When the men’s singles quarterfinals commenced on the 17th of August, all eyes were on the first 2 contests. Everyone knew that if the favourites got through we would be treated to a repeat of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic final.
Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and double Olympic Silver medallist got though his match with ease, he seemed to be sending a loud message to his eternal rival China’s Lin Dan who was in action in the next semi-final against India’s Srikanth Kidambi.
The next quarter final match started with Kidambi winning the first point only for Lin Dan to reel of the next 11 in succession and win the 12th one immediately after the changeover.(Wow!! What dominance!) Kidambi’s nerves began to show as, after going 4-1 down as he was just lobbing the shuttle back into play and kept on hitting the net.
After a minor fight back, he took a total of 5 points from 12-1 down and lost the 1st game 21-6. It seemed like the second set would be a mere formality now and Lin Dan had activated what fans around the world fondly know as “SUPER DAN.”
In India, I could hear a person from the neighbouring flat yelling out “shut the television and get back to studying, the match is over.” Boy! How wrong that person was!
The second game saw Lin Dan completely clueless and Kidambi never even seemed to be troubled. He had a comfortable lead throughout. Maybe Kidambi was told by his coaches to go out swinging? Or had he finally gotten over the early jitters that players get when they go up against people who they have grown up watching? Or was Lin Dan just getting some real match practice for his semifinal against Lee Chong Wei? I say this as throughout the second game I noticed that the sharpness of the upward flicks and volleys and the injection of pace in the rallies from Dan’s side were non-existent. Also his sharp volleying had vanished. Did he just want some extra on court time? In sports it is said that even if the opponent isn’t playing well, you have to be there and playing well to win and Kidambi’s game had picked up. He won the 2nd game 21-11.
GAME ON !!
Kidambi had momentum on his side. Lin Dan seemed flustered, but raced out to a 5-3 lead and then the two began trading points going head to head till 8-8 following which Kidambi reeled off the next 3 points in a row to head into the break with a 11-8 lead.
Dan’s coach began ranting at him in the changeover and he won 9 of the next 13 points, starting off with a body smash to make it 11-9. The sharp volleying, sharp angles, and injection of pace had all returned. Kidambi wasn’t going away and maintained the level of play he had attained in the second game and kept within a point of Lin Dan right up to 17-16. Experience played a crucial role as Dan did just enough at the end and took 4 of the next 6 points to close out the game 21-18 and advance to the semi-finals with a 2 games to 1 win.
Lin Dan wasn’t playing as well as Lee Chong Wei had played in his quarter final, but did just enough.
The semi-final against Lee Chong Wei will prove a much much tougher challenge and going on current form I would predict Lee to finally get past Dan at an Olympic event. However there are some players who just raise their game to the next level when they come up against a particular opponent. Lin is an example of that statement. When up against Lee he has always been under pressure and yet like a true champion has done just enough at just the right moment.
Lee wants to beat Lin Dan. Lin Dan wants to go out with a bang by winning his 3rd straight gold. Expect a thriller between two greats of the world game. ONE LAST TIME !!
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