If you follow a wide range of sports closely, you must have seen the presence of Chinese players in the medal tally. It’s no surprise that the country produces some of the finest athletes.
And badminton is no different, with many legendary Chinese shuttlers leaving their mark on the court. The likes of Lin Dan and Chen Long spearhead some of the best men’s shuttlers from the Asian country.
So here are the five greatest men’s Chinese badminton players of all time.
Lin Dan
Lin Dan is not just a Chinese great but a global superstar in badminton. And rightfully so, Peter Gade called him ‘Super Dan’.
If you are a die-hard badminton fan, then you must have seen him play the sport. Dan’s fitness, adaptability, and always-winning mindset set him apart from his peers.
The singles player is the only one to complete the Super Slam in badminton. Dan won almost all major tournaments, including the World Championships, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, All England Open – you name it and he’s won them all.
Dan also clinched the Olympic gold medal twice in 2008 and 2012 to become the first men’s shuttler to retain his title in consecutive games. He bowed out with 670 match wins and 66 title wins in his 20 years of career.
Cai Yun
After the greatest men’s shuttler, we have the finest Chinese doubles player in Cai Yun. He formed a solid partnership with Fu Haifeng in the men’s doubles category.
Cai had quick reflexes while playing in the front court. In association with Fu, he won two Olympic medals, starting with a silver in 2008 and bagging a gold in 2012.
Cai fought many fierce matches along with Fu, claiming four titles in the World Championships, two each in the Asian Games and All England Open.
Fu Haifeng
Cai’s doubles partner Fu Haifeng was an equally fine badminton player. If Cai had the quickness, Fu possessed powerful smashes.
He guarded the back court while hitting some of the fastest smashes clocked in the sport. The pair of Cai and Fu was formidable as they used attacking tactics, not giving enough chances to their opponents.
The duo also won the Thomas Cup title five times, the Sudirman Cup six times, and the World Cup once. After Fu parted ways with Cai, he went on to add another Olympic gold with Zhang Nan in the 2016 games.
Chen Long
Known as ‘The Great Wall of China’, Chen Long lived up to the tag given by his fans. He is one of the greatest Chinese shuttlers.
Chen had a solid defence while boasting great stamina and command over the rallies. He was drawn to the sport at a young age and started taking strides by the age of 17.
Chen started winning major competitions in 2009 and reached his peak between 2014 and 2016, when he claimed the top spot in the badminton rankings. He won three Olympic medals, four Sudirman Cup titles, three Thomas Cup titles, and two World Championships trophies.
Zhang Nan
Like Cai and Fu, Zhang Nan is also the best doubles badminton player from China. And he plied his trade equally well in men’s and mixed doubles.
Zhang forged successful partnerships with Fu and Liu Cheng in men’s doubles, while in the mixed category, he dominated with Zhao Yunlei and Li Yinhui. His adaptability among the two disciplines alone reflects his great command over the sport.
Zhang’s association with Yunlei was more remarkable, as the mixed pair triumphed in major badminton events. They won two Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016, while Zhang clinched one more with Fu in men’s doubles in 2016.
Zhang claimed the World Championships gold four times, the Sudirman Cup title three times, and the Thomas Cup title twice.
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