LEE Chong Wei hopes a third All England title in Birmingham will give him the extra edge and motivation to become Malaysia's first world champion in August.

The World No 1's hat-trick bid last year was halted by a shoulder injury midway through the second game in the final against China's Lin Dan but the five-time champion has been missing from competition since winning the Olympic gold in London.

Chong Wei opens his campaign against Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki today before a second-round meeting with China's Wang Zhengming and can then expect another smooth encounter against Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Minh in the quarter-finals.

Barring upsets, the top seed is expected to meet China's Du Pengyu, the third seed, in the last four before an expected title showdown with World No 2 Chen Long in the final.

"I will take it one match at a time and hopefully justify my seeding," said Chong Wei.

"Lin Dan is not around but China still have two young shuttlers who have been playing well.

World number one Lee Chong Wei managed one of his most nerve-jangling survivals on Wednesday when he saved him two match points in the first round of the All-England Open.

Lee, who hopes to win the famous title back and capture it for a third time, looked dead and buried at 19-20 down in the final game with Wong Wing Ki launching a kill from an imposing position.

But the world number 18 from Hong Kong hammered it into the net, bringing a great gasp from the crowd, and a couple of minutes later the Malaysian had completed an improbable escape by 13-21, 21-6, 23-21.

Lee did that after saving another match point at 20-21, producing a good smash to the body and a nerveless piece of judgment in leaving Wong's ensuing block, which sailed just long.