Controversial Lin Dan set to rule Beijing

Controversial Lin Dan set to rule Beijing

With a reputation for temper tantrums, supreme confidence and badminton brilliance, Lin Dan is almost certain to steal a share of the limelight at the Beijing Olympics.

World No 1 for the last 20 months straight, Lin is regarded as the king of badminton and China's best chance of gold in an event the Red Army is determined to dominate in August.


Winning 13 major singles titles in the last two years, including back-to-back world championships, Lin, with a legion of fans behind him, exudes confidence.

His romance with teammate Xie Xingfang, the world's No 1 player on the women's side, has earned them the nickname of badminton's golden couple.

But the 24-year-old has a controversial side which at times has threatened to overshadow his masterful performances on court.

In the lead-up to the Games, Lin has been embroiled in two ugly incidents, the latest prompting calls from some irate fans for his dismissal from the Olympic team.

Lin has apologized for throwing a temper tantrum at a training session in April but denied striking his coach during the outburst.

At the Korean Open final in January, Lin also rushed at the Korean camp after a questionable line call and appeared poised to strike the coach with his racket before trainers and officials intervened.

Later explaining his actions, Lin said South Korea's former Chinese coach was "verbally attacking" him by shouting out offenses during the match.

The coach, for his part, called Lin an "ill-cultivated player ... the worst he had ever come across."

Lin shrugs off his reputation as one of the bad boys of badminton, insisting he is misunderstood, and that the media is partly to blame.

"Because it is an Olympic year, there have been some verbal attacks on me and the Chinese team, but that is normal," he told AFP on the sidelines on the recent Thomas Cup.

Sporting a T-shirt with a picture of himself on the front, Lin, said "I just try to downplay them and ignore them. I don't take it personally.

"A lot of it is the media playing it up," the left-hander said.

He added that being No 1 was tough because everybody wanted to beat him, and upped their game accordingly.

"Because I am world No 1, and have been for some time, other players have a bigger desire to beat me and so they often play better against me than against others.

"That will be my biggest problem at the Olympics in Beijing."

Beaten in the first round at the last Olympics in Athens, Lin, seeded No 1 this time, is determined to make amends on home soil.

Asked who he considered his main threats in Beijing, Lin singled out Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei, Denmark's Peter Gade, defending Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat and South Korean duo Park Sung-hwan and Lee Hyun-ll.

Lin and Indonesia's Hidayat, who has his own reputation for fiery outbursts, have a controversial history, and pundits will relish any showdown.

Hidayat, seeded seven for Beijing, branded Lin arrogant at the 2006 Asian Games, prompting Xie to defend her boyfriend with some choice words of her own about the Indonesian.

Hidayat, who has since insisted he has nothing against the Chinese star, has struggled for form in recent months. But second seed Lee has hit his stride, beating Lin at the Thomas Cup, one of the last major tune-ups for the Games.

Other players expected to threaten Lin include his own teammates, Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin, seeded three and four, respectively.

Lin, however, known for his ferocious attacking style, appears relaxed about his chances of clinching his first Olympic gold.

"I never feel I will definitely win the gold medal in Beijing because there are a lot of capable players to challenge me," he told AFP.

"But whoever I play, I will always try to perform to the best of my ability and beat them।"


Not only do they boast the world's best players, but the team has been boosted by recent thumpings of rivals South Korea and Indonesia at the Thomas and Uber Cups, one of the last major tournaments before the Games.

Then there's the home advantage: Thousands of adoring fans are set to pack the Beijing University Gymnasium in August to cheer on the champions - who dominate the sport's top tournaments - as they attempt the historic feat of winning all five golds on offer.

But closer scrutiny shows chinks have started to appear in all-conquering China's armor, just weeks before the Games gets underway.

China's golden couple and world No 1s, Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang, have suffered shock defeats, while China's men's and mixed doubles are set to be shaken by Indonesia, whose pairs, thanks to recent superb form, have seized the top seedings.

"What is clear is that the Chinese are not invincible and they can lose their composure when they are under pressure too, which should be good news for everyone," Netherlands coach Martijn Van Dooremalen said after his team took China's women to the brink at the Uber Cup before they recovered to win 3-2.

"They can be beaten," he said.

China head coach Li Yongbo, who drills his charges with military precision, admits rivals are catching up, but welcomes the improvements, while stressing that China is on course for gold in Beijing.

"I agree that badminton in China has declined a bit but I am also pleased that internationally the standard of badminton has risen," he said.

"That helps to push us to improve further."

China's Lin was beaten in a Thomas Cup clash by Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei who described the win as his best yet against the back-to-back world champion.

Seeded second for Beijing, Lee stands the biggest chance of halting the Chinese charge in the men's singles, along with Danish giants Kenneth Jonassen, seeded five, and Peter Gade, ranked No 8.

Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro also looms, and teammate Taufik Hidayat always poses a threat, although the temperamental shuttler has recently shown little of the form that won him Olympic gold four years ago.

China, however, not only boast the world No 1, but strength in numbers.

If Lin Dan falls during the Games, the host can count on formidable foot soldiers Bao Chunlai, seeded three, and No 4 Chen Jin, winner of this year's prestigious All England championship, to carry the flag.

China won three gold in Athens and four in Sydney and, with the Games on home soil, will be aiming for a clean sweep this time around.

But its toughest hurdle to achieve that feat is expected to come in the men's doubles, with Indonesian duo Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, the world champions, taking the top seed.

China's Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun are second, with South Korea's Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung baying for blood in third.

Indonesia is also favorite in the mixed doubles ahead of China, but the team looks certain of gold in the women's thanks to rock solid pair Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen, the world champions and defending Olympic title holders.

In the women's singles, Xie Xingfang and Olympic gold medalist Zhang Ning will spearhead the charge for the host nation, strongly backed up by third seed Lu Lan.

But the lightning-quick Xie has also stumbled in the lead-up.

She was downed at the Uber Cup by Dutch star Yao Jie - compounding problems for Xie, who, along with Zhang, were bundled out of the All England in the opening rounds.

That title eventually went to Denmark's sixth seed Tine Rasmussen who beat Lu Lan, sending an ominous warning about her intentions in Beijing.

Indonesia women's coach Susi Susanti - an Olympic gold medalist in Barcelona - said shuttlers should not be intimidated by China who was indeed vulnerable.

"I feel that the Chinese singles are not as unbeatable as they used to be when I was playing," she said.

"If we consider how (Malaysia's) Wong Mew Choo won in China, Tine Rasmussen's recent success at the All England, I hope my players can use these examples to remember that the Chinese are beatable."