Yes, according to the article, CBA has submitted 20 names but apparently reserve players can still be modified/added; I'm not too sure about it.
Lin Dan Covers MEN'S UNO Magazine http://english.cri.cn/11354/2013/05/15/2724s765053.htm View attachment 141998
Huh, I beg your pardon, Saina is not in the Sudirman Cup team, how can that be? Where did you get that news from? I suggest we discuss this in the Sudirman Cup thread, thanks. As for Lin Dan's case, that Chinese article seemed to imply that the original list submitted by CBA was preliminary and it's still not too late to include him as a reserve player. I doubt so, maybe the dateline is over. Personally, I'd prefer he skips the Sudirman Cup and concentrate on the WC and the three tournaments before it. I suddenly recall Peter Gade's take on Lin Dan and the Olympics just after London. PG said that at first he thought Lin Dan would retire soon after winning the Beijing'08 Olympic gold. Then he was surprised that Lin Dan carried on to the London Olympics and won gold the second time. Now he is quite sure Lin Dan can do it again in Rio'16 if he sets his mind on it saying he has tremendous willpower and great abilities. But for this coming WC, I'm afraid Lin Dan is at his weakest and most vulnerable. At the recent BAC in Taipei,his first comeback tournament, he was reported to be error-prone match after match, even his famous dive retrievals weren't well executed - at one point he landed in supine position and another he hit the sideboard at the back of the baseline and landed near where his coach XXZ was sitting who was startled and quickly checked on him to see if he was alright and then in his match with Sakai, he slightly injured his shoulder. His current form is such that CBA decides to drop him from the Sudirman Cup. Let's earnestly hope he can get himself up to speed for the World Championship.
On Saina's case,my apologies,Fortune,I should have checked Saina's thread first, they've discussed it there.
Right, it's as good as confirmed that for the first time in 10 years CHN is without Lin Dan in the Sudirman Cup. http://sports.qq.com/a/20130516/022450.htm
What to say? This maybe the best choice for the team right now, to let WZM and DPY taste team event in the real level of competition so they can ready when the team needs them. But still hoping LD could have a slot in 2014 TC team.
[video=youtube;_tjezvJKYjo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjezvJKYjo[/video] Can anyone translate this video? or even sub it?
IO 2013 Draw is out! http://bwfbadminton.org/file.aspx?id=449919&dl=1 Oh my, what a draw for him ... - LD to meet WJC winner Kento Momota in qualification round - R1 vs Taufik Hidayat - R2 vs winner of (Lee Chong Wei vs WZM)
LCW must've facepalmed on seeing this draw ) strong possibility for him not to reach even the QF ) and that's with Chen Long breathing down his neck in the world rating. Although I think LCW has a very strong chance to beat LD here.
If I may venture a guess, I think it's not so much to do with SEA tournaments, not for this time at least;otherwise, he wouldn't register to play in the first place. It may be much more to do with the draw in the INA Open. In R1 he has to face off Taufik Hidayat who has already declared the INA Open as his farewell event - so 'Should I or should I not play to beat Taufik?' is a question bothering him. Then in R2 he has to deal with archrival Lee CW - either Lin Dan doesn't feel ready yet or he doesn't wish to reveal his cards so soon before the upcoming WC'13; whatever the outcome, it'll be actually not too good for both contestants for psychological or morale considerations. And since he has decided to withdraw from the INA Open PSS,he'll be hard put to explain why he's playing in the SG Open SS that follows, so might as well pull out from both events even though his main rivals Lee CW and Chen Long aren't participating.
http://sports.qq.com/a/20130607/019232.htm Lin Dan cited that he had a slight shoulder injury during the BAC in Taiwan thus affected his training. The couple of matches he played in the National Games earlier also shown that he was not match fit and didn't reached the form/standard he would like. The reason the team entered him for the INA and SNG Opens were for him to gain ranking points as at the time he knew that he will not be playing in the SC and will also miss out on the WC. He was hoping to gain more points from those two tournaments. Since now BWF had granted him a wild card for the WC he is better off to stay home and get back to a more systematic training to prepare for the WC. i.e. he is eyeing the 12000 points on offer for the WC title. So, for players/coaches already written LD off for the WC, take notes.
Pretty disappointed, because IOssp was shaping up to have dramatic match-ups in the making and a good lead-up into the WC13. I rather see Taufik vs. LD, as they will play with one another, I am afraid LCW is just going to steamroller Taufik as usual. Anyways, unless LD is seriously hurt, I have to say weak-sauce for pulling out and making the IOssp less exciting.
That's just Lin Dan's attitude: He just does not give a f*** I think it's more sportsmanlike for LCW to beat Taufik straight and honest, if he can (and if they actually meet). Rather than letting him win on purpose just because it is his last match, like Lin Dan did with Peter Gade at Copenhagen Masters. Don't you think the pro's notice, if someone's taking the gas of the pedal and they surprisingly beat someone they've lost most of the time in the past...
The match that Lin Dan played Peter Gade at Copenhagen was an exhibition match, rather than a real competition, aimed to let the crowd pay tribute to Peter and enjoy his play style for the last time. I see no lack of sportsmanship in Lin Dan’s part to let Peter won, and actually I think it was just courtesy! As for LCW beating TH straight and honest, as I remember a few years ago (probably 2009 or 2010) in the Hong Kong Open, LCW lead TH by some 10 points or more in the final set (I can’t quite remember that was the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] or the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] set), and LCW purposely slowed down to let TH get a few more points and stay on the court longer. Yes, LCW didn't give up the set, but he kind of admitted after the match that he let TH gain a few more points. I am not sure whether you can call that straight and honest, even though I see no harm done!
