Chen Long ( 谌龙 )

Discussion in 'China Professional Players' started by robin7, Nov 6, 2007.

  1. Rob3rt

    Rob3rt Regular Member

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    His style of play was always very physical. That‘s what his advantage was. Maybe he‘s just too old or not training as hard as before.
     
  2. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    I'm somewhat baffled too. It used to be, in his best years from winning the two world titles up to the Rio Olympic gold, that, playing Chen Long is like being up against the wall, it's so difficult to get the shuttle past him or beyond his reach, which LCW found to his grief and said something to this effect, and he's not alone.

    Even Morten Frost once predicted Chen Long's reign would be a long one but since his pinnacle performance at the Rio Olympics, I think he rested on his laurels, took a roughly six-month break, (faced some relationship issue which he resolved - my speculation based on indirect references), finally settled down with his longtime sweetheart Wang Shixian, and till now it's been nearly two years he's been struggling to get back his form. Almost inexplicable.

    Personally, I'm not too certain if his apparent decline is inevitable and irreversible or, with his physique and given his experience at the current age of 29, it's still possible he might have a last hurrah before he fades away.

    To be fair, his accomplishments as far as the major titles are concerned are at the expense of the mighty Lee Chong Wei, no less, who during those years was still very much the player to beat, that's why I view him more favourably than his female counterpart, Carolina Marin's 2xWC and 1x OG in the same time period, apart from the fact that she is still only 25 years of age.

    Anyway, from what I've gathered, Xia Xuanze has not given up on him. Maybe he knows something we don't. We'll see.

    I mean, it'll be such a shame if he were to sink into oblivion just like that. Perhaps, his beloved Wang Shixian may be the raison d'etre for Chen Long to get his act together again and make another big push in his career. Hope so.
     
  3. Nine Tailed Fox

    Nine Tailed Fox Regular Member

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    谌龙's fall from grace has been absolutely astonishing.

    From The Best Player in The World to a journeyman. He was always talented but his peak didn't last long(no pun). Post 2016 Rio period, He has more losses than wins.
     
  4. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    Chen Long reached his pinnacle at Rio'16, then rested on his laurels and plateaued for a while, now he's declined. I doubt he can reach his peak again.

    Still, it's possible he may have one last hurrah, just not sure when or where; of course, he would wish it to be at Tokyo 2020 which, however,I think it quite unlikely.

    At age 29 now, I'm afraid, time is no longer on his side. What surprises me most is that he's not making his long years of experience and maturity count against much younger and relatively inexperienced opponents often enough. Rather he more often than not allowed his much younger and very fit opponents matched him in raw speed and power instead of utilizing wider shot variation to keep them guessing and,more importantly, employ a better reading of the game to anticipate as much as possible the opponent's shots.

    In short, he has clearly stagnated and , to make it worse, he's deteriorating as he ages. I suspect the now aged 30 Son Wan Ho is going through the same phase.
     
  5. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    And I hasten to add, LCW is a remarkable exception to the rule for a player past 30 years of age and still able to maintain more or less the same level as when he was under 30. That, to me, is phenomenal.

    So much so, I'm personally beginning to feel it's not far-fetched to say that LCW is probably the greatest player among those over 30 years of age. That despite the fact that his H2H record with Lin Dan hasn't improved much these few years; in other words, I'm looking more at tournament records and their respective H2H vis-a-vis the rest.

    Incidentally, Lin Dan won his last World Championship at around age 30 and, until now, his last and final major title was the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 when he was a month shy of 31. Since then he has clearly been on the decline and failed to win any big title, not counting the 2016 All England championship. Of course, I'm assuming, with justification, that Lin Dan will not capture another major title until his eventual retirement; in fact, he is very likely not able to win another top-notch tournament such as the WTS1000/750/(500?) events.

    All the same, as an ardent fan of Lin Dan, The GOAT, I can't help but express my heartfelt wish to see the living legend win a couple of prestigious titles before he hangs up his racquet for good. I'm sure many of Lin Dan's die-hard fans are as wistful as I am.

    Pardon me, I forgot this is Chen Long's thread. Anyway, these three greats were once in a class of their own, so their names tend to intertwine with each other.
     
    #1325 Justin L, Sep 14, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2018
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  6. ownz.uno

    ownz.uno Regular Member

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    I'm glad to see CL silent down KM yesterday... never rule out the dragon yet..
     
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  7. Rob3rt

    Rob3rt Regular Member

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    Shi Yuqi will be happy too that Momota is out, pretty sure he will win today. :D
     
  8. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    Ah, Chen Long, Chen Long, now I can't help thinking we might, hopefully, see The Return of the Dragon (soon)!

    During the Chen Long - Kento Momota match, I was quite taken aback by the whole proceeding, even stunned by what happened in G2 where he wiped the floor with his opponent, 21-8. Incredible, didn't how to react at first.

    It took me quite a while for the entire proceedings to sink in as , after Chen Long unexpectedly bested Momota in G2, at the start of G2, I was actually waiting for Momota to mount one of his remarkable comebacks as he is wont to do after dropping a set or falling (far) behind,but it was not to be. Instead it was Chen Long who doubled down and went on to dismantle Momota.

    I'm pretty sure all those who've written Chen Long off recently, every one of his detractors, were equally stunned by his spectacular performance, esp those who got to watch the game unfold.

    Indeed, write Chen Long off at your own peril, he's not done yet, not a has-been anymore, and he meant business this time playing with renewed zest and revived self-confidence to stir our imagination of yesteryear as when he overcame his erstwhile archrival, Lee CW, time and again when it mattered.

    I wondered if Momota might have felt what LCW felt then, it's like playing against a wall, fighting against an impenetrable fortress, attacking an armour without any chinks, that is Chen Long. In other words, it seemed so hard to get the shuttle past or out of Chen Long's reach, and that happens to be also Momota's strength, his speciality, except that on this occasion Momota was given a taste of his own medicine, to his chagrin.

    Whatever, pardon me, I'm getting a bit carried away. Just one match doesn't prove anything conclusively as they are expected to meet several more times in the future as well as intensifying their rivalry. And when we throw in Anthony Ginting, Chou Tien Chen, and, if you may allow me, Shi Yuqi too (and, who knows, a couple others later), we're in for exciting times ahead after the end of the Lin Dan - LCW era as the two great maestros fade out. Cheers.
     
  9. Yoji

    Yoji Regular Member

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    Even JC puts more pressure to the dragon.

    Interesting times.
     
  10. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    To be honest, Jonatan Christie is another one I'd predict to join the top rung, challenging Momota for supremacy. Let's wait awhile to see how good and consistent he can be, flashes of brilliance and occasionally beating a couple top players only to lose to another lesser opponent just doesn't cut it.
     
  11. antssantss

    antssantss Regular Member

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    There is no doubt that CL is playing much better. However it is clear that KM wasn't playing the fast and furious game that we know he is capable of. So I think we cannot read too much into the results of that match.
     
  12. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    I'm afraid nobody can play fast and furious against these two great defenders, Chen long and Kento Momota, when they are at their best.

    G1 is a better indication of their game and I have to admit, Chen Long outplayed Momota. G2 can be attributed to Momota feeling a bit tired as himself admitted while adding, at his post-match interview, that Chen Long played very well.

    Even Morten Frost is impressed by Chen Long's return to form as he commented during the Chen Long vs Shi Yuqi Final now playing as I write.
     
  13. ownz.uno

    ownz.uno Regular Member

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    Absolutely wrong mate :D
     
  14. Justin L

    Justin L Regular Member

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    On hindsight, with Momota saying he's a bit tired in G2, Shi Yuqi might have a chance to beat him if they were to meet in the final. Just saying.
     
  15. Rob3rt

    Rob3rt Regular Member

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    Who would have thought that the Dragon has still got it in him?! :p
     
  16. inthisspace

    inthisspace New Member

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    I admit that I thought Shi Yuqi would have won the encounter yesterday with Chen Long. I think the latter surprised many, including Yuqi, with some attacking play. Coupled with his usual solid defence and consistency, it was hard for Shi Yuqi to build any sort of momentum or lead. As one commentator once said, Chen Long does not possess any "x-factors" like the other top players, but he makes up for it with his consistency and defensive play. Boring, but effective. Back to the drawing board for Shi Yuqi then. Good match from him, but just too many self errors.
     
  17. KB@TB Em

    KB@TB Em Regular Member

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    Interesting how fast people, here players, rise from the bottom to heaven reading some comments, not only about Chen Long

    Sure he showed that he still has what it takes to win big titles, but I never doubted it. On the other hand I don't think he will dominate the tour like he once did with LCW. He was already runner up at AC and SF in the WC. Good for his confidence to win French open.

    But let's see the Asian tour before I would call it a trend and having him back as a top4 title contender for tournaments.

    The slow hall favoured his play I think. Jojo is inconsistent, Momota played a good bit below his recent form, looking (mentally, not only against CL) tired and SYQ didn't have a good day form...

    I really don't want to take away too much from his good performance, just I want to see him confirm his good result in the next tournaments before I see a trend having him back at or near his old form
     
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  18. GingerCorslette

    GingerCorslette Regular Member

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    Gill's remarks about CL hungering for the next OG to gain the amount of respect near LD's seems sound
     
  19. Yoji

    Yoji Regular Member

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    LD played 4 OG getting 2 gold. CL only played 2 OG getting 1 gold and 1 bronze. If CL can win more titles and another OG, it is not wrong to put in him debate of the greatest ever alongside LD & LCW.
     
  20. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    GC kept on saying that KM was suffering from a back problem. Not sure how true it was and whether that reflected in the one sided results but I'm happy that CL is back to his old self.

    Many say that he is boring and plays like a machine, but you have to admire the fact that this is exactly what makes him so good, his ability to make every shot not only look the same, but look like it's played with the same effort regardless of how difficult it is or whether he actually had to improvise/adjust. And because of this, he makes his opponents feel like he is just "toying" with you.
     

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