Anyone still remember Yang Yang? His play is like an Art. I really enjoy watching his tournamet. Do you have his video? Let us share his good performance. His play with Morten Frost is a legend.
well... from my point of view... yang yang's strokes are not as graceful as "Zhao Jin fa" or something... both retired ages ago. I watched the final of "thomas cup?" not sure.. between yang yang and Ardy Wiranata (I think) and yang yang's overhead shots are erm.... not as smooth.. hhha... prefer the other china player "zhap Jin Fa" playing Joko Supiryanto's match by the way.. I'm left handed too.. hihi... GO LEFT HANDERS!!
Frost v Yang I agree that Yang Yang's battles against Morten Frost are indeed legendary. The style of play exhibited by these 2 in the late 80s has a profound effect on the way that top flight mens singles is played today. Yang Yang's ability to jump smash from the back line to consistenly hit winners off of high deep serves has been copied by many of todays crop of top male players. Morten Frost abandoned the high deep serve for the most part to hit mostly low, short backhand serves. This style of serving has replaced the high deep serve in todays men singles at the top level.
There are some interesting anectodes about Frost and Yang Yang that many may not be aware. When Frost emerged aroung 1977 at about 18 he was a speedy and hard hitter and featured in mny All England semis around 77,78 79 and 80 losing to Prakash, Rudy Hartono, Liem Swie King and Sven Pri.He won his first All England in 1982 beating Luan Jin, by then he had emerged as a very formidabble allround singles player with fantastic footwork. Yang Yang first featured around 1983 at 19 where he participated in several Asian tours eg Malaysian open but had his first breakthrough in 1983 Ina open when he beat World Champion Icuk Sugiarto. I tours aroung 1984/85 he was beaten at least 10 times by Frost but he first beat Frost in 1985 HK Open and then in the 1986 GP and after that never lost again, probably because Frost was already over 25 by 1986. Frost had a better record agaist Zhao , lost to Zhao in 1985 but beat Zhao in 1987 Msian Open and 1987 World Championships.I don't remember them having met again. Yang Yang is a perfect athlete with a very good defence and attack but was suspect against tall lanky players who could cut off his attacks like Eddy Kurniawan , Poul Erikand Misbun.In fact Eddy and Poul Erik could have beaten YY more than he has beaten them but the difference is that YY always won the big ones. I think Yang Y and Frost qualify to be included as the best ever.
Boyboy .... It is 'Zhao Jian Hua' ! Frost and Ardy both were ever quoted as saying that on his day, nobody has a more complete repertoire of strokes and skills than Zhao. That in their experience, he was the best on his day.
Re: Frost v Yang As far as I recall, Frost used mainly forehand low serves switching to b/hand low serves only in some matches nearing the end. Although Yang Yang did have an extremely effective smash, the main point is that he knew when to smash and when not to smash in his prime years. Fantastic foot work is a good way to describe Frost. Very difficult to catch him off balance.
yang yang 's tactic The tactic of yang yang is very effective. It 's obvious every stroke is well considered before he plays. The tourament is like a chess game between two players. Morten Frost is a good opponent , so a good game is created. Some other players may not so clear in mind when they played against yang yang And a one sided result comes. I personally appreciate games like this rather than a game without clever strokes.
My dear god... how could you mis-spell my favored player's name boyboy <Just crying out loud>! If you really pay attention on Zhao Jian Hua' era, you can see he truly is the best in terms of stability and techniques at that time, not to mention the best smash movement of all time, if you happen to have Zhao's tape, pay attention on his smash, there is no such word that is able to describe the beauty of his smash.
doh doh Ivan, for crying out loud, your favoured player name was put in " " (that means I'm not sure) I've seen him play but obviously didn't memorise his name.... he's a good player I agree... where he trashed Joko Supiryanto (which is Taufik's coach)
I have watched the match between Yang Yang vs Morten Frost a few times on TV. While most average players have hard times hitting backhands, Yang Yang just jumped backward and hitted smash winners when Frost hitted high clears to his back hand side. That shots alone really separated Yang Yang from other players.
I wouldn't use difference in back hand shots as a way to rank player's overall ability but rather just a different style of play.
Well, definitely true !! Xiong Guobao had arguably the best repertoire of backhand strokes ever seen ... But he was never in the league of the best players ever !
Xiong Guobao is good too. Oh, I am afraid Xiong Guobao is as good as yang yang. Even Yang Yang has admited the chance to beat Xiong Guobao is less than 50%, when he was asked by reporters before a local game played vs Xiong Guobao . The performance by Xiong Guobao is more stabile. Xiong Guobao is my idol too.
