WORLDS 2013 Finals – 5th title for Lin Dan!

2013 Wang Lao Ji BWF World Badminton Championships men's singles winner Lin Dan (right) with wife and two-time champion Xie Xingfang

Lin Dan outlasted Lee Chong Wei in the final at the Wang Lao Ji BWF World Badminton Championships, the 3^rd edition of their now annual August classic.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Guangzhou.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Lin Dan has now tied Park Joo Bong for the most BWF World Badminton Championship titles in history.  The Chinese superstar, who was already in possession of the record for singles players, beat rival and friend Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia when the world #1 was forced to retire with a cramp when facing match point in the third and deciding game.

It may be tempting to think of this showdown between the two titans of the men’s singles game as resembling a marathon, one where Lee Chong Wei went out too fast and ended up regretting it.  He did go on the attack more on the way to winning the first game.  Even in the second, after letting too many misjudged shuttles drop on the back line and allowing Lin Dan to open up a sizeable lead, Lee refused to let go and regroup for the decider, instead, fighting back with a futile run of 3 points before finally having to accept the 1-1 game score.

However, while Lin Dan did appear to be the more patient player throughout, Lee Chong Wei’s blistering pace was exactly what we have always come to expect.  It is what makes him Lee Chong Wei.  What was unexpected was seeing the heartbroken star forced to cede the match at 20-17 in the deciding game, gifting Lin Dan his fifth title.

“I think today Chong Wei and I both performed well today for the fans and in the 3^rd game when I was leading 19-17, he got a cramp,” explained Lin Dan at his post-match press conference.  “I have also suffered cramps like this in training.  When you have one of those, you cannot move at all so at that moment, we were not opponents any more.  I really wanted to know how he was and I wanted to help but he didn’t want to give up so I just asked him if he was okay and whether he would continue.

“When Coach Li Yongbo told me that I had got a wild card to these World Championships, I didn’t believe it and I was a little worried because at the time there were only a couple of months to prepare.

“I know that a lot of people doubted whether I would be able to go very far after being out of competition for so long but I think I proved today that all that counts is your attitude toward the match.  That’s also what I would like to tell the fans, that you have to have the spirit.  Even if you don’t know if you will succeed, you still have to try hard even if there might be some sacrifice.

“As for Chong Wei, I’ve had cramps like that and I can say that in that case, it’s not about the spirit.  You really just can’t move and so I think it’s really a pity for him.  I’m really grateful to this opponent.  Because of him, I have been able to fully realize my potential.

“Of course, if I had lost, it would have been a terrible result for China, especially since we are playing at home in Guangzhou.  But fortunately, I am not the Head Coach so I don’t need to worry about all these things.

“I just needed to worry about my attitude toward my own match.  I also wanted to make sure that the fans, who spent their time and money to come to see great matches, found it worthwhile.

“Both Lee Chong Wei and I are 30-year-olds and we can still play a match like this for this long and just like at the London Olympics, there was really no loser.  Both of us are winners.”

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2013 Wang Lao Ji BWF World Badminton Championships men's singles medallists (from left): Du Pengyu (CHN, bronze), Lin Dan (CHN, gold), Nguyen Tien Minh (VIE, bronze)