KUALA LUMPUR: Five-time world champion Lin Dan of China is looking good to earn another wild card to compete in the World Championships in Denmark in August.
On Sunday, Lin Dan put up a stunning performance to win the men’s singles title at the China Masters Grand Prix Gold despite being out of competition for the last seven months. The 31-year-old made mincemeat of compatriot Tian Houwei, winning 21-14, 21-9 in a 49-minute final in Changzhou.
En route to the title, the unseeded Lin Dan was victorious – in straight games – over fourth seed Derek Wong of Singapore and compatriot Wang Zhengming, the top seed.
It was Lin Dan’s first appearance in an international tournament since beating world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei in the final of last year’s World Championships in Guangzhou in August.
Due to his seven-month absence, the 31-year-old Lin Dan is currently ranked a lowly 104th in the world. But based on his current form, Lin Dan is still considered as China’s, if not the world’s, most formidable player.
At last year’s World Championships, Lin Dan was given a wild card by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). Despite a long break after winning the 2012 Olympic Games gold in London, Lin Dan showed his class by winning the world crown when his opponent Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei retired while trailing 17-20 in the rubber game.
Meanwhile, Lin Dan will shift his attention to the Asian Badminton Championships in Gimcheon, South Korea, starting on Wednesday.
Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand is the top seed followed by Shon Wan-ho of South Korea, Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam, Kento Momota of Japan and Hu Yun of Hong Kong, Chong Wei Feng of Malaysia, K. Srikanth of India and Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand.
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