LCW was clearly fatigued by end of Game 2 and by the third game he was clearly living on borrowed time. The first shot that goes kaput when you are tired is the around-the-head shot and as the match progressed further, you can clearly see LCW reaches the shot later that he usually does and commit a lot of silly errors. Same with the weak unforced errors to the net -- he could not get the lift needed at all. The player with the better fitness won and that was LD today. I would love to see a fully healthy LCW go against LD and I'm sure that the gap between them has decreased over the past year.
I totally agree with your observations. Much that I want LCW to win, Lin Dan played really well today and luck obviously was on his side. Congratulations to Lin Dan. For LCW: you did play good today. For me you will always be a winner. There is nothing wrong in losing, it helps you improve and learn from it. Move on and more power to you my idol.
Yup, like fastdrop, I simply have to agree with X-Ball's fair and unbiased comments on both players' performance today. I can see that Lee Chong Wei was slightly affected by his niggling injury. However, let's not discredit his achievements over the past 1 year. Besides Lin Dan, LCW is the ONLY PLAYER who wins at least 3 Super Series titles and that's a HUGE ACHIEVEMENTS!
The 'number one' reason why LD won:- 1) LD got enough rest 1) china new 'walkover strategy' works great (in both china and hong kong open)
as much as i can tell, i dont think the HKO officials delibrately helping the chinese players, unlike in CO. They might have made some bad calls but it happens elsewhere too. Nevertheless I still believe that LCW can take on LD in OG2008
Just watched the match, congrats to LD as he was the better player of the day. LCW on the other hand, was a lil impatient in the rallies this time, he should hv tried to slow down the pace instead of playing LD's game. Definitely wrong strategy. And also, nice to see some mutual respect shown btw both players.
Ask what causing the "walkoever strategy" in the first place . If China has so many good players, it's walkover even if they play. Competitions among the Chinese players in tournaments looked more like practicing to me. So what's the point playing or showing off? The questions here should really be how other countries can produce more players like LCD, WMC, etc., who can stop the Chinese from sweeping MS, WS, and WD's titles. You can't blame the Chinese for the rapid decline of TH's competitiveness after last OG. As X Ball said "If it wasn't him, I think I would have lost interest in badminton long time ago." (meaning LCW). It's very true. Who wants to see an all Chinese finals or even worse semi-finals. If that happens, it would be the "china new 'walkover strategy' " whether you like it or not . From HO 07, I still see great hope that badminton tournaments can be competitive and enjoyable to watch. XD and MD titles were won competitively by other countries. Why can they also produce more good players in other departments. So please don't blame the Chinese for winning, try to find the cause and solutions to fix losing as well . The famous speech by JFK was "Ask not .... - ask what you can do ...". Maybe to badminton in your place .
Exactly! I think LCW was thinking too much after the 21:9 first game. He changed his tactic and began to try to out-pace LD -- which he was unable to do even when he has no injury!
LCD did not change his tactic. He just could not do it with LD getting into the shape and form. Also LD played to LCW's weekest link, which is his backhand side. LCW could not smash with LD's push or clear on backhand. If he jumped smash on backhand side on LD's high clear, he's out off the position to come back in 2nd and 3rd games.
my observation on Lindan LD has been trying to change his way from forcible attacks to flexible control,which is apparently more fledged in practice. one can not always feature puissant smashes of his style as time flows by. Usually the main feature of Chinese badminton training is fully usage of the court, without focusing especially on net ball skills. whatever in MS or MD games you often see that Chinese players lose when they fail to make it at the front court, yet when the fighting zone gets expanded, they will morelikely win. It's normal for a trough to lead modifications, LD was walking through his gloomy days until the HongKong Open. However, it's still his typical tactic that brought him the champion--speeding it up and powerful attacks. In the first set LD was trying to control, but found himself controlled from the freezing begining, and strong misfit cost him bunch of unforced errors. undeniably, LD has improved a lot of his net play, but still inferior to LCW and TH in this respect, which accounts for why the following sets saw otherwise when LD reduced net confrontation with LCW and swiftened the kumite, and ,finally got LCW sweating hard in durative turning runs (LCW changed his shirt in the 3rd set). Like TH, LCW is physically inferior yet maybe technically superior to LD, therefore perfect defence, restraint of opponents at the front court and few suddent smashes are usually their leading cards. however, when Physical strength runs out, errors will accompany all their efforts. In term of all-round progress, I prefer Chenjin to any other Chinese player, he is the promising future of Chinese team. I wont say LD has got a muscle win, but LCW was not technically defeated. like everyone here, I hope to see more close up fights among LD,LCW and TH, whomever win or lose.
newb analysis. any tactics would had worked in the first game against ld, ld was playing barely at 50% of redline
i dont see LD playing that great at all in HK final against lcw. LD made lots of errors too. IMO, bcl played much much better in china open final beating a so called fit lcw than what lin dan had played in HK final but of course the final china open ms final was marred by controversies.
Of course it doesn't work for Taufik. Arguably Taufik is less fit than you so how can we use LD/LCW's standards on him.
I disagree. Yesterday's LD can beat Chn Open's BCL ??:21, 21:10, 21:10. BCL will have no answer to LD's variation of pace.
well, it is easy to find a scapegoat or excuse than to accept one's own weakness or fault. If the alleged walkout/walkover tactic employed by lyb is yielding titles for the china team, my question is, why don't other teams do it too? Don't tell me other countries are all sweet rose smelling and ethical unlike lyb. For example, MAL has 3 main MS players(lcw, HH, roslin), so is china (LD, bcl, cj) Instead of whining about LD being too fit, why not copy china and have HH and roslin PLAY GOOD enough to reach the QF or SF and tire out the chineses so lcw stands a better chance in the final? INA can employ soni and santoso to help out taufik too. My simple solution to MAL and INA MS problem is to have HH, roslin, soni, simon to get into QF and/or SF so china can't use walkover or walkout tactics. Funny how the european (PG and KJ fans) fans here don't whine about it like MAL and INA fans because they know it's fair game.
Your solution seems almost like if we are unhappy with the linecalls in China Open, we should ensure lincalls are also unfair in Malasyain Open??? Fighting bad with bad is never a good idea...or what is the saying.. Two wrongs don't make a right? Personally I think personal pride and inter team competetion makes Danes, Indos, Malaysians etc try to beat eachother when faced in the tournaments... We should be happy other coaches than LYB seems to think it is an important aspect for wins to be on the court, not off the court!! It would not be accepted by eruopean players to w/o to help their "team"-mates.. simply beacuse MS is not seen here as a "team" event! Kenneth will ALWAYS try to beat Gade if faced, for example... /Twobeer
Since when does requiring "fair game" become "whining"? And about your "other teams just don't have the chance" theory, there is one counter-example in this very HKO. Why did the IND XDs indeed play a 3-set semi-final? And don't forget that among the four players, three of them are not young (Limpele, Nova, Vita). Why didn't Flandy/Vita just WO or lost quickly to help Nova/Lilyana save energy? Here is the question I asked Bananakid: If one works hard and becomes better than others, does it mean one has the right to cheat? My answer is an absolute "NO". Maybe you have a different answer.
No, what i'm saying is what china alleged doing (WO's) are legit and other countries can stop them if their players play good enough to get to the QF or SF. Concentrate on improving their players instead looking for excuses. If soni, simon, HH, roslin, PG, KJ had all play better, lcw would have a better chance to beat Lin dan, maybe even eliminate LD before the SF. As for the controversial line calls, i can't make comments about it because I didnt witness any of it. The percentage of bad versus accurate calls i have no idea.
