Watching the Lin Dan vs Xue Song match was a little surreal like a time warp duel between 2 legendary greats; Lin Dan against Yang Yang.
My view is that THW has technical ability in that he is able to execute quality shots like many other top-class players. That's why he is able to defeat so many other quality players on route to today's final, even the promising KM who is ranked higher. That's why he could even beat LD and LCW on a good day. I don't like his strategy of prolonging the games to wear down his opponents, although he is relatively fit. This is evidenced in the 3-gamers he has to endure in every match of this AE: [TABLE="class: ruler matches player"] Match overview Export Calendar [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Time[/TD] [TD]Draw[/TD] [TD="colspan: 3"][/TD] [TD]Score[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]Duration[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][/TD] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"]Wed 3/9/2016 4:20 PM[/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]WONG Wing Ki Vincent[/TD] [TD][HKG] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [TD]TIAN Houwei [8][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-14 19-21 13-21[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]1:12[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][/TD] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"]Thu 3/10/2016 12:15 PM[/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]Sameer VERMA[/TD] [TD][IND] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [TD]TIAN Houwei [8][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]21-10 12-21 19-21[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]1:07[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][/TD] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"]Fri 3/11/2016[/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="align: right"]TIAN Houwei [8][/TD] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][JPN] [/TD] [TD]Kento MOMOTA [4][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]19-21 21-15 21-16[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]1:20[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][/TD] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"]Sat 3/12/2016[/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE] [TR] [TD="align: right"]TIAN Houwei [8][/TD] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][DEN] [/TD] [TD]Hans-Kristian VITTINGHUS[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD]15-21 21-14 21-14[/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"]1:15[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #F8F8F8"] [TD][/TD] [TD="class: plannedtime, align: right"]Sun 3/13/2016[/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD="align: right"][TABLE] [TR] [TD="align: right"]LIN Dan [5][/TD] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="align: center"]-[/TD] [TD][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD][CHN] [/TD] [TD]TIAN Houwei [8][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD="align: right"][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] And in his game against Vittinghus, instead of attacking his backhand, THW tried to wear out V with clears to his strong forehand and put pressure on himself. His game plan did not work well until he changed to attacking V's backhand more. In today's final, both LD and THW are left-handers, so there is no distinct advantage. But THW must capitalize on his 'superior' fitness to make LD work for his returns, push LD to the four corners and try to finish off with his very useful smash or delicate drops. Of course LD will not make it that easy for THW to control him and therein lies the excitement of the cat-and-mouse game, a game of split-second decisions and changes. LD instead will try to control THW. But to win THW must use his superior fitness and agility to finish off LD fast, and not try to prolong the game unnecessarily to a decider. The physical chess game between these two countrymen will bear no affection for each other in today's MS final. It will be THW's most memorable trophy if he wins. For LD it will be just another win but it is important for his world ranking before the Rio Olympics.
Rexy is a men's doubles specialist. He was a superstar during his prime and a hero to Indonesia as he has won many international badminton titles for his country. Rexy became a coach to England and Malaysia before returning to serve his country again in the coaching committee of PBSI (Badminton Association of Indonesia). I'm sure you can google for more details.
Taking courtside pictures is becoming almost impossible with dilligent monitoring from the officials. Only got to capture a few, aka the Joachim Fischer Nielsen celebratory jig .... Here goes: Danes celebrate as Mrs Adcock ponders on what might have been ....
Hey Bro, I thought you were lost, not having heard from you earlier. So they were very strict on picture taking. I hope the SO will not be that bad. HKO was just as bad. It was unfortunate that the Adcocks were unable to capitalize on their G2 with such a healthy lead to allow the Danes to creep back for an unexpected win. The Adcocks would have made Britain especially proud and happy if they had made it to today's finals. After all, it is All- England!
A few more pics .... Wang Shixian - complaining to no avail. Yup, no umpire or hawkeye support there ... Unlike this umpire, who spelt the doom for the home mixed pair ..... The best outfit of the day, worn by the fallen Olympic Champ, Zhao Yunlei. ... and of course, the reason why they lost. I was sitting with a host of INA fans, BTW.
I had the privilege of talking to a a few court officials yesterday during the LD vs XS match. She was quite an important official, but I won't say who. She told me the match between the two was 'training day', and that sometimes China when they have two horses in the same match, will tell them to go on court for a certain amount of time. My initial bet was a 21:19 21:10 outcome, hers was much more distant. We were quite surprised to see the match draw out as it did. We could both see it though, Lin Dan wasn't pushing for wins that much. You can't see it because of the cameras, but at my outlier seat I could see the distance on shots really well. There were dozens of times Lin Dan had very easy opportunities to win rallies but chose not to do so. I now believe that China wanted to show off Xue Song and make him look like a strong candidate for the team. Lin Dan is going soon, they'll have Chen Long and Tian Houwei, but I think they want Xue Song to be their third after the Olympics. Now the official also said something interesting; "It depends on whether China can get a third into the Olympics or not" hinges the outcome today. If Tian Houwei will have enough points to qualify for Rio with this victory, he'll win. If not, Lin Dan will win. China is all about the glory of their country.
The International Badminton Federation (IBF) and the World Badminton Federation (WBF) It won't be complete if one does not mention following historical facts as well: Rudy Hartono era happened when the competition in badminton was not so heated up as of today, before money entered the game.... Moreover the badminton governing body at that time was divided into two organizations: the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and the World Badminton Federation (WBF). These two bodies only merged into one in 1981. Thomas and Uber Cups as well as the All England tournament were held by the International Badminton Federation, thus before the unification all players, such as the top ones back then, Hou Jia Chang, Wang Wen Jiao, and all other players who belonged to the World Badminton Federation did not participate.
Talking about reasons of mixed fortunes, I was also able to unearth the reasons behind a certain Mr LCW's early exit this time around while his primary rival stepped all the way to the final .... Yes indeed, here they are: LCW's difficulties, facing up to The Challenge of the Master .... but an even bigger obstacle, facing up to expectations of a whole nation alone.
Do you really believe in all that this lady court official said? I suppose she is from the China team since you make it out to be believable. So CL's loss to XS was well composed from the beginning? And LD will lose to THW today to enable China to have 3 MS in Rio! I hope what she said was only an imagination of her mind.
Blah Blah Blah Only two players per country are allowed and Chen Long & Lin Dan are two confirmed names.
I wouldn't call it unfortunate, Mrs Adcock didn't really play that well. They could have just maintained pressure on Fischer's awkward body defence and they would have been home free. Pushing Pedersen to the back does not really help, she has probably among the most powerful female smash there is .... The last rally was a great spectacle, though.
Is there any change of BWF rules recently that allows any NOC to ever send THREE players to Olympic Games in one discipline in any particular condition? I recall the max is two, under certain circumstance!
These conspiracy theories are mind boggling. Lin Dan has been struggling to hit winners all week long. Plus Xue Song with much improved defence and speed really troubled Lin Dan. Not to mention that he was equally patient in rallies.
I noted this as her lips moved in silence, I thought she's praying then, wonder it's in Shinto or Buddhist.
Praying for the patients to cope with Marin. I remember quite distinctly after one rally Marin shouted, Okuhara gave her a look as if to say 'God damn it stop. Just stop.' and gave the shuttle back rather harshly. Anyway, it's 2 athletes per event but in the unfortunate circumstance that CL or LD can't play - if they think LD can't win or won't be a benefit in the Olympics - and there have been questions raised with his performance against non-Chinese opponents - then Houwei is a backup. I had at least 3 officials tell me they thought the China v China games were all rigged and gave me different reasons, from their experiences as officials. Unless you could see the game in person, the gross camera angles won't show the distance. Plenty of times LD had half court shots played high to him and he chips them back with a sliced drop shot.
