Spectators had an opportunity to see a legend like Lin Dan pitted against next big thing Wang Zhengming.
A young prodigy versus an acknowledged great — the Badminton Asia Championships couldn’t have had a more appropriate match-up for the men’s singles final.
This might be the first of many such encounters, and if Wang Zhengming fulfils his potential as China’s next big name after Lin Dan, those who watched the match might well remember they were witnesses to a special moment.
Neither the scorching weather, nor the incomplete stadium, could dampen the appetite of crowd, which turned up in respectable numbers on the last two days.
The draw was shorn of several big names, but so what?
A new line of Chinese youngsters was up for display, and they’re as formidable as everybody feared.
Then there was Lin Dan, the most accomplished player in history, and so focused was he that he refused to speak a word to the media until he’d reached the final.
The Asian title was the one missing from his crowded cabinet, for he has three World Championships, four All Englands, and an Olympic gold, apart from a vast collection of Super Series titles.
Let us pause to marvel at him. Let us marvel that such a man should be amongst us, in this era.
Much has been said of Roger Federer and Michael Schumacher and Lance Armstrong; little has been said of Lin Dan.
He belongs to that very exclusive club, the league of all-time sporting greats. Even Federer had a nemesis for a while, Nadal. Lin Dan has no one in his league in terms of consistency.
The Asian Championship was once a coveted title, but not so in recent years.
Most nations took the opportunity to send in their young players, to prepare them for bigger battles ahead. China sent a bunch of rookies, and so did Korea and Malaysia, to a lesser extent.
Only the men’s singles had some top players, and it was thus a good opportunity for India to prove themselves in other events.
They didn’t quite measure up.
Saina Nehwal was undone by the relentless pace of a Chinese youngster who put to use all that has studied of the Indian’s game, while V Diju/ Jwala Gutta and Rupesh Kumar/ Sanave Thomas were competitive in the early part of their quarterfinals before fading late into the match.
Aditi Mutatkar fought intelligently, and with heart, and so did P Kashyap in the singles.
The lacklustre results, except for Saina’s bronze medal, exposed the lack of depth in the Indian team even in such a weak field.
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