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Lin Dan Eyes Thomas Cup and Olympic Double
Indonesia's makeshift pair of Candra Wijaya and Nova Widianto are now permanent after the duo were named in the squad for the Thomas Cup Finals from May 11-18 in Jakarta.
| The 25-year-old Lin has already won two Thomas Cup titles, helping China to glory in Jakarta in 2004 and in Tokyo two years ago. He returns to Jakarta from May 11-18 hoping to make it a personal three-in-a-row. He remembers what it was like in Jakarta four years ago, having to overcome a fiercely partisan Indonesian crowd. But he said he enjoyed the atmosphere and can't wait to experience it again. "The Thomas Cup will always hold special memories for me. Especially playing in Jakarta. The Indonesian badminton fans are a passionate lot. They love their badminton and I enjoy playing in front of them," Lin was quoted in Bernama as saying. "So I am looking forward to going to Jakarta in May for the Thomas Cup final rounds and hopefully China can defend the crown." Once the Thomas Cup Finals are over, Lin can concentrate on one of the few major pieces of silverware he doesn't own - an Olympic gold medal. As world number one, he will be the top seed, with Malaysia's second-ranked Lee Chong Wei seen as his biggest threat. It will be a completely different atmosphere to Jakarta, though no less loud with his home fans expected to cheer his every move. "There is always the pressure of playing at home. In fact, every player on the circuit faces pressure and I am no exception. It's the question of how you handle the pressure and how to contain it," he was quoted as saying. "I believe I can do it. It's my desire to win an Olympic gold medal, more so when it is going to be held in China." The last men's singles player to win an Olympic gold was Ji Xinpeng, who took the title at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Ji is now part of the coaching team who are helping Lin achieve his goal of an Olympic gold medal. But first, it's the Thomas Cup. Lin has not played up to standards recently, losing in the All England final and Asian Championships semi-finals, both times to compatriot Chen Jin. But he is probably saving himself for the Thomas Cup and Olympics, where fans can expect to see him at his best. |
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