time catches up with chinese badminton legend super dan
Thursday 3 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Time catches up with Chinese badminton legend 'Super Dan'

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleTime catches up with Chinese badminton legend 'Super Dan'

China's Lin Dan
Shanghai - Muslimchronicle

Lin Dan's defeat in the World Championship final has prompted fresh conjecture that the Chinese super star could soon call time on his brilliant career.

The 33-year-old "Super Dan" said after losing Sunday's showdown to Denmark's Viktor Axelsen in Glasgow that he would immediately return for China's National Games and then play at next month's Japan Open.

"After that I have no plans," said Lin, indicating he might soon call it a day. "It will be difficult to play in the World Championships at 34."

But the two-time Olympic and five-time world champion, regarded widely as the greatest singles player of all time, mixed his message by adding that reaching the final against a player 10 years younger "showed that I am still strong enough physically".

Lin was the bad boy of Chinese sport in his younger days, with a rap sheet that included hitting a coach. And he has hinted at retirement before, only to plough on.

Lin proved his enduring quality in Scotland by beating South Korea's world number one Son Wan-Ho in the semi-finals, before going down to the 23-year-old Axelsen in what felt like a changing of the guard.

"It is unbelievable to beat Lin Dan, I have been watching him for years," said the Dane.

As he nears the end of his career, Lin has been cherry-picking his tournament appearances to help extend his time at the top, like 36-year-old Roger Federer who has enjoyed a resurgence this year to win two tennis grand slams. 

- 'I don't want to go' -

Lin has fallen to seventh in the world rankings and fans on China's Twitter-like Weibo, where he has 3.75 million followers, said he lost the final to Old Father Time rather than his Danish opponent.

"The best players will always lose to time/age in the end. Even in defeat Lin Dan deserves to be honoured and respected. You will always be Super Dan," said one.

But many were more concerned with Lin's love life which has made more headlines than his badminton in the past year.

The once sky-high popularity of the tattooed shuttler --  it is rare for Chinese athletes to have tattoos -- has never recovered fully despite Lin apologising in November last year for an affair with a model while his wife and former badminton starlet Xie Xingfang was pregnant.

Observers said Lin showed his advancing years had slowed him in the defeat to world number three Axelsen.

"We all hoped to see Super Dan continue his legacy, but objectively speaking there's a 10-year age gap between the two players, think about the extra effort that has to be put in," commentator Tong Kexin said on state television after the defeat.

Many people expected Lin to retire after last summer's Rio Olympics, where he surrendered his title and lost the bronze-medal match to Axelsen.

But a reply Lin gave to Chinese media offers an insight into why he continues to defy expectations.

Asked in 2014 what he would say in a retirement speech if given only one minute, he answered: "I would say 'I don’t want to go' and repeat it for 60 seconds."

 

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

time catches up with chinese badminton legend super dan time catches up with chinese badminton legend super dan

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 09:14 2017 Friday ,10 March

Actor Meged Al Masry chooses his roles carefully

GMT 10:16 2017 Tuesday ,07 November

Qatar Airways launches new flights to Thai holiday

GMT 03:59 2017 Friday ,10 November

Macron announces surprise Saudi visit

GMT 09:41 2017 Saturday ,09 December

JK Rowling defends Depp casting after fan backlash

GMT 21:35 2017 Tuesday ,19 September

Arab Coalition destroys sites of insurgents in Najran

GMT 07:31 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

BDF commander-in-chief holds meeting

GMT 20:18 2017 Thursday ,26 October

Al-Qaim: last IS bastion in Iraq

GMT 13:42 2017 Wednesday ,27 September

Turkish military delegation to visit Iran next week

GMT 10:05 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

UAE pilgrims continue their Hajj rituals

GMT 15:48 2017 Friday ,20 January

Springsteen gives 'elegiac' secret show for Obama

GMT 21:14 2017 Sunday ,13 August

Russia says Syrian forces clear IS stronghold

GMT 07:53 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

Hurafuna’ handicrafts festival concludes

GMT 08:36 2017 Sunday ,29 October

At least three dead in Mogadishu car bombings

GMT 01:11 2017 Wednesday ,04 January

Istanbul attacker ‘fought for Daesh in Syria’

GMT 13:11 2016 Thursday ,20 October

Thomas shoots 64 to launch CIMB defence

GMT 06:46 2017 Thursday ,12 October

Gulf rivals trade barbs over 2022 World Cup in Qatar

GMT 08:37 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

Uber gives green light for sale of stake
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle