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Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, Taufik Hidayat, and Peter Gade are considered the four kings of badminton. They are known for their impressive records, fame, and their time as world number one ranked players. Lin Dan, from China, is considered the greatest badminton player of all time, having won two Olympic gold medals, five World Championships, and two World Cups, among other accolades. Nicknamed Super Dan, he completed the Super Grand Slam by winning all nine major titles in badminton. Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia holds the record for the most number of Super Series titles at 46 and is the longest-ranked number one player in history. Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and Peter Gade of Denmark are also exceptional badminton players, with Gade reaching the world number one ranking and Hidayat being a highly skilled and respected player.
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What You'll Learn
Lin Dan: China's 'Super Dan'
Lin Dan, nicknamed 'Super Dan' by opponent Peter Gade after winning the 2004 All England Open final, is a former Chinese professional badminton player. He is widely regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time. By the age of 28, Lin had completed the "Super Grand Slam", having won all nine major titles in the badminton world: the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Year-end Finals, Asian Games, and Asian Championships. He is the only player, male or female, to achieve this feat.
Lin started his badminton training at the age of five and was scouted by the People's Liberation Army Sports Team after winning the National Junior Championships aged twelve. He was enlisted into the Chinese National Badminton Team in 2001, when he was 18. Lin emerged as a winner in the 2000 Asian Junior Championships in both the team and singles events. He was also a member of the winning Chinese team and a boys' singles semi-finalist in the 2000 World Junior Championships.
Lin is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, a five-time World Champion, a two-time World Cup champion, a two-time Asian Games gold medallist, a four-time Asian Champion, and a six-time All England champion. He became the first men's singles player to retain the Olympic gold medal, winning in 2008 and defending his title in 2012. In 2011, he was named China's best male athlete for 2010 in China Central Television's Sports Personality of the Year poll for his clean sweep in major badminton titles.
Lin's career was marked by a rivalry with Lee Chong Wei, considered the greatest in the history of badminton. Lin held the edge, however, and in 2008, he beat Lee in the Olympic Games final in Beijing, becoming a national superstar. On 4 July 2020, Lin announced his retirement, citing pain and injuries as the reasons. He was inducted into the BWF Badminton Hall of Fame on 26 May 2023, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest badminton players of all time.
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Lee Chong Wei: Record holder
Lee Chong Wei, born on 21 October 1982, is a former professional badminton player from Malaysia. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest badminton players of all time. Nicknamed the 'King of Superseries', Lee has amassed several records throughout his illustrious career.
Lee holds the record for the most consecutive years as year-end World Number 1, achieving this feat for six straight years from 2008 to 2013. During this period, he spent 348 weeks (349 weeks according to another source) at the summit of the rankings, including an incredible streak of 199 consecutive weeks from 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012. This longevity at the top is a testament to his dominance in the sport.
Lee Chong Wei is the only Malaysian shuttler to have held the number one ranking for more than a year. He is also the fifth Malaysian to achieve this ranking since official rankings began in the 1980s. Lee's success in reaching the pinnacle of the sport has brought immense pride to his nation.
In terms of titles, Lee has won a total of 69, including a record 46 or 47 BWF World Superseries titles. This record is a testament to his consistent excellence in numerous tournaments. Notably, he is the only player to have won at least one title in every season of the BWF Super Series circuit since its implementation in 2007.
Lee Chong Wei's achievements have been recognised by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), who bestowed upon him the title of 'Datuk'. His remarkable career has also been immortalised through a biopic movie, aptly titled 'Lee Chong Wei', which premiered in 2018. The film celebrates the achievements of a badminton legend who has inspired generations of athletes in Malaysia and beyond.
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Taufik Hidayat: Indonesian icon
Taufik Hidayat, born on 10 August 1981, is an Indonesian badminton legend. He is the only Indonesian badminton player to have won a gold medal in the Olympics. He is a former world champion, Olympic gold medalist, two-time Asian Games gold medalist, three-time Asian champion, and six-time Indonesia Open winner. Known as 'Mr Backhand', he is considered one of the greatest players in men's singles badminton.
Hidayat's shot-making strengths included his backhand, forehand jump smash, drop shot, smooth footwork, and deceiving net play. His forehand jump smash in the 2006 World Championships was the fastest smash recorded in singles competition at 305 km/h (190 mph). This power on both his forehand and backhand, combined with his net play and scope for deceptive shots, made him one of the most difficult players to face on the open circuit.
Hidayat's victory at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, was a momentous occasion for Indonesian badminton. He won the gold medal in men's singles badminton after defeating South Korea's Shon Seung-mo in a thrilling final match. This win marked Indonesia's first Olympic gold medal in badminton and made Hidayat an instant hero back home. In the same year, he successfully retained his Indonesia Open title and won his second Asian Championships title.
In August 2005, Hidayat won the men's singles title at the World Championships, defeating world number one Lin Dan of China. With this title, he became the first men's singles player to hold the Olympic and World Championships titles in consecutive years. He also won the men's singles gold medal at the Asian Games in 2002 and 2006, as well as at the SEA Games in 1999 and 2007.
Hidayat officially opened a badminton training center named the Taufik Hidayat Arena (THA) in December 2012, located in Ciracas, East Jakarta. The center is both named and owned by him. He retired from professional badminton in 2013 but continues to inspire players worldwide with his legacy. He is currently serving as the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sport of Indonesia.
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Peter Gade: Danish legend
Peter Høeg Gade, born on December 14, 1976, in Aalborg, Denmark, is a retired Danish professional badminton player. Gade is considered a badminton legend and was one of the best players in the world during his prime in the early 2000s. He is known for his spirit, love, and respect for the sport.
Gade's career in badminton began in 1994 when he won the men's doubles title in the World Youth Championships. From 1998 to 2001, he topped the world rankings. In 1999, he won the All England Open Badminton Championships singles title, along with five European Championships crowns in the men's singles event. With 22 Grand-Prix titles, Gade is one of the most successful badminton players. On June 22, 2006, he briefly recaptured the number one spot in the world rankings after winning the Singapore Open.
Gade represented Denmark in badminton singles in four Summer Olympics: 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. In the 2000 Summer Olympics, he reached the semifinals but lost to the eventual gold medalist, Ji Xinpeng of China. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he defeated Nabil Lasmari in the second round and Shoji Sato in the third round. In the quarterfinals, Gade lost to the eventual Olympic champion, Lin Dan of China. In the 2012 Summer Olympics, Gade was defeated by Chen Long of China in the quarterfinals.
Gade is known for his unique winning strategy, which involves forcing his opponents towards the net area and then making them lift the shuttle or playing a deceptive shot to force a weak return. He popularized badminton deception and introduced how it could be used to create chances and set up rallies. One of his popular deceptive techniques is the "hold and hit" technique, where he moves towards the shuttle, holds his racket up to pause, and then delays the point of contact before flicking the shuttle at the last second. Gade's playing style is characterized by fast attacks, smooth footwork, and constant pressure.
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Chen Long: Current number one
Chen Long is a former world number one in men's singles badminton. He occupied the top spot in the world rankings for 76 consecutive weeks, from December 2014 to June 2016. Known as "The Great Wall of China" by his fans, Chen Long is considered one of the greats of men's singles badminton.
Chen Long was born in Shashi City, Hubei Province, China, in 1989. He entered the Sports School in Jingzhou at the age of seven in 1996, and his talent as a badminton player was evident from a young age. He started his achievements on the international stage by winning the boys' singles title in the Asian and World Junior Championships in 2007. He then went on to win his first professional tournament in the Philippines Open in 2009.
Chen Long is a two-time World Champion and an Asian Champion. He has also won four World Championship medals and eight Asian Championship medals. In addition to his international success, Chen Long was awarded the BWF male player of the year twice back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. His stellar performance in 2015, where he retained the World Championship crown, propelled him to be considered one of the top athletes of the year in China.
Chen Long has had rivalries with other top badminton players, including Viktor Axelsen, the current world number one in BWF men's singles rankings. Chen Long has a superior head-to-head record against his compatriot Lin Dan, widely considered the greatest badminton player ever. However, he has faced tougher competition from Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, who has gotten the better of him more times, including a demoralising defeat at the Malaysia Open that took just 39 minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
There are four kings of badminton: Lin Dan of China, Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia, and Peter Gade of Denmark.
Lin Dan is widely regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time. Nicknamed "Super Dan", he is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, five-time World champion, and six-time All England champion.
The current number one player in men's singles is Chen Long from China.
