'Super' Dan chases 4th straight title
0 
Reigning world, Olympic champion laid back in attempt to solidify place among sport's legends
China's "Super" Lin Dan remains a picture of calm ahead of his bid for a fourth consecutive world title at the Badminton World Championships, which start today in Paris.
Lin, 27, won three successive men's singles titles between 2006 and 2009, also taking the crown in 2008 when the Beijing Olympic Games were held instead of a world championship.
Adding another world title would place the shuttler in even more rarified air, but Lin prefers to take a more relaxed approach.
"I haven't even thought about the fourth successive crown so far. Frankly, I just want to be myself and play my whole form out," Lin said before leaving for Paris on Friday.
"Greatness is not the amount of titles you get. It's the contribution that reminds people of your shining moments after retirement."
Despite dropping to third in the world rankings behind Malaysian rival Lee Chong Wei and Danish veteran Peter Gade after playing in the Chinese Super League instead of international tournaments, Lin is still considered a title favorite. He showed he had lost none of his sharpness, playing at a high level in China's successful Thomas Cup defense in May and notching a stunning 15 consecutive wins in the Super League.
"The one who relieves me the most in the squad for the worlds is Lin Dan," Chinese national team coach Li Yongbo said. "After one week's rest, he has tuned up to his top form."
Third-seeded Lin, who opens against Ali Shahhosseini of Iran, faces a tough draw in Paris. In addition to landing in the same half of the bracket at world No 1 Lee, his draw includes Chinese compatriot and 10th seed Bao Chunlai and fifth-seeded Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia, the 2004 Olympic men's singles champion.
If Lin reaches the final, his potential opponents include No 2 seed Gade, fourth-seeded Chen Jin and No 6 seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.
"It (the draw) doesn't matter," an outspoken Li said. "Lin can definitely win whatever title he wants. It's all about how much he wants it. At present, Lin's only rival is himself. Gade, Taufik, Lee Chong Wei are not a threat to him. They are just his opponents, not his rivals."
Lee, a six-time winner in Badminton World Federation open series this year, will be the biggest threat to Lin. However, Lin has had the better of the Malaysian in their meetings in finals since the Beijing Olympics, including this year's Thomas Cup. That could give Lin a psychological advantage over Lee, who is eager to win his first world title.
"He (Lin) has kept good form and fitness without playing so many international tournaments this year. If we meet in the semifinals, that will be a tough game for me," Lee said.
"Chong Wei needs to win his early matches impressively to gain the confidence before facing Lin Dan," Malaysia national coach Misbun Sidek told the Straits Times newspaper on Thursday.
Chen is likely to double China's chances of defending its title. The 24-year-old lost to Lin in the final at last year's Worlds.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments