Who's the best player at the net?

**Yoppy** · 01-15-2012, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by j4ckie

MK is really off form. No consistency, no real danger from the back, too laid-back and rested at the net (look where he holds his racket!!!)....and HS is not getting younger^^

From my local source, they both have been working hard to get back on track lately after plenty of distractions (injuries, married, etc)

**Yoppy** · 01-15-2012, 10:24 PM

I think Moh Ahsan is worthy to be included in the list. Yes ATM he's an unproven case, but soon or later I believe he will be up there among legends. Similarly to many other pairs, he's partner (Bona) needs to improve ALOT

**Licin** · 02-20-2012, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Yoppy

From my local source, they both have been working hard to get back on track lately after plenty of distractions (injuries, married, etc)

Glad to hear that. The real test for them is where they meet CY/FHF, & LYD/JJS, if they can beat one of them, or fighting really hard, showing positive progress towards their peak performance, i might say there is a high possibility for them to defend their Gold Medal at London 2012.

**j4ckie** · 02-21-2012, 10:09 AM

Really really doubtful. Even if they should have it in them to win against one of those pairs, it would take a lot out of them and they'd probably lose the final to any of the Top 8 pairs. They do have a really good serve-return game, but should one of them Korean or Chinese pairs get past that and force them into long rallies, they just don't have the fitness to play at their best the next day.
Personally, I hope they make an early exit in the first 2 rounds. Kido's gut is a disgrace for a professional sportsman.

**Yoppy** · 02-24-2012, 05:06 AM

Well we can only wait and see

**pBmMalaysia** · 04-13-2012, 12:17 PM

Any of you guys watched the first 'neck stress' matches in doubles in the 80's?

Sitting in the front row watching park joo bong and Kim moon soo playing (forgot who was the opponent)

.... too many drive shorts exchanging and I always thought that was the start of the new doubles play from the Korean pair.

Credit should be given to them as I think they started those aggressive play with many drives and counter attacks.

I remember Kim moon soo had a few occassion able to leap in front of the net to intercept his opponent's clear.

Was that something we don't see in doubles nowadays?

So mod, how do I vote for 2 players?

**j4ckie** · 05-03-2012, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Yoppy

Well we can only wait and see

Well, seems like we won't - according to a list on badzine, they failed to qualify (in doubles, you have to be in the top 8 to qualify with more than 1 pair). It's neither official nor final, but I'm pretty sure they got that right. Only way for them to go would be Ahsan/Septano stepping back or one of the other top 8 cancelling pretty early (I think that way they'd move up in the Olympic ranking to #8 and would be eligible as 2nd Indonesian pair). Both scenarios are highly unlikely though

I'm very much looking forward to CY/FHF and LYD/JJS. Both pairs are in a class of their own the last few months and both are desperate to win this title, CY/FHF especially as they're likely to retire after the games and the defeat in the 08 final will still be on their minds. JJS will also want this title very much, but he wasn't as close to winning it as the Chinese, who to be honest are the better "big-occasion-players" (winning all World Championships finals they've been in, and having 4 World titles compared to 0 for the Koreans)....
Anyhow, MD should be completely amazing. Many good pairs, and the promise of a super-thrilling final with the possibility of the two titans of the last years clashing (with probably the best two net players and two best smashers in the world in two teams).

**SolsticeOfLight** · 07-24-2012, 03:04 PM

I really want to see the top two seeds ramp it up for the match of the century. And the previous century ...

**madbad** · 08-28-2012, 11:21 AM

Already brilliant in his own right, keep tabs on Maneepong Jongjit, the rapidly rising Thai star

**RazerCutter** · 12-17-2012, 02:17 PM

1st cai yun
2nd lee yong dae

**Justin L** · 01-16-2013, 01:35 AM

The thread title didn't say it's about doubles players only. For singles, I'd say it's Lee CW. For MD, I'd go along with RazeCutter - Cai Yun and Lee Yongdae in that order.

**visor** · 02-25-2013, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by Justin L

The thread title didn't say it's about doubles players only. For singles, I'd say it's Lee CW. For MD, I'd go along with RazeCutter - Cai Yun and Lee Yongdae in that order.

no way is lcw considered that at the front!

i'd place lin dan best at the front if choosing from singles players

**zhuangcorp** · 05-20-2013, 11:28 AM

Liu xiaolong is making a claim for himself

**j4ckie** · 05-20-2013, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by visor

no way is lcw considered that at the front!

i'd place lin dan best at the front if choosing from singles players

Of course LCW is great around the net - have you seen how he pounces on anything loose?
Anyhow, for me the great MS players at the net are/were TH and PG. Both had an incredible delicate touch, LD was not even close to them until 2007/2008. In the OG, he was still a bit afraid of Peter around the net it seemed - but so much faster that he could often take the shuttle higher and also make more use of the lifts he got....
Chen Hong was also pretty great, but I have only little footage of him so I can't quite compare. He surely outplayed LD in the '05 AE final though.

**visor** · 05-21-2013, 03:29 PM

^^ Eh? Let's talk about now, not yrs ago.

Now whenever LD plays net exchanges with LCW, LCW loses most of the time.
Even against CL, LCW's
net play needs some work.

**j4ckie** · 05-21-2013, 07:20 PM

Hm. Don't quite agree. Wins some, loses some. Chong Wei certainly has worked on his net kill over the years, and is quite lethal whenever he plays with high intensity. Only match where he didn't command the net against CL was the AE, where he seemed strangely hesitant and rarely made clear choices and committed to a certain shot, including net play...