Super Dan

Lin Dan

Lin Dan (born October 14, 1983) is a men's singles badminton player of Hakka ancestry, from Fujian, the People's Republic of China. Lin is currently the dominant singles player on the world stage.

Career

Lin started playing badminton at the age of 5, and began to his professional career at the age of 17. He soon became one of the dominant players of men's single, winning nine championships in the BWF Super Series between 2002 and 2004. In a surprise loss, he was eliminated in the first round of the badminton men's singles in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. He continued to dominate in international tournaments, and has been ranked continuously number one except for a very brief period of being ranked behind Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in 2007.

Among the tournaments Lin Dan has won are the All-England Open (2004, 2006, and 2007) and the China Masters. He has helped China win three consecutive Thomas Cup (men's world team) championships in 2004, 2006, and 2008. Lin also won the 2007 World Badminton Championships in men's singles, defeating Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia in the final to become only the 2nd player after Yang Yang to win the men's singles championship back to back, after taking the gold medal in the 2006 World Badminton Championships.

He played for Chinese team in Sudirman Cup 2005 and 2007 as his team won.

Lin won his first ever Olympic singles gold medal on 17 August 2008 at the Beijing Summer Olympics after defeating Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in straight sets 21-12, 21-8.

2004

Lin Dan became the world number one and achieved his first All England title, beating Denmark's Peter Gade. He continued to shine as he gained the Swiss Open title; the Denmark Open title, defeating his senior and former world number one Xia Xuanze; the German Open title; and the China Open title, beating his compatriot and good friend Bao Chunlai. In May, Lin Dan also became the main role to bring the Thomas Cup to China after a long domination by Indonesia.

2005

In 2005, Lin Dan won the warm-up tournament of German Open after beating Malaysia's Muhammad Hafiz Hashim, but he lost his All England title to compatriot Chen Hong. He then defeated Chen Hong to earn the Japan Open title. In Beijing, Lin Dan and his compatriots brought back the Sudirman Cup, which China lost in 2003 when they were defeated by South Korea.

In August, Lin Dan reached his first World Championship final in Anaheim, USA, but lost to Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat. Even so, he managed to claim several more titles: the China Masters and the Hong Kong Open.

2006

Lin Dan started his brilliant year by regaining his All England title, overcoming Lee Hyun-il of South Korea. He carried on his reign as the world number one when he swept the Chinese Taipei Open, Macau Open, Hong Kong Open, World Championships, and Japan Open titles.

He lost his world number one for a while to Lee Chong Wei but reclaimed it when he emerged as the 2006 world champion, overpowering his comrade Bao Chunlai 18-21, 21-17, 21-12. Bao was the player who defeated Lee in the quarter-final.

Earlier in May, Lin Dan and his teammates extended China's supremacy in the Thomas and Uber Cup event in Sendai and Tokyo, Japan. Lin won over Peter Gade in straight sets 21-17, 21-19 as China demolished Denmark 3-0.

2007

Lin Dan made a poor start in the Malaysia Open, losing to South Korea's Park Sung-hwan in the round of 16. But this did not last long, as a week later he came to be the champion of Korea Open after defeating his fellow national player Chen Jin. He attained the German Open title and then All England title again, crushing Chen Yu of China.

In June, Lin Dan participated for China in the Sudirman Cup, Glasgow, Scotland, and the Chinese team brought home the cup after beating Indonesia 3-0. Lin himself did not play because the men's singles match was scheduled for the last match.

Afterwards, Lin Dan ousted Wong Choong Hann of Malaysia and became the champion of the 2007 China Masters. He won the Denmark Open and Hong Kong Open as well. In August, Lin Dan extended his reign as the world champion as he beat Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2008

As every athlete looked forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Lin Dan, who was certainly qualified to play, did not begin well as he failed in the Malaysian Open and Korean Open. He lost his All England title to Chen Jin, but then won the Swiss Open.

In the 2008 Thomas Cup that was held in Jakarta again, Lin Dan won almost every match he played, except in the semi-final where he lost to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei. However, he gave one point to China as he returned from his first-set loss and overcame Park Sung-hwan of South Korea 10-21, 21-18, and 21-8. China won over South Korea 3-1 and, with Lin's participation, brought back the cup for the third consecutive time.

Lin Dan did not play in Singapore and Indonesia, two tournaments that was ranked Super Series, but he played in the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold and conquered local favorite, Boonsak Ponsana, to take the title.

In the Olympic Games, Lin Dan, who was undoubtedly the local hero, began his gold medal hunt by subduing Hong Kong's Ng Wei 21-16, 21-13 in the round of 32. Next he saw off Park Sung-hwan (KOR) 21-11, 21-8, and shattered Peter Gade's dream of ever winning a medal in the Beijing Games in the last eight. He faced Chen Jin in the semis and sent the younger player to fight Lee Hyun-il in the bronze medal match.

Lee Chong Wei was his last opponent. It was supposedly to be a tough match, but Lin Dan grabbed the gold as he overwhelmed the Malaysian in an easy two-setter 21-12, 21-8. Lin became the first men's singles ever to win the All England title, the world championship title, and the Olympic gold medal.

Lin Dan plays some exhibition in Hong Kong and takes a holiday after the Olympics, and he will play again after October 8.

Personal Life

Lin is one of the more popular and controversial badminton players active today, due to his flamboyant personality. He is known as a temperamental player, occasionally disrupting matches to protest line calls. He has a romantic relationship with fellow Chinese badminton player Xie Xingfang. Lin was once an officer in the People's Liberation Army. He has been nicknamed "Super Dan" by his adoring mainland fans.

Style and attributes

Lin Dan's playing style compromises quick maneuverability around the court and the ability to maintain long, aggressive rallies. His well built physique, powerful straight/cross court jump smashes, and fast penetrating footwork makes him one of the toughest elite badminton player's known. In terms of weaknesses he will sometimes make too many unforced errors at the net and lose mental focus at crucial moment's of a game. Sometimes, he tends to be very stiff and nervous when he plays in high-pressured atmosphere, this is where he tends to make mistakes.

Titles

Rank	Event	Date	Venue
Olympics
1	Singles	17th August 2008	Beijing, China
World Championships
1	Singles	2007	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1	Singles	2006	Madrid, Spain
2	Singles	2005	Anaheim, California, USA
Asian Games
1	Team	2006	Doha, Qatar
2	Singles	2006	Doha, Qatar
3	Team	2002	Busan, Korea
Thomas & Uber Cup
1	Team	2008	Indonesia
1	Team	2006	Japan
1	Team	2004	Jakarta, INA
World Grand Prix
1	Singles	2008	Wilson Swiss Super Series 2008
1	Singles	2007	Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Super Series 2007
1	Singles	2007	Denmark Open Super Series
1	Singles	2007	China Masters Super Series
1	Singles	2007	Yonex All England Super Series
1	Singles	2007	Yonex German Open
1	Singles	2007	Yonex Korea Open Super Series
1	Singles	2006	Yonex Japan Open
1	Singles	2006	Hong Kong Open
1	Singles	2006	Macau Open
1	Singles	2006	Chinese Taipei Open
1	Singles	2006	Yonex All England Open
1	Singles	2005	Hong Kong Open
1	Singles	2005	China Masters
1	Singles	2005	Yonex Japan Open
1	Singles	2005	German Open
1	Singles	2004	China Open
1	Singles	2004	German Open
1	Singles	2004	Realkredit Denmark Open
1	Singles	2004	Yonex All England Open
1	Singles	2004	Swiss Open
1	Singles	2003	China Open
1	Singles	2003	Hong Kong Open
1	Singles	2003	Realkredit Denmark Open
1	Singles	2002	Noonnoppi Korea Open
2	Singles	2008	Yonex All England Super Series
2	Singles	2008	Yonex Korea Super Series 2008
2	Singles	2006	Proton Eon Malaysia Open
2	Singles	2005	Proton Eon Malaysia Open
2	Singles	2005	Yonex All England Open
2	Singles	2003	German Open
3	Singles	2006	China Open
3	Singles	2006	German Open
3	Singles	2006	China Masters
3	Singles	2005	Aviva Singapore Open
3	Singles	2004	Djarum Indonesia Open
3	Singles	2004	Yonex Japan Open
3	Singles	2002	All England Open