another world record undefeated in all team events (Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Asian Games team event) for 10 years
WHAT???????? For 10 years ?? HE IS A MACHINE. HE IS UNBELIEVABLE...SALUDA!!!!!! SALUDA!!! Saluda the dan...
WHAT??? YOU didn't know???? Unbelievable! That was even more surprising Lin Dan in any court is incredible
It was, I would say, a most unceremonious event. 2 points away from losing the match, he walked up to the net and called it quits. Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
His chest (heart) must have causing him that much pain to call it quit. Wasn't surprised at all he was losing, but unexpected result I must say.
As I've pointed out at the tournament thread, that awkward incident , that boo-boo caused by the reporter asking an unpleasant question to lin Dan, could have played a part in Lin Dan's behaviour at the start of the tournament. Allow me to repost it here: It's been reported that during the pre-tournament press conference, Lin Dan was asked by a reporter some annoying questions which displeased him so much that he cut it short and left early. I got the news from here http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/badmin/2018-06-13/doc-ihcwpcmq2626479.shtml At one point, after the said reporter posed the unpleasant question to him, he was seen facing the reporter and waving his left hand a few times at him, brushing it off with :' There's nothing ...about it." And then the reporter followed up by :" I understand..." but Lin Dan added without waiting for him to speak further," You ask me, I reply you/ I won't answer you" (as the video clip was too soft, the author couldn't make out what he uttered). From Lin Dan's tone and facial expression, we can tell he was visibly displeased with the question. Thereupon, the host, who appeared taken aback by the incident, intervened, ' If there's no further questions...", but before he could even finish, Lin Dan got up from his seat, waved at the reporters to indicate that he's leaving, while after a moment's pause, the host carried on where he left off. Even Busanan, who was seated beside Li Xuerui and Lin Dan, looked at her and smiled.
So many questions related to Badminton /Future of Badminton in USA/ Emerging Talents/ History of Badminton/ Lin Dan's Own Achievements could have been asked.
I'm afraid, with that R1 exit at the US Open, there goes Lin Dan's participation at the Asian Games as he is unlikely to make it to the event. First, he has to retain the MAS Open 11,000 ranking points as the defending champion; second, he is expected to capture the US open, a grade 2 Level 5 event , earning himself 7000 points; and, third, at the WTS1000 INA Open, he has to perform enough to edge out either Shi Yuqi (less likely) or Chen Long (more likely), for one of the two AG spots. The BWF World ranking System for your reference http://system.bwf.website/documents...IONS/Section 5.3.3.1 World Ranking System.pdf - See BWF Statutes, Section 5.3.3.1: World Ranking System , Page 3 of 5
After thinking over it, I have to agree with Nine Tailed Fox that it must have been that highly sensitive question that the offending reporter posed to Lin Dan that riled him so much as to walk off the press conference in a huff before it ended. I mean, if it's anything to do with his once too many humiliating early tournament exits, esp those 'one-round trips', I believe he'd probably just laugh it off and maybe even joke about it or throw in a word of praise for his opponents for playing well, something that I recall he has done before apart from blaming himself for the defeats. Perhaps, just as well, now he has no choice but to concentrate fully on preparing for the World Championships then. I myself prefer to see him add another world title , the sixth, to his name than another AG gold, except that the AG this year is his last and final chance at striking another gold, his third, owing to his age.
I wasn't expecting he would have tried any harder than he already had in US Open. Not to mention he has Malaysia and Indonesia Open in less than 2 weeks time. If his participation in US Open was to gain some points for AG qualification, then there would have been no point for him to exert himself when he played badly like he had last night. It was the right call to save whatever he had left for the next two big tournaments. Losing to some unknown in R1 or R2 wasn't a new thing for LD, avoiding an obvious defeat wouldn't have saved any of his dignity anyway. At least he shook hands with everybody before he left the court. Judging from his less than caring attitude, it would make more sense to suspect that his retirement might have had something to do with the unpleasant press conference or the treatment by the organizers. Wish there would be some clearer information about the press conference.
My take is Lin Dan probably took the trouble to go all the way to US with two goals in mind; firstly, simply to win the tournament and gain some valuable points towards AG qualification in case he loses too many points at the MAS Open and can't make up for it enough at the following INA Open, in other words, to give himself more room for manoeuvre, and; secondly, to help promote badminton and himself in the process in a region where the sport is not so popular, as he did in Australia for the same purpose. However, after that unpalatable incident at the press conference, he might've dreaded carrying on at the tournament where he's bound by BWF regulations to avail himself for post-match interviews and press conferences as well as other promotional activities and risk facing another similar senseless reporter or interviewer referring to that 'personal but unwelcome question' again, and knowing what the US news media and public is like as far as sensational news and scandals go, what with pictures of him and his family, Xie Xingfang and child, Xiao Yu, splashed across the pages, accompanied by some salacious photos of a sexy and provocative babe purported to be the third party. We can imagine, not only will LIn Dan hit the roof, Xie Xingfang and family members will be hurt too. I can empathize with him, at least he played one round though he crashed out by retiring on the grounds of indisposition. That way, he didn't have to face the reporters again and could simply fly back home. Just my thoughts.
