▁soon ▁after , ▁he ▁apolog ises ▁to ▁Malays ians ▁for ▁his ▁defeat ▁in ▁his ▁Twitter ▁account ▁but ▁received ▁some ▁touch ing ▁reply ▁from ▁the ▁fans . ▁ ▁In ▁September , ▁he ▁lost ▁in ▁his ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁career ▁final , ▁the ▁Japan ▁Open . ▁He ▁was ▁knock ed ▁off ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁r ounds ▁of ▁next ▁three ▁Super ▁Series ▁tournament , ▁second ▁round ▁of ▁Den mark ▁Open , ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁French ▁Open , ▁and ▁quarter - final s ▁of ▁the ▁China ▁Open . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Open ▁title , ▁only ▁his ▁second ▁title ▁this ▁year . ▁ ▁He ▁ended ▁the ▁year ▁with ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁Super ▁Series ▁Final s . ▁▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Lee ▁won ▁his ▁fifth ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁gold ▁medal ▁in ▁April , ▁and ▁settled ▁for ▁silver ▁in ▁the ▁mixed ▁team ▁event . ▁ ▁He ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁any ▁World ▁Tour ▁titles ▁in ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁He ▁bow ed ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁Malays ia ▁Masters , ▁a ▁tournament ▁which ▁he ▁claimed ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁intend ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in , ▁third ▁round ▁of ▁All ▁England ▁Open , ▁and ▁semi - final s ▁of ▁Bad m inton ▁Asia ▁Championships . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁team ▁event , ▁Lee ▁managed ▁to ▁win ▁all ▁his ▁matches , ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁Bad m inton ▁Asia ▁Team ▁Championships ▁and ▁Thomas ▁Cup . ▁Malays ia ▁reached ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁and ▁quarter - final s ▁in ▁the ▁respective ▁events . ▁ ▁In ▁July