He is embarrassing his legacy now Getting to the point where it is worse than Taufik when he bowed out.
LD still has a few years left in his Yonex contract to prove you wrong... Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
Any true supporter knows that he is damaging his legacy forever, the longer he continues playing on the World Tour. The loss in the Thailand Masters 2019 to world ranked number 126, Kean Yew Loh was a particularly low point for him but the penny has failed to drop and he still totters on, losing here and there.
I don't know that he is damaging his legacy. I am a supporter of Lin Dan not LD the reputation nor LD the legacy. Whatever he is doing now can't take away his achievements or legacy so far. It's in the Record book for everyone to look up. Those who can't appreciate LD's wish or feeling, or even saying he's embarrassing his legacy should be ashamed. What is LD to them exactly? The man himself clearly stated that he wish to none other than prolong his career and shouldn't we just respect his wish? He is not playing badminton for others but for himself.
He is embarrassing himself by losing to opponents who do not have the level of technical ability that he possesses due to his inability to last the pace of the match. He should throw in the towel lest his fans begin to think he is not playing for honour but just for money. Let us face it; he already has enough money to retire from professional playing and can easily start a very respectable career coaching young talented players. For doing that he would long be remembered with appreciation.
Let's say he's continuing to play badminton just for the pure enjoyment... does he actually show that he's enjoying it when he loses in the early rounds like these? He looks like he's wincing in pain instead. Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
He seemed pissed to me when he lost. Of course he wants to win. But when your body won't listen to you, there's nothing much you can do. Maybe that's what keeps driving him.
I guess this insanely unrealistic wish to qualify for Tokyo (or even get a medal there?) or keep on going to play is why he got so far in his badminton career. His incredible fighting spirit, self-belief despite other peoples' opinion and motivation to proof others wrong and to be the best. But realistically speaking, it's over for him. Even the die-hard fans are realizing it. There's no way to sugarcoat it. Yes, he is trying. Yes, he still loses. It's tough, but even Lin Dan has his limits.
No one is looking away from the fact or the reality, not even LD himself. But we are just giving him the respect for trying his best though he is going a very rough path. No shame in what he is doing.
But no point either. I doubt he's really enjoying this. Have you seen his warm-up or practice session at the US Open lately. He looks so bored and unmotivated.
I think he likes to challenge himself. For my own part, I feel best in life when I give myself in to something I don’t have the answer on and have to force myself to learn new things to get on and grow bigger in life. Of course he does not like to lose, and he has already proven (for himself) that he is the best, I think he shits completely in that he risks that we do not adore him as much with many losses. I think it's about something bigger for his own part, he is still the same guy who likes challenges even though he is on his way to the pension for his badminton career, so he probably still wants to test his limits. He might think now, how will I look back on life when I'm 80 (if I do get it that long) will I annoy me about that I didn't give the last time of my career a chance to play the game I love to do to end. Maybe it’s a YES for him. He does the same job for the badminton now that Federer does for the tennis, which I who know how superior he was appreciates it very much.
US Open last year? When he retired a few points before the opponent won the match complaining of chest pain? I don't think he looked bored or unmotivated when he played in Thomas Cup or Asian Games team event. He seemed quite fired up when he played in WC before SYQ stopped him. Or when he played Momota in their last meetings nor when he played in Thailand Masters. He looked as if he wanted to win. No one can know what LD has in mind nor what his plan is. He seemed to earnestly hope he could qualify for Tokyo 2020. It might give him a sense of mission and motivation. Much better than just wandering around senselessly like what he did in later half of last year. We'll see if he is serious enough soon.