in the Beijing Olympic final, where Lin Dan absolutely pulverised him. The class he showed in yesterday's final was simply outstanding, and the fact that he has reached the final of every tournament he has played in 2011 speaks for itself.

What he does need to do is to win a major title, i.e. the World Championships, or the Olympic gold. Reaching the final doesn't seem to be a problem, neither is winning. His biggest problem, is beating Lin Dan, wherever Lee meets him. It looks as though Lee is mentally stumped, and overcoming this block against Lin Dan will be a big step towards validating his claim as the best badminton player ever to grace the international scene.