Their only doubles in 2 years are Chai/Guo & Shen Ye/Hong Wei. I am betting on INA's Ahsan/Septano & Angga/Rian and both to beat China doubles anytime.
Although it is quite difficult to predict 2014 Thomas Cup, I think chinese team is still the team to beat. Their current top players like LD, Fu and Cai are likely still in the team. They haven't declared they would retire after London Olympics. CL is potential 1st, DPY/WZM/CJ can compete for the second MS. LD is likely playing the third single. Fu and cai are likely playing second men doubles. The candidate for first double - Shen and Hong or Zhang Nan and Chai Biao or the players that we don't know. One thing for sure is their men singles line up is still the best and their men doubles are still not too far away from this year line up. I always believe Zhang Nan and Chai Biao is promising pair. Chinese team want Mix double olympics gold medal so much that they decided to separate ZN from CB. QZD is good player but is not as good as ZN according to my own observation. So, I look forward ZN can play again with CB in the future.
Also the racquets that time were different. With modern technology now we have better racquets, maybe much lighter than before. Also the shuttle cock designed now is faster than old shuttle cock so players need to cope with new shuttle better.
Precisely,it is is a futile exercise trying to compare two badminton greats of eras so far apart. While it is impossible to pit the two against each other,it is also natural and to be expected that records are broken over time as in athletics. To me, it's arguable and not unrealistic to say Lin Dan is better than Rudy Hartono simply based on the more intense competition,higher standard, improved training methods and superior equipment today. Anyway,to each his own, I'm in good company with Morten Frost, Peter Gade and Lee Hyun Il. Merely expressing my own view, no intention to start a debate here. Who knows,but I believe,even Lin Dan can be surpassed one day in the future.
Nope, this person is hidden somewhere in Timbuktu and probably 9 to 10 years young and just got his first wooden racquet.
or maybe younger. with chinese so serious developing and improving badminton in ther country, it's not imposible the new rising star will arrive. and to beat someone like LD's achievement can really be a strong motivation on the right person shoulder.
Tommy and Yunus at least have won in some competitions they entered. I am more optimistic on the prospect of another youngster : Andre Kurniawan Tedjono. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Kurniawan_Tedjono Du PengYu have never won any at all so far.
he was born in 1986? he already 26? maybe indonesia team should more concern to younger player than him.
Lin Dan achievements can never be surpassed, not while the world still exists in 100 years time. Lin Dan will carry on playing after Olympics and his benchmark keeps going higher and higher
C'mon... Lin Dan is human. You are talking like he is god super human. He has a wife, His wife can't wait forever for her biological clock is already due to the big 30 and it is ticking to conceive a baby.
A 100 yrs is such a long time,esp for a CHN player,anytime another world-beater emerges - 20-30 yrs supremacy for him is good enough for me. The modern world is changing so fast,all sorts of records are broken,not just in sports. Just look at the CHN WS,for anyone of them to reign as No.1 or thereabouts for 5 yrs is already an amazing achievement,for any non-CHN player,even more so, it will be a dream come true. I'm more realistic than you. As for Lin Dan continue playing after London OG, for how much longer and whether he will continue scaling new heights,I'm more pessimistic however much I wish you're right - badminton to me will never be the same until someone comes along as good as if not better than him. If you've seen his recent interviews,you'd probably be less optimistic. The man says he's "tired" and "now my family comes first" - when a man says enough is enough,nothing in the world can change him unless something drastic or overpowering happens, I won't bet on it. Remember the Swedish tennis legend,Bjorn Borg ( I know little about him and happened to view a video clip on him), who shocked the world by suddenly announcing his retirement at 26-yrs-old when he was still at the peak of his career - he cited "lack of motivation" as his reason, and I think Lin Dan has the same problem now. I'd be contented if Lin Dan continues for another 2 yrs after the Olympics,but don't expect him to be at the same level or make frequent appearances at international tourneys, team events yes.
Don't take miqilin7's postings too seriously. Since I've read some comments from him on youtube, which partially are kinda provocating, I know that he's someone I can't take serious. So let him troll around
LD is good when plays in CHN, HK, Taipei. But when he plays in MAS, INA , DEN , GER super series tournaments, what happen to him ? Lost to JOJ , Sasaki, PSH, PG, etc. etc. etc. ? We saw in this year all england that when CHN play on neutral ground, even their women are not invincible and can be beaten. INA for a fact just never do well when playing in CHN, HK, Taipei. Even in 90s, when INA had many top 5 players still struggled to get results in these regions. We cannot judge CHN just on this year TC/UC alone. The INA and SIN SS tournaments next are good for seeing who is progressing well.