Not really, Chen Long, Tian Houwei, Shi Yuqi, etc. are on completely different level with Iskandar, Lee Ji Zia, Zulfadli, or Chong Wei Feng
You humans are abominable. Ever since you named us goat and we've come to terms with it, now you want to change our species name to what? gohe ? go...he ? Heck, stop it and leave us alone. Enough already. For the longest time, you have been either milking us or slaughtering us for food or both while we can only resign ourselves to our ill fate, now you want to add more insult to injury by forcing us to learn a new name all over with our tiny brains? O Heavens, stop tormenting us further. Be cursed,you humans ! May all of you for generations after generations be damned to eternity, except for those good vegetarians and true animal lovers ! Meh-eh-eh-eh !
Lin Dan make me eat back my words so soon by winning the CNG MS crown for the 4th time, to say it's no mean feat is an understatement, esp when it was achieved at the end of three back-to-back events of intense badminton at the highest level, and defying all the odds. Even his fellow teammate and MD great, Fu Haifeng, also 34 years old, is calling it quits, the CNG being his swan song. FHF is saying he's aching all over, the accumulated wear and tear and minor ailments. Just think, he's a MD player with a partner to share the workload though he as more of a back-court player is doing most of the heavy lifting. Imagine Lin Dan , a singles player at 34, still going strong, how's that for endurance, indomitable spirit, perseverance, courage, willpower, a happy warrior !? Recall last year, when Lee Hyun Il, then 36 years old - he's 37 now, beat the likes of JOJ at the KOR Open before losing to Son Wan Ho at the semis, and beat Viktor Axelsen not once but twice, first at the DEN Open where he again lost to SWH at the semis and then at the French Open before being stopped by the then 20-yr-old Shi Yuqi in the final. How we raved about his amazing exploits ! I myself even went so far as to call him the 5th Heavenly King. Yet, there are a handful of die-hards here who repeatedly put down the aged Lin Dan's performance and even gloat over every setback of his. If that's not shameless double standard and rank hypocrisy, what is.
Lin Dan's movement and court awareness is only going to get better from now on. Shi Yuqi was super annoyed by his defense and tactical smartness.
SYQ lost in all departments to LD this game. LD started out attacking and SYQ couldn't deal with his attacks. Then LD controlled the rallies more and made him run all over the place. After that SYQ was trying to attack himself but then he made too made mistakes because everything kept coming back. He still has a lot to improve.
Still thinking of second childhood. Carefree and relaxed, not like LD's demanding routine and earthly obligations. More like his son's happy face and obligation-free attitude..
Precisely. I'm not sure what it is either because his game seems to be getting better and better again which shouldn't be possible. Even tho I was watching the stream I went : Huh, no way did that really happen?
Right, Lin Dan's game is getting more creative, artistic, more balanced and complete, his stroke play a joy to watch, wizardry at it's best when his fitness is up to it but not otherwise; unlike in his younger days where he is mostly speed, firepower, ferocious attacks , superb defence and counterattacks intersperse with sudden injection of pace to blow the opposition away. These few years, esp since 2014 - in 2013 it was just the beginning of his transition to a different style, a transformation that is completed only recently - he has become more laid-back, more rally-constructive, constantly honing the art of stroke play, most of the time moving the opponent around all over the court while waiting for the right opportunity to strike, never rushing, always patiently probing the opponent for weaknesses, accumulating small advantages, rarely launching himself into a fierce attack unless the situation calls for it. To be honest, it takes me quite a while to get used to the new Lin Dan style , to appreciate his exquisite, consummate stroke play as he creates a work of art right before our eyes, stroke by stroke, until the entire picture is complete, veritably a masterpiece that allows one to enjoy leisurely as there is not much sound and fury, little fireworks, except the occasional thunder and lightning few and far between to wake us up from our relative quiet appreciation of the match in progress. That's because I was brought up watching Super Dan with all his trademark style of play, you know what I mean. In other words, I've learnt to accept and differentiate Lin Dan from Super Dan.
Lin Dan : When I was lying on the ground after the match point, I told myself that this was the last point I would ever play in CNG. I told myself to cherish every single point I will play from now on.
http://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404149833450570668 'IRONMAN' !!! Chinese Media salutes Lin Dan. ''19 Days, 15 Matches and only one negative, Lin Dan continues to write his legend." Even Young shuttlers like Chen Long, Tian Houwei found it difficult to cope with the gruelling schedule but Lin Dan continues to highlight the meaning of his nickname ''Super Dan''.
The CNG is definitely very important for all CHN players big and small but I still believe winning the WC is also an equally important part of his aspiration. Unfortunately, due to the problematic timing of the two major events, he is forced to strike a delicate balance between them in terms of his preparation, strategy and its execution such that he doesn't let one event negatively affect the other too much,in the hope that he can do equally as well in both as humanly possible (not to mention the jetlag irritation). I'm sure what he feared most is to bungle in both events and end up with nothing to show for. As it turned out, I should say he has accomplished more than what I , and even he himself, expected eventually, in particular capturing both the CNG team and MS titles, as he happily said during the post-match interview at Tianjin after the MS match with Shi Yuqi. What more can we ask for, esp when many young and even younger outstanding aspirants have faltered.
The Japan Open is too close to the two major events that just concluded. I doubt he will be in fine form there. I mean, in body and spirit, after such a long, grueling intense three weeks of extreme badminton, you simply cannot but want to take a much-needed and well-deserved break. Lin Dan is a human, not a humanoid robot, not forgetting his age.
Long hours in front of your screen talking about your beloved LD will get you cranky and agitated. You need to get laid for a few rounds and knock your brain out. I have done it many times. It's sensational and your satisfaction 100% guaranteed.
CNG with a weaker field, it's not too difficult for our beloved Uncle to score victory or was it a sympathetic gesture by his compatriots to hold back and give him a grand sending off.
Shi Yuqi had a poor showing in the final. Not to belittle LD's achievement, but to underline the weakness of the new generation. He moves well and has a good hand, and good deception, but his attack is not threatening at all. I don't see the futur of CHN in him.
Moves well? He's got the worst reaction to deception I've seen in any top player. He's probably the weakest player to have reached WR2 IMO.
