2011 Korea Open PSS: Finals Day (Sunday 30-Jan)

[chris-ccc]

Playing 'smart' Badminton

In any sports, especialy the final between LCW vs LD, a good player will always do whatever they can to outperform his (or her) opponent. Playing smart or strategy is vital, obviously this is not new to everyone.

Could anyone please share some good examples when a player (such as Li Mao or etc) would win their games by playing smart badminton? Or, who are the smart players that you know of?

.
Currently, I would say that many CHN players are under instructions; To perform, or not to perform.

BCers who are familiar with China's methods would understand. Others who don't, they would be puzzled like anything.
.

 

[OldBadFan]

Fitness and mental strength are perhaps the 2 key attributes to SuperDan. In a title that LD wants to win, any challenger must be mentally and physically prepared to go 3-set, high pace and the bigger the tournament, the better LD plays. In KO11, Simon said LD was slow, that is because LD was not fit as in OLY08 to play that all out, run-and-gun, fast pace style of badminton. This KO11, it is obvious LD was pacing himself.
LCW was very fit in KO11, coming off a string of SS wins, WR1, spanked CHN youngsters (no easy feat though) and still lost to LD who has not played in a while and from the puffing in KO11, was not 100% fit but still had enough to win. That is a scary thought come OLY12, as we can expect LD to be 100% focus on that 2nd gold (history making and all the real gold he would harvest thereafter), bring along Thing to guide him, his body guards to wear out or even KO LCW, andin London where LD played his best badminton. If I bet today, (sorry pBm, while I would like to see a MAS win, my loyalty is to my buck), my last buck on LD

I find you to be the nearest bird of a feather with me in terms of p.o.v.

Definitely, for those big time matches (especially of National honors and to lesser extent, personal pride) his fellow competitors would find him difficult if not impossible to get pass. To be more specific, my previous statement "his fire diminishing unless provoked" was referring to individual events that he could forsake. The just concluded MO and KO are my examples.

To bring out the best of his charges one needs to be more that just a coach. Your perception of "The Thing" definitely stands out from the rest.

 

[OldBadFan]

One silly question? Is "THE THING" for hire and who will be interested if he is?

 

[Bbn]

In any sports, especialy the final between LCW vs LD, a good player will always do whatever they can to outperform his (or her) opponent. Playing smart or strategy is vital, obviously this is not new to everyone.

Could anyone please share some good examples when a player (such as Li Mao or etc) would win their games by playing smart badminton? Or, who are the smart players that you know of?

I believe the smartest player I have observed is Sun Jun,he is short and small but can play many variations.(guess who his coach was?)

He can be a great retriever when he wants to eg. in 1999 Sudiman vs Gade, can be even better than LD eg. in 1998 GP vs Gade and 1998 AE with Ong Ewe Hock, you simply dont know what he is up to.

But he stumbled in 1997 World Championships and learned quickly. But because of injury he was unable to bring out his best against Hendrawan in 2000 Olympics. Hendrawan I think is another crafty player who excelled when nearing 30.

There must be countless examples but the next nearest I can think of are Hartono ,Zhao Jian Hua and Taufik at peak (Cant think of any recent ones).

 

[cobalt]

I believe the smartest player I have observed is Sun Jun,he is short and small but can play many variations.(guess who his coach was?)

He can be a great retriever when he wants to eg. in 1999 Sudiman vs Gade, can be even better than LD eg. in 1998 GP vs Gade and 1998 AE with Ong Ewe Hock, you simply dont know what he is up to.

But he stumbled in 1997 World Championships and learned quickly. But because of injury he was unable to bring out his best against Hendrawan in 2000 Olympics. Hendrawan I think is another crafty player who excelled when nearing 30.

There must be countless examples but the next nearest I can think of are Hartono ,Zhao Jian Hua and Taufik at peak (Cant think of any recent ones).

Agreed! Sun Jun was exceptional. In his own way, so was Zhou JianHua, but he made it all look so easy it was hard to appreciate the mind and craft and flawless execution.

 

[OneToughBirdie]

One silly question? Is "THE THING" for hire and who will be interested if he is?

If LM, Hendrawan, etc are in demand, Tang would be a prized catch. But Tang is 70+ and for what he has contributed to CHN badminton success, I am sure he is well taken care of for the remaining part of his life and he doesn't need to move to another country for the almighty dollar, doing so would brand him a traitor. A person at that age, money may not be the most important thing, to be respected, to bring glory to CHN badminton may be his last goal and to be remembered as the father of CHN badminton...and most importantly, to be the coach of the most successful badminton player

 

[OldBadFan]

If LM, Hendrawan, etc are in demand, Tang would be a prized catch. But Tang is 70+ and for what he has contributed to CHN badminton success, I am sure he is well taken care of for the remaining part of his life and he doesn't need to move to another country for the almighty dollar, doing so would brand him a traitor. A person at that age, money may not be the most important thing, to be respected, to bring glory to CHN badminton may be his last goal and to be remembered as the father of CHN badminton...and most importantly, to be the coach of the most successful badminton player

One shot...I drop...

 

[Bbn]

WZM, CL and DPY had their try-outs against the WR1 and lost badly. If these fellas don't improve in a hurry, LYB will go with the more reliable gang of CJ & BCL to accompany LD to OLY12. LD will play SS to qualify as WR1 or 2 in OLY12, as long as in opposite half of LCW. The best scenario is CL in LCW half, hopefully beat LCW or tire him out even if CJ lose. And if BCL in LCW half, so much the better.
OLY gold is the #1 target for CHN as it is a worldwide event and CHN would want to retain her #1 position with the most gold medals won beating out USA, not these WCs or SSs, in which USA, RUS, UK govts don't give a hoot and basically played between the usual 5 countries. If it is not for LCW, LYB may not even need LD and LD could retire, just that LYB does not have anyone reliable and bankable to deal with LCW, that he needs LD and of course, winning a 2nd OLY gold for LD would seal his Best Ever status.

This must be the statement of all statements that answers all questions and summarises what the pages and pages of discussions were all about.

 

[nokh88]

This must be the statement of all statements that answers all questions and summarises what the pages and pages of discussions were all about.

That's the product and observation of many years of living with badminton. In other words for OLY12,
MAS needs LCW and
CHN needs LD and
DEN needs PG.
Not too sure of TH (is SS a worthy successor), either one is ok.

 

[miksss]

That's the product and observation of many years of living with badminton. In other words for OLY12,

Not too sure of TH (is SS a worthy successor), either one is ok.

No TH,but SS and SDK.