This is very true, the past master may lost badly to current player but people then to forget their biggest contribution to badminton is new playing style, past player has to do a lot of thinking themself as there are not that many good coaches around & different country got different approach to the game perfecting every stroke, by trail and error past player find the best way to make a shot and past it on to the next generation. finding the best training progamme, training progamme is still being fine tune by using the scientific approach. making badminton more famous, if not for them, we will not be playing badminton now & maybe just in the backyard cheers...
People in general get better at everything with time. In the case of badminton new rackets, shots, deception, nutrition, tactics, shoes, court surfaces will improve todays players. It is not human nature to get worse at anything. Computers from the 80s are no where near the computers of today. Same with badminton rackets, same with training facilities, training regimines. If you take all the players old and new and put them through the same training, same food, same equipment...... how can anyone possibly hope to compare that?
This may be telling. Today's top players like Lin Dan probably hits the shuttle more in one month of training than Earland Kops or Tan Joe Hock did in 6 or more months. You just look at their arms.
Lin Dan could probably hit the shuttle more in one month of training than Earland Kops, but don't think he hits more than the old timers like Tang Xinfu, Hou Jiachang and co. As for the 'old timers', they did not have much TV or internet to distract them. And often for their singles games/drills, they played against 2 opponents...
But they also dun have yonex and other to sponsor them. Shuttle cock, restring & court rental = $$$$$
For the Chinese players, they have the country sponsoring them. Everything is provided free, aren't you aware of that? I believe in many powerhouses, their players are treated more or less the same way.
But back in Tang's era they even have problem financially to compete outside their country. Most of the time when they play outside, is when some one from other country or chinese living abroad sponsor them.
I don't know where you got this information, as far as badminton in China, it was always country supported. They seldom play outside China is not due to financial problems but rather political.
I find it unlikely that Lin Dan would be able to keep up with the godly Zhao Jian Hua (if the latter was on form) or Yang Yang; aside from that, keeping everything constant, today's players would probably emerge the victors.
YY and Zhao, while being my heroes would not be in the top 50 today with their 1980s style and fitness
no 2 player is alike. ZJH is more deceptive and more stroke variety. LD is faster and has more power. In his current state, his stroke and deception ain't bad either. I'd say LD would able to take ZJH just because LD can able to launch attack sooner. Deceptive and stroke is not as effective when you're always 1/2 to 1 step behind your opponent. Just look at TH vs LD in 09 FO, first set, LD ran circles around TH, the stroke and deception magician. On the 2nd second, TH resorted to just smashing (ie power) which give him a few more points than b4.
The thing about Lin Dan is that he is always 1/2 step to 1 step ahead of his opponent IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. Superior athletism doesnt work if you're always going the wrong way. That's why Lin Dan is a class above in the modern game... and that not all modern players match up againts Past Legends
i have been pounding the table for years and years in BF on the message that speed beat stroke skills. I've met many resistance. I talk about LD alot because i use him as an example frequently - how to develop the right skills the way it should be for a MS player. The backhand smash, backhand cross court drops, are mostly for show, not bread and butter core skills.
In what ways are LiYongBo/ Tian Bing Yi better that CY/FHF and may I know why you are comparing Zhao Jian Hua/ Yang Yang with Cheng Hong/ Xia Xuan Ze instead of LD and BCL?
i doubt hugo is around to answer your post anyway, it is silly and nonsense to say yesterday best can out play today's best. Of course i respect the old heros, they pave the foundation of skills for the today's players to build on but today's players don't stop here, they keep on piling on new skills and experience. hugo is saying if same old (non-radial) tires, gasoline are used, old gasoline race cars can out perform today's gasoline race cars. Silly silly.
There's no way the players of generations past can match up with the players of today... Training method, technology etc are much better today... Look at other sports like baseball, basketball, hockey... The players are that much bigger and faster today... Just like players 20 yrs from now can own players this generation...
Is there one sprinter record that was set in the 80s/90s is still holding up today?? So what makes you guy believe the past great could actually match up with today's top pro???
sprinting is not synonymous with badminton. Case in point, Roddick has the fastest serve in Tennis History, But can he rack up his championship trophies against Federer? Does Federer have the best strength in any shot? Does Tiger hits the ball the hardest? Court games must be looked at differently as not all shots end up with a winning smash. Jason.
obviously u don't get the underlining point of wongegg's comparison. Wongegg DID NOT compare sprinting to badminton. He asked u to compare speed of old and new sprinters within the realm of the same sport, sprinting. If u can't find 1 in sprinting, nor in swimming, nor in drag racing, nor in etc. Then by sound reasoning, without going into all aspect of badminton skills, the same can be said to badminton as well. Speed is the decider in sprinting, why r u bringing forward speed of serve in tennis or speed of golf swing into the sprinting comparison? We all know fastest smashes don't point to the best player. In order to prove wongegg's example as invalid, u have to find: 1. find a sprinter of the past that can out do today's sprinter. or 2. find another sport when past athletes can out do today best. don't cherry pick 1 skill and cross jump into another sport for comparison. It seem this analogy is too hard for u to understand, not short and sweet.