Lin Dan has been doing this for many many years: he doesn't want to do his best (or be seen to be doing his best) and loses to LCW. LCW would not have and has never done the same against LD. It is the most basic concept in sportsmanship.
WOW...fierce battles between the yellow neighbors... KOR v JPN... who are more successful today? Both soju and sake are okay
Lin Dan was in black when he lost to Sony Dwi Kuncoro at the 2016 Singapore Open. However, black can't be ruled unlucky - Sony wore black when he won the final the next day!
I dunno, in that first rally when he reached out to hit the shuttle and almost fell over, I was very shocked. It's unlike him. He was leaning into that left leg when it happened, and his left leg is the one taped in the picture. Officials are quite punitive with retiring from matches early, so I guess LD just made do and let the game go to a believable extent. That said LCW was reading LD's game well, lots of times where LD couldn't get behind the shuttle and LCW waited for the kill.
It should've been a two straight-set victory for Lin Dan. But he 'accidentally' lost the 1st set and that set his mind thinking what next, esp after winning G2 - G3 is the answer.
That's why Dato Lee never wins the gold medal in OG or WC... for he grabs the rest too many... The True King of SS/SSP!
Too many obviously pretended and staged things in this game, whatever LD's thinking, he doesn't have anything else in his mind but a hattrick.
Both players have played to their level best and deserves all the credit. However in a match there is always one winner so unfortunately the winner today is Lee Chong Wei but not Lin Dan.
Yeah, it'll be foolish for Lin Dan to risk injury at this time, better safe than sorry, and never lose sight of the end goal which is near at hand. As we know, if you'tr tired and still push yourself, the chances of injury is higher.
Some people think winning is more important than sportsmanship. Some people think sportsmanship is more important than winning.
Too bad, no livestream to watch how Wang Yihan performed against Saina just now. Have to say, a resurgent Wang Yihan on the verge of peaking just in time for Rio bodes well for her.