Why no thread for Liu Xin? No body mentioned her at all? Although she's not in the CHN national team, she has defeated multiple national players, including Wang YH, Sun Yu (twice with one-sided scores like 21-12, 21-13, 21-10...). She has just won nearly 10 matches at China national games, help her team won the team champion! And also the runner up at individual women's singles. She's won all the matches in team event, and lost only 1 match to Li XR in the individual WS final. With little resting, she competed at the China masters, and won the title! She used to be pretty good too, beat Li Xuerui twice at Indonesia open 2011 and Korea open 2010. I would rank her the very top women's singles currently in the world. Unfortunately, she's not the national team members, therefore she doesn't have any opportunity to play international tournaments outside China. Without Lin Dan, any men's singles title is tarnished. Same thing applies to Liu Xin too. Without Liu Xin's participation, any women singles winner can hardly claim the best women player in the world.
Best women single's player in the world ?? For winning one title in china without participation of any top ranked players ?? Carry on.. Let's see how she does when she meets top international players of the world. Without Liu Xin's participation, any women singles winner can hardly claim the best women player in the world - Lol.
No doubt Liu Xin is a different player now for being able to win the CNG team gold and WS silver followed immediately by the CHN Masters championship in spite of her spent state; impressive, particularly when you consider how strong the CNG is. But I'd wait a while for her to prove herself further. Let's not jump ahead of ourselves, esp when China is known to produce worldbeaters regularly and only a handful remain at the top echelon. For now I won't rate her higher than LXR or Intanon R but she does have the potential to rise to their level in good time. I believe Zhang Ning and Tang Xuehua must be very pleased with her outstanding performance and will gladly induct her into the national elite squad.
Some basic information about her.. D.O.B - 11 june 1990 Height - 171 cms Weight - 60 kgs. Place - Benxi, Liaoning Best Ranking so far- 5 (April 14, 2011)
Btw, how come you didn't mention Liu Jie who beat WYH and Han Li at the CNG but lost to Liu Xin ? She may not be as good as Liu Xin but seems just as promising. If Han Li could be invited to the national team at a late age of 24/25, why not Liu Jie? Incidentally, 16-yr-old He Bingjiao's sensational defeat of the experienced veteran and 2009 CNG WS champion, Jiang Yanjiao, also deserves special mention. My hope is for CBA to give this youngster more exposure at the adult international circuit as what the Thais routinely do for their promising teenagers.
At the CHN Masters WS Final, Liu Xin in my opinion played a more intelligent game and used the right strategy against Porntip than what LXR did against the same opponent in the semifinal in view of the fact that both LXR and Liu Xin were spent. However, it was a golden opportunity missed by Porntip - had she played more patiently and moved Liu Xin all over the court instead of trying to finish her off quickly, she might have won the trophy herself. In the post-match interview, LXR blamed herself for playing badly (despite her fatigue which she didn't mention according to the reporter) while praising Porntip for playing well. I take it that LXR was too much of an attacking player to be able to suddenly adjust her game to one of rallying and defensive tactics for she was too tired to attack. Zhang Ning knew that and instructed her to conserve her energy, play more intelligently using her brains, bide her time and only attack when she has a high chance of success. Forced to play against her style, LXR actually did a great job, was in the lead for a brief part of the decider, and barely lost the deuce. I've no doubt a roughly 80% fit LXR would have won that match. That's why I said, LXR, once sufficiently rested, will be back to her winning,all-conquering ways.
Thanks Justin for very detailed and thorough analysis. For scopion and latecomer's questions, I never said Liu Xin in the same category as LD. I knew there's no comparison between the two overall. Anyhow, at the moment, now, both LD and Liu Xin are at top forms, both of them are strongest competitors for any title in their respective event. That's the reason, when you count the best MS or WS currently, both LD and LX cannot be missed. Back to pre Olympics competition before 2012. Liu Xin was leading in the 2nd squad for quite long, ahead of LXR until at the last several months LXR suddenly became invincible. As Justin mentioned earlier, Liu Jie and He Bingjiao are very promising with big potentials, anyhow, both of them have lost to Liu Xin. That's the reason when you reckon the best women's singles at this moment, you can exclude Liu Jie and He BJ with reasons. But there is no reason to exclude Liu Xin. Sure, neither LXR nor Intanon.
2cents, if you know there is no comparison between LD and LX, then please don't mention them together in the same paragraph.
Looking forward to Liu Xin's next international tournament. No idea which or when she's going to play in one.
Now in the CHN nation team: 1st squad(6 players): Li Xue Rui, Wang Yi han, Wang Shi Xian, Jiang Yan Jiao, Han Li, Sun Yu. 2nd squad(6 players): Wang Xin, Wang Ling, Deng Xuan, Hui Xi Rui, Suo Di, Yao Xue 1st squad concentrate on Super series, while 2nd squad on GP and GPG. Liu Xin, Liu Jie, ... are not in either squads. Hopefully, they can get a chance to play at the next China open. By the way, Liu Jie was not even given a chance to play at China masters. By my own power ranking, Liu Xin and Liu Jie are better than all the other national players except Li Xue Rui.
Are you sure about it?? Don't jump into conclusion something like this .. You can compare with chinese players but not all the international players.
Pardon me but if pre CNG her form was marginal, then why should she be in the squad? After CNG and seeing the results, now that's a different matter If 2cents can get to be manager of CBA, then the squad line up will look quite different and perhaps more justifiable.
Progressing well in the India SS... Could be up against LXR again in the semi - THAT will be interesting. Is she even part of the China national team?
must correct some informations here. Liu Xin has been a member of CHN national team since 2010 and never faded out. She comes from Bayi team which produces Lin Dan, Li Xuerui, Wang Xin, Jiang Yanjiao, Zhao Tingting and He hanbin. In fact, it's considered as the second CHN national team by some people. This all-round player had reached her best world rank No. 6 in 2011, even higher than Li xuerui at that moment. In 2012, she was chosen by LYB to go for the gold of the 2012 Uber Cup Preliminary along with Li xuerui and Wang Lin. But China was defeated by Japan, only Li xuerui won the match, Liu Xin and Wang Lin both failed in the final. Since then, it seemed she lost her confidence and was beaten consecutively by some non-CHN players. Many thought she would retire, but she had strived back to the stage in CNG, although lost in the final to Li xueri. After CNG, with 8 months disappearance from the international circle, she managed to win the title in China master in 2013. So she's always a member of CHN national team. As for Han Li, according to hearsay, she was about to immigrate to France, after failed to become a national player. But she's such a tough player that LYB didn't want her to become the one like Pi hongyang. In order to keep her in China, LYB had to make her as a member of CHN national team. That's the reason why Han Li, who was not very young compared with the others, was chosen as CHN national WS player back in 2011. Well, I must emphasize that it's only a hearsay, never been verified.