I haven't watched anything like that in many years, at least not in the final. this game is really intense, where you see the world's best take on each other. the 1st game is the key, since LD was beaten by LHI. this victory give the KOE squad a truck load of confidence to fight on, and they did. If LHI did not pull out a win at the beginning, and CY/FHF won the 2nd set, then the game is probably another boring 3-nil blowout. as we see in the 3rd set, Chen Jin pretty much owned the KOE 2nd single at the end. Thanks to LHI, we got what we've been expecting for. Thanks for both CHN and KOE team giving us such a great show...Forget about INA and MAS rivaly or LD/TH showdown, this is the type of game we want.
what you said was true. but where is the market for badminton? where are the fans? Badminton needs INA and MAS fans to keep it going. Otherwise, you have to turn Chinese and Koreans into badminton fans
All it takes is carrots and the donkeys will follow(if you know what I mean)... However, it seems hard to find the carrots for them at the moment.
yup, it was a tense game for the first 4 ties, pity the fifth tie was a bit one sided with BCL dominating as expected. once PSH lost to CJ, you could pretty much tell it was over. but still interesting to watch nonetheless.
Errr I don't get it, are you saying that the fanbase for badminton is small in China and Korea compare to Malaysia and Indonesia ?
Concur that LHI was fantastic in humbling LD but it would have been tough if not for TH stretching LD in two matches before. Like the wise one said, "It's not the 21st blow that did it, but the first 20 before that set it up." And it's not LD's lungs that gave way; it's his legs. Expect him to be prepared with extra leg armour when he next faces LHI. Incidentally,this is probably the first time in his career he had to play three tough matches consecutively .I don't think LD ever won any title this way. At most he only had to play two tough matches to win his titles; LYB made sure of that. If LD had to play three gruelling matches in a tournament, he will not win any. (Correct me with some historical data if I'm wrong.)
Any match where LD loses is definitely a great match because LD's opponent would have had to play beyond his usual "A" game. LCW's performance in the last 3 MOs also comes to mind. So my hat's off to you LHI for elevating your game and giving us a great show. To LD, you can't win them all, but you're still number 1.
AE 2006... Quarter finals: LD vs Kenneth Jonassen Semi finals: LD vs LCW Finals: LD vs LHI Winner: LD I don't know how you define gruelling, but I guess you probably mean as long as a match does not involve 2 Chinese players play together...well, if that is the case, here you go... I am not going to dig through the history book, but I think I just prove you wrong.
By the way, Let me ensure you that it's not LYB that made sure LD didn't have to play hard matches along the way to victory... It's the other country's players made sure that LD didn't have hard matches... why?? 1st. It's not LYB whom made the draws for tournaments. 2nd. It's not LYB telling other players to not beat his team players. 3rd. LD and LYB can't control the fact that other players such as Hafiz, Simon, LHI, KJ, and all the others whom continue in losing to the other Chinese players. 4. The other Chinese players ain't going to lose to foreigners just so LD can play some hard matches... 5. So, if the other Chinese players kept winning and eliminating everyone else, and LD done his own part and made it to the finals... Was that his fault that he had to play a supposingly easy match(according to you) and win??? Only reason this situation keeps on happening is the fact that players from other countries can not deliver, and keep losing to the Chinese team.. if for example, BCL, CJ, CH, CY keeps losing to other players in early rounds, what makes you think LYB can have any sort of control over any result??? Don't blame the situation on others, take a look at what your team has to offer first.
And to be exact...In the 1st round and the 2nd round, he played them both to 3 games, and they werent short matches either! They were both 80 minutes each, this was followed by another 60 minute long game in the third round against Wong Choong Hann (this was wrapped in 2 games however). The match vs Kenneth was also 60 minutes, then the marathon vs Lee Chong Wei was 97 minutes. Despite all of this he still crushed Lee Hyun Il who was considerably fresher, all his games were under 40 minutes except for his 3 games (70 minutes) with Peter Gade. Even then, that match was uneven throughout, score was 8-15, 15-5, 15-1...a gazillion short rallies with unforced errors from both sides.
I haven't watched the Finals but i would tend to agree also.. ...anytime where there is/are *struggles* in a match, esp. between top players, it will always bring out the best of everyone involved..Those *struggles* and how the player(s) deal with them are essentially the difference between a "so-so match" and a "great match"..
its been quite a while since we have those kind of exciting and nerve breaking matches that make you jump off your seat
I once asked my friend from Korea (who pays Badminton casually) what Badminton was like in Korea. He said it wasn't very popular and he didn't even know of any clubs around where he lived (he'd just gone back home from New Zealand a few months ago). That's pretty surprising to me considering how strong Korea is in Badminton. I have no idea how true that is, but it's what my friend tells me at least...
I can assure you that there are far more people who are unaware that they live near gyms where badminton clubs play than there are people who don't live near badminton gyms. There are gyms everywhere and dedicated badminton-only gyms, while a relatively new phenomenon, are becoming very common. Having said that, the popularity among players has not yet translated into large-scale interest in the professional circuit. Things are changing there too, though.
agree! I thought it was going to be a 3-0 win for China, in the end, 3-2 I must get the video of the Final! To see how LD lost :crying: lol
Ah that's good to hear. Yeah I thought that may be the case. I just couldn't understand how after being told by him of the supposed state of Korean Badminton, that the team could be so strong! Thanks for clearing that up .
I agree...!!tat means korea player had improve a lot especially LHI...congratulate them...he beat LCW n LD...it was amazing...he wil become a well-known after tis..maybe...
remember the china masters 2006 semi final, peter gade VS lin dan, that one was incredible, both players played to their full and its was really a close game, lindan pounce on peter's drop several times but i dunno how peter lifted it to the back, in the end peter won, what a breakthrough
