Yeah, a thing of the past, sad but true. He is so tame, no longer threatening, all the young and fast players know they haven't got the skills and experience to match the 'old man' but can make up for it with raw speed and power and the ability to get a lot back.
That is stupid from AG if he cant beat a LD, that is ranked even lower than him. Allowing back like that is stupid.
The question is has Lin Dan the self-motivation and dogged discipline to train harder just like LCW, a problem that's been bugging him for years now ?
If he really wants to compete in Tokyo 2020, that should be enough motivation. It's only going to be a year and a half, to be precise. Not that long.
First, in G1, Lin Dan couldn't convert 4 GP; Second, he slackened in G2 and was bashed in double quick time; G3, he started trailing, the gap widened and (the overconfident ?) Ginting inexplicably took his foot of the pedal and Lin Dan suddenly came charging back with a fighting chance to take the match at 19-all but simply lost the two final points by unforced errors. A lucky save for Ginting. Another sad exit in the early round for the aged maestro. Sigh.
Old habit dies hard, he's been like that for far too long, to make matters worse, he is getting old, really old in badminton terms, 35, 36, 37 by then. I don't know how to be optimistic, the reality is so harsh, I even lost the courage to dream (the near-impossible).
Haha I don't know. If he wants it then he should work hard to make it. Even the goat needs to work his as. off once in a while Looks like he is ready for it, registered in 3 tournaments back to back. Never happened before.
that little block by fajar in front of net are really effective. he has such a great feeling of the game
Agreed. If we're saying he's old then what about lcw, he was playing with so much power and speed before his illness. LD needs to train all out for one more year for 2020 then retire.
Yup, registered for three consecutive tournaments to give himself the option of which to 'go easy on' depending on the situation, but, certainly, R1 exit is not in the equation, his overall game plan scuttled. Perhaps not what he expected but who can he blame except himself ?