| Lin Dan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 林丹 | ||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 林丹 | ||||||||
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Lin Dan (Chinese:林丹; born 14 October 1983)[1] is a Chinese former professional badminton player. He is a two-timeOlympic gold medallist, five-timeWorld Championships gold medalist, two-timeWorld Cup champion, two-timeAsian Games gold medalist, four-timeAsian Champion, as well as a six-timeAll England champion. He led China to victory 5 times at theSudirman Cup, 6 times at theThomas Cup, and 3 times at theAsian Games men's team event.
Widely regarded as the greatest badminton player of all time,[3][4][5] by the age of 28 Lin had completed the "Super Grand Slam", having won the full set of all nine major titles in the badminton world of his time:Olympic Games,World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup,Year-end Finals, Asian Games, and Asian Championships, becoming the third player to achieve this feat afterGe Fei andGu Jun, and the only male player to ever achieve this feat.[6][7] Of the 9 major events, he had won at least 2 of each events except the Year-end Finals where he won once in his only time participating in that event. He also became the first men's singles player to retain the Olympic gold medal by winning in2008 and successfully defending his title in2012.[8]
Lin was dubbed "Super Dan" by opponentPeter Gade after winning the2004 All England Open final, and the nickname has since been widely used by his fans as well as the media to refer to him, in recognition of his achievements.[9][10] He was inducted to BWFBadminton Hall of Fame on 26 May 2023.[11]
Lin was born inFujian, China. At a young age, Lin was encouraged to learn to play the piano by his parents, and to be a pianist. However, he chose to play badminton instead. Having started his training at the age of five, he was scouted by thePeople's Liberation Army Sports Team after winning the National Junior Championships aged twelve, and was enlisted into theChinese National Badminton Team in 2001, when he was 18.[12][13][14]
Lin emerged as a winner in the2000 Asian Junior Championships in both the team and the singles events.[15] He was also a member of the winning Chinese team and a boys' singles semi-finalist in the2000 World Junior Championships.[16][17]
2001 marked the start of then 18 year-old Lin's professional career. In his first final, at theAsian Championships, he was thrashed by compatriotXia Xuanze.[18] He then entered his first final in the IBF Grand Prix event at theDenmark Open, losing toBao Chunlai.[19]
In 2002, Lin took his first title at theKorea Open.[20] He was a member ofChina's2002 Thomas Cup squad which defeatedSweden (5–0),[21]Denmark (3–2),[22] andSouth Korea (4–1) to reach the semi-finals.[23] However, Lin didn't play in the semi-final tie againstMalaysia, which saw China's team tumble to a 1–3 defeat.[24] Lin participated in another four tournaments without coming close to victory. He was knocked out in the first round of the Singapore,[25] and Indonesia Opens,[26] second round of the Denmark Open,[27] and third round of the China Open.[28] In October, Lin was defeated in the semi-finals of theAsian Games team competition which ended China's hope of a team gold medal.[29]
Lin started the 2003 season with a third round defeat in theAll England Open.[30] He reached a final later in the year at the Japan Open but was beaten by his compatriot Xia Xuanze once again.[31] Lin then made his inaugural debut in theWorld Championships inBirmingham, England. He breezed past Per-Henrik Croona andPrzemysław Wacha in the first two rounds, but was beaten by Xia again in his third round match.[32] After the world meet, he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Singapore Open,[33] third round of the Indonesia Open,[34] and second round of the Malaysia Open.[35] However, Lin ended the season strongly by capturing the Denmark,[36] Hong Kong,[37] and China Opens,[38] and finishing runner-up at the German Open.[39]
Lin had a good start to 2004, earning the BWF's number one world ranking for the first time in February. He helped China win the qualifying round ofThomas Cup and then captured the Swiss Open.[40][41] He won his first everAll England Open title by beatingPeter Gade in the final.[42] He reached the semi-final of the Japan Open before going off toJakarta, Indonesia in May for the Thomas Cup campaign.[43]
InThomas Cup, Lin helped China to an excellent start in which they thrashedUnited States and defending championIndonesia 5–0 respectively to enter the quarter-finals.[44] Lin then defeatedShoji Sato andLee Hyun-il in quarter and semi-finals ties againstJapan andSouth Korea respectively, each ending in 3–0 wins for China.[45][46] In the final, he beat Peter Gade in straight games to give China the lead before the Chinese team eventually won three matches to one. China thus took the crown, ending a 14 years drought in the tournament.[47]
Lin suffered setbacks later in the 2004 season when he was ousted in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Open,[48] and was reported to have a leg injury in mid-July, prior to the Olympic Games.[49] Lin "crashed" in his firstOlympic Games when, as the first seed, he was ousted early by Singapore'sRonald Susilo, who claimed Lin was "too eager to win".[50][51] However, Lin bounced back with three titles at the Denmark,[52] German,[53] and China Opens,[54] and ended the season as a semi-finalist at the Indonesia Open.[55]
Lin retained his number one world ranking during 2005, winning his second German and Hong Kong Open titles,[56][57] as well as the Japan Open, China Masters, andWorld Cup tournaments.[58][59][60][61] He also helped China recapture theSudirman Cup (combined men's and women's team championship) when it shut-out both defending champion South Korea in the semi-finals and Indonesia in the final.[62][63]
Lin failed to retain his All England title, losing a three set final to teammateChen Hong,[64] and he was beaten in the final of the Malaysia Open by another rising star,Lee Chong Wei.[65] In his bid to capture his firstBWF World title atAnaheim California, he beatKennevic Asuncion,Shoji Sato,Lee Hyun-il, andPeter Gade in succession to reach the final.[66][67][68] There he was decisively beaten by a peak-formTaufik Hidayat.[69] Lin was also eliminated in the semi-finals of the Singapore Open and the quarter-finals of the China Open.[70]
Lin started the season by reaching the semi-finals of theGerman Open,[71] and had a same result in China Masters andChina Open.[72][73] He failed to win the Malaysia Open in June, which saw his opponent Lee Chong Wei produce a superb display to save the title after being 13–20 down in the deciding game,[74] and also lost to Taufik Hidayat inAsian Games final.[75]
However, he won six individual titles in the season. He recaptured theAll England Open,[76] and won the Chinese Taipei,[77] Macau,[78] Hong Kong,[79] and Japan Opens.[80] Most significantly, in Madrid, Spain that September he won his firstworld title after beating his compatriot Bao Chunlai in the final.[81]
In May, Lin and his teammates had extended China's Thomas Cup reign by shutting out Denmark 3–0 for a second consecutive title.[82] In October, he won his secondWorld Cup men's singles title.[83]
Lin Dan entered 2007 with a loss to South Korea'sPark Sung-hwan in the round of 16 at theMalaysia Open.[84] A week later, he captured theKorea Open by defeating Chinese teammateChen Jin in the final.[85] He went on to win theGerman Open[86] and then theAll England championships again, crushing compatriotChen Yu 21–13, 21–12.[87] In June, Lin Dan was part of the Chinese Sudirman Cup team that retained the cup after beating Indonesia 3–0 in the final atGlasgow, Scotland.[88] Later in the season Lin defeatedWong Choong Hann of Malaysia and became the China Masters champion for 2007.[89] In August, Lin extended his reign as theWorld Champion when he beat Indonesia'sSony Dwi Kuncoro 21–11, 22–20 in the final of the tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[90] Lin Dan thus became the first man sinceYang Yang to win back to back World Championships. He then won his thirdDenmark Open title,[91] and ended the year by claiming his fourthHong Kong Open title.[92]
Lin started the season with a defeat in the final of theKorea Open toLee Hyun-il.[93] It was a match filled with controversy as Lin had a scuffle with South Korea's coach Li Mao after a line call dispute. Lin refused to apologise and received no punishment fromBadminton World Federation (BWF) after its probe of the altercation.[94][95] In March, he suffered another defeat to his compatriot Chen Jin in the final of theAll England Open,[96] which was followed by press accusations that Lin "gave" the match to Chen in order to increase Chen's ranking points for Olympic qualification (which placed stringent limits on the number of participants from any one country).[97] In the following week, Lin won his firstSwiss Open.[98] At the Asian Championships, Lin was again accused of helping his compatriot when his loss to Chen Jin in the semi-finals ensured Chen's qualification for the Olympic Games.[99]
On 10 April 2008, Lin was involved in yet another controversy when he struck coachJi Xinpeng in front of his teammates and the media during an intra-squad tournament prior to theThomas Cup. The incident was allegedly triggered by his unhappiness with Ji's arrangement of the starting line-up for the tournament.[100] Despite the episode, in May Lin proceeded to win each match he played in theThomas Cup until China's semi-finals clash with Malaysia when he lost rather tamely to Lee Chong Wei. However, China still managed to reach the final by edging Malaysia 3–2,[101] then retained the cup against South Korea with Lin's win at first singles helping China to a 3–1 victory.[102]
Lin won the Thailand Open, his last tournament before the 2008 Olympic Games.[103]
In the BeijingOlympic Games, he beat Hong Kong'sNg Wei in the first round,[104]Park Sung-hwan in the second round,[105] andPeter Gade in the quarter-finals.[106] He then beat his teammate Chen Jin in straight sets to set up a "dream" final against Lee Chong Wei.[107] However, the final was a one-sided match as Lin beat Lee 21–12, 21–8, and became the first men's singles player to win the Olympic gold as a first seed.[108]
Not back in action until theChina Open in November, Lin again beat Lee in the final,[109] before losing to Chen Jin once again in theHong Kong Open.[110] Lin was eligible to participate in the lucrativeMasters Finals in December, but due to the withdrawal of the whole Chinese contingent (citing weariness and injuries), he didn't take part in the tournament.[111]
In March, at his first tournament appearance of 2009, Lin won his fourthAll England title without dropping a game, defeating Lee Chong Wei in the final.[112] After this dominant performance, he lost to Lee in the final ofSwiss Open a week later.[113]
In May, Lin participated in theSudirman Cup helping China to consecutive 5–0 victories over England, Japan, and Indonesia.[114][115][116] In the semi-finals against Malaysia Lin defeated Lee Chong Wei in straight games as China advanced to the final against South Korea with another shutout.[117] In the last round the same form held true as Lin beatPark Sung-hwan thus helping China to secure the Cup for the third time in a row, and each time without dropping a match in the series.[118]
During the rest of 2009, Lin dropped only two matches; in June in the quarter-finals of theIndonesia Open,[119] and, perhaps most surprisingly, in the finals of December'sEast Asian Games in Hong Kong to South Korea's little known Choi Ho-jin.[120][121] Aside from those upsets, Lin dominated. In August inHyderabad he became the first player to win theWorld Championships three times by beating compatriot Chen Jin in the final.[122] Later Lin would go on to win his fourth China Masters title[123] and first French Open title.[124] He ended his tournament winning streak in November with the China Open title,[125] before the late-year upset loss in the East Asian Games in Hong Kong.[121]
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After starting the season disappointingly with quarterfinal losses at both theAll England andSwiss Opens,[126][127] Lin won his first title of the year at theBadminton Asia Championships inNew Delhi, which also marked his first victory at this annual event.[128]
Taking part in his fifthThomas Cup campaign for China in May, Lin won a pair of hard-fought encounters withSouth Korea'sPark Sung-hwan in the group ties and the quarter-finals respectively.[129] In the semi-finals, he handily defeated Lee Chong Wei in contributing to China's 3–0 victory over Malaysia and a berth in the final against long time rival Indonesia.[130] Here, Lin led off with a comfortable victory over familiar opponent Taufik Hidayat, as China went on to capture its eighth Men's World Team title; its fourth consecutively.[131]
After the Thomas Cup triumph, Lin played in theWorld Championships inParis, France. He won his opening match[132] and then beat Henri Hurskainen andBao Chunlai in the second and third rounds respectively[133][134] before being upset by Park Sung-hwan in the quarter-finals. That day also saw his archrival Lee Chong Wei exit from the tournament which was eventually won by Lin's compatriotChen Jin.[135] Lin then bounced back to win theChina Masters,[136] but lost the final of theJapan Open to Lee Chong Wei the following week,[137] and conceded walkovers in the quarter-finals of both theChina Open,[138] andHong Kong Open late in the year.[139]
However, Lin managed to win his first everAsian Games gold medal in November by beatingLee Chong Wei in final,[140] thus, at 27, becoming the first player to win all of the present major titles available to Asian men in badminton, both individual and national team.[141] Lin was voted themost valuable player (MVP) at the games' closing ceremony.[142]
Lin began the year with a withdrawal in theMalaysia Open's quarter-finals, which marked his third consecutive withdrawal since late 2010. This action brought some criticism, particularly by well known fellow competitorTaufik Hidayat.[143] The very next week Lin sprang back to win the first ever million dollar badminton tournament,Korea Open by beating Lee Chong Wei in the final.[144] He next won the German Open, beating his compatriot and reigning world championChen Jin in the final.[145]
At the prestigiousAll England Championships in March his hopes for a fifth title were put on hold when he was defeated by Lee Chong Wei in the final.[146][147] However, in April he won his secondAsian Championships on a day which saw China sweep all five titles[148] and in May he helped China to a fourth consecutiveSudirman Cup title by defeating Denmark 3–0 in the final.[149] In June, Lin's withdrawal from the Singapore Open final due togastric flu drew jeers from fans in the stadium.[150] Just few days later, he was upset bySho Sasaki in the second round ofIndonesia Open.[151]
Healthy again in August, Lin won his fourthWorld Championship title by beating familiar rivalsPeter Gade in the semi-finals and Lee Chong Wei in a very tight three game final atWembley Arena, a venue which would host the badminton competition for2012 Summer Olympics.[152]
The rather up and down season for Lin continued with theChina Masters in September where he was ousted in the semi-finals, and at theJapan Open where he withdrew from the semifinals.[153][154] This was followed up by a shock exit in the second round of theDenmark Open to Hong Kong playerWong Wing Ki,[155] and another withdrawal during the semifinals ofFrench Open despite leading in the match. He told officials that he was suffering fromparonychia (an infection below the fingernail).[156][157] This was his sixth retirement of the season and many in the media imputed that this was part of a strategy to improve the rankings of other Chinese singles players to allow the maximum number to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.[158] Both Lin and Chinese coachLi Yongbo denied this, citing, instead, the heavy tournament schedule that BWF required of top players, and Lin's need to be ready for the biggest events such as the Olympics.[159][160] In any case, Lin's slump did not last long. He ended the year by winning three straight events, His fifthHong Kong Open, theChina Open,[161][162] and his firstSuper Series Masters Finals title.[163]
Lin started the year by losing to Lee Chong Wei in the final of theKorea Open,[164] and then losing in the second round of theMalaysia Open to Denmark'sJan O. Jorgensen.[165] In early March, he took his first title of the season by winning his fifthGerman Open.[166] The very next week, he won his fifthAll England Open title as rival Lee Chong Wei was forced to retire in discomfort early in the second game of the final.[167] In April, Lin was again the subject of some controversy when he withdrew from the semifinals of theAsian Championships, a move that was openly seen as a ploy to secure an Olympic berth for his compatriot Chen Jin.[168]
InWuhan, China in May, Lin Dan and his teammates won all of their individual matches in each tie they played to win their fifth consecutiveThomas Cup (remarkably China's women also went entirely undefeated to regain theUber Cup from South Korea).[169] With only a week between Thomas Cup and the Thailand Open in early June, a fatigued Lin lost in the semi-finals to Indonesia's highly capableSony Dwi Kuncoro.[170]
At the2012 Summer Olympics in London, Lin routinely beat Ireland'sScott Evans to qualify for the main draw of sixteen players where he started by trouncing fading star Taufik Hidayat.[171][172] In the quarter-finals, however, Japan's hard-fightingSho Sasaki put Lin to the test before yielding 16–21 in the third game.[173] Lin then handily beat South Korean veteranLee Hyun-il in the semi-finals to set up yet another meeting with his chiefrival Lee Chong Wei.[174] Unlike the 2008 Olympic finals, this one was no cakewalk for Lin. He lost the first game to Lee but came back strongly to take the second. The rubber game was a thriller which saw Lin claw back from slight deficits most of the way to finally prevail 21–19.[175] An ecstatic Lin thus became the first men's singles player to retain the Olympic title, while Lee, now almost 30, was once again foiled at one of the sport's two biggest events (aside from the Thomas and Uber Cups), the Olympics and the World Championships.[8]
After his 2012 Olympic victory Lin did not make another tournament appearance until theAsian Championships, in April where, citing injury, he withdrew from the quarter-finals.[176] Amid some speculation that he was planning to retire, Lin was granted a specialwild card entry into theWorld Championships inGuangzhou, as, despite his great achievements, his recent inactivity had caused his world ranking to fall below that of other Chinese players who would then normally fill the maximum quota of three entrants that any one country was allowed.[177] Without appearing in any tournament between the Badminton Asia Championships in April and the World Championships in August, Lin was able to convert this wildcard entry into his fifth world title. He won all of his matches in straight games until the final where, yet again, hard-luck Lee Chong Wei could not quite catch him in the third game rubber, and was forced to submit with a painful cramp down 17–20.[178]
After seven month tournament absence, Lin, down to 104th in the official world rankings, returned in April and took titles in theChina Masters,[179] and theAsian Championships in quick succession.[180] Lin was part of China'sThomas Cup team which defended its title in May, but because of his deflated ranking could only play at third singles. Consequently, when China met a talented and highly motivated Japanese team in the semi-finals at New Delhi, Lin could only watch helplessly as Japan took the first two singles and a doubles to break China's ten year streak of men's world team titles.[181] Beyond this disappointment, the BWF would not grant Lin a wild card entry into the 2014 World Championships, as they did in 2013. Thus Lin could not defend his title which was won by Chinese teammate Chen Long who defeated the unlucky Lee Chong Wei in a close two game final.[182]
In June, Lin lost in the quarter-finals ofJapan Open.[183] Shortly afterwards, he won theAustralian Open, his first Superseries title since the2012 All England Open,[184] and then won the Grand Prix title in theChinese Taipei Open.[185] In September, he successfully defended his men's singles title in theIncheon Asian Games and was also a part of the men's team winning the silver medal.[186] In November, Lin lost in the final of theChina Open toSrikanth Kidambi from India.[187]
Lin won the men's singles title at theAsian Championships in China, defending his title won the previous year in South Korea. He defeated compatriotTian Houwei 21–19, 21–8 in a match that lasted 50 minutes in the central city of Wuhan.[188] Lin Dan contributed to China winning its 10thSudirman Cup by defeating Japan'sTakuma Ueda 21–15, 21–13 in the final for his team's third and decisive point. His return to theWorld Championships in August, however, was not particularly auspicious as he was routinely eliminated by Denmark's Jan Ø. Jørgensen in the quarter-finals, as Lin's compatriot Chen Long again prevailed over Lee Chong Wei in the finals. Recovering from this disappointment, in September, Lin won his only Superseries title of the year at theJapan Open, making a remarkable comeback after trailing 3–11 in the deciding game of the final against Denmark's young starViktor Axelsen.[189] He then participated in the Rio Olympics test tournament theBrasil Open in the end of the year, won the title after beatingPablo Abián in the final.[190]
In March, Lin defeated Taiwan'sChou Tien-Chen in three hard games to clinch his seventh men's singles title at theGerman Open.[191][192] A week after this win, Lin regained hisAll England title in Birmingham, giving him his 6th victory at this prestigious event. In impressive form, he beat compatriotTian Houwei 21–9, 21–10 in the final.[193]
In April, Lin Dan beat world No. 1 Chen Long in straight games to lift his sixthChina Masters crown in Jiangsu, China. Here Lin showed his competitive mettle by coming from 11 to 16 behind in the second game to clinch the match 23–21.[194] In June, however, he was stunned in second round ofIndonesia Open by eighteen year oldJonatan Christie.[195]
At the2016 Rio Summer Olympics, Lin sailed through his group round robin to qualify for the main draw. In the quarter-finals he was tested by India'sSrikanth Kidambi, but pulled through 21–18 in the third game. This set up a sem-ifinals confrontation with long-time rival Lee Chong Wei which drew great fan interest as the players, both in their thirties, were assumed to be near retirement. In another epic match Lee was finally able to reverse past Olympic and World Championship losses to Lin and prevailed, 15–21, 21–11, 22–20.[196] But Lee's quest for Olympic gold after two silver medals ended with a disappointing finale, as he was beaten in two close games by Lin's compatriot Chen Long. In the bronze medal match, Lin played Denmark's Viktor Axelsen. After taking the first set 21–15, the two-time Olympic champion lost the next two and the match with a scoreline of 21–15, 10–21, 17–21.[197] After the Rio Olympics, he skipped all international tournaments for the remainder of the year.[198]
In March, at the prestigiousAll England Championships Lin defeated Viktor Axelson in the quarter-finals but was eliminated in the semi-finals by his countrymanShi Yuqi, more than twelve years Lin's Junior.[199] However, he bounced back to win theSwiss Open by beating Shi Yuqi in the finals.[200] In April, he won theMalaysia Open for the first time by defeating Lee Chong Wei, who had virtually owned this title for more than a decade.[201] In theChina Masters, he lost in the semi-finals toQiao Bin,[202] and in theAsian Championships, where he recorded a sem-ifinals win over Lee Chong Wei, he took a silver medal after losing toChen Long in the final.[203] Lin was beaten in theGerman andIndonesian Opens respectively in round of 16. He lost to Chen Long in theAustralian Open quarter-finals.[204]
At theWorld Championships inGlasgow, Scotland, at age 33, Lin managed to reach a record seventhmen's singles final by beating Hong Kong'sWong Wing Ki, 21–17, 21–18 in the quarter-finals and beating Korea'sSon Wan-ho, 21–17, 21–14 in the semi-finals. But in the finals, he was beaten in straight sets by his ten years younger opponent,Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, 22–20, 21–16.[205]
In March, the 34-year-old Lin tiedRudy Hartono's record of reaching tenAll England men's singles finals, but was foiled in his try for a seventh title by his much younger compatriot,Shi Yuqi in three exhausting games, 19–21, 21–16, 9–21.[206] In May, he won theNew Zealand Open by beating talented Indonesian youngsterJonatan Christie in two close games, 21–14, 21–19.[207] Later that month, Lin was a member of the Chinese team which regained theThomas Cup after four years of absence, though his team was never extended to a deciding 5th match which would have required his services in the third singles position.[208]
In his first tournament of 2019, Lin reached the final of theThailand Masters, where he lost to the up-and-comingLoh Kean Yew in two tightly contested games, 19–21, 18–21.[209] In April, at the age of 35, he won his secondMalaysia Open title, beating higher ranked compatriotShi Yuqi, andChen Long, in the semi-finals and finals respectively.[210] However, he withdrew from theSingapore Open during the first round against Viktor Axelsen, citing a "thigh injury", but only after being visibly upset by early line calls.[211] In May, he lost in the semi-finals of theNew Zealand Open toNg Ka Long in two straight games. In November, he lost in the final of theKorea Masters toKanta Tsuneyama in another straight games defeat.[212]
Lin began the 2020 season poorly. In January he was eliminated in the first round of theMalaysia Masters byJan Ø. Jørgensen in two games, 19–21, 18–21.[213] The following week, he participated in theIndonesia Masters and was defeated in the first round again, this time byViktor Axelsen, who beat him in two relatively easy games, 12–21, 14–21.[214] Lin then followed up with yet another first round exit at theThailand Masters where he lost toNg Ka Long.[215] At theAll England Open held in March, he reached the second round but was defeated by compatriotChen Long.[216] This turned out to be his last tournament as the rest of the world tour was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
On 4 July 2020, Lin announced his retirement, saying "At 37, pain and injuries no longer allow me to fight with my teammates. I have gratitude, a heavy heart and unwillingness."[217] After his retirement, he joinedInstagram to stay connected with his fans all over the world.[218]
The Lee–Lin rivalry was a rivalry between two professionalbadminton players,Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan whose careers were almost exactly contemporaneous. The rivalry is often considered the greatest in the history of badminton even though Lin had the decided edge.[219][220][221] Of their 40 meetings, Lin won the head-to-head by 28–12 but Lee Chong Wei was ranked World number one throughout both their careers consecutively for almost 10 years.
Lin has been in a relationship withXie Xingfang, herself a formerworld champion, since 2003.[222] They were quietly engaged on 13 December 2010 inHaizhu,Guangzhou. Xie initially denied but later acknowledged romantic involvement with Lin, who reacted angrily at the public exposure of their relationship, citing reasons of personal privacy.[223] The two were married on 23 September 2012 and the wedding ceremony was held at theBeijing University of Technology.[224]
Lin had fivetattoos visible during the2012 Summer Olympics. His upper left arm has aChristian cross,[225] his lower left arm has five stars, his right upper arm reads "until the end of world",[226] a double "F" lettering on his lower right arm, and his initials "LD" are tattooed on the back of his neck.[227] These tattoos have been the subject of controversy due to his military and religious status.[225][228]
On 17 October 2012, he became the first active Chinese badminton player to accept amaster's degree, which was presented atHuaqiao University.[229] His autobiography,Until the End of the World, was published after he successfully defended his Olympic title at theLondon 2012 Olympics.[230]
He and his wife Xie Xingfang had their first child "Xiao Yu" (Little feather) on 5 November 2016.[231] On 17 November 2016, he admitted to an affair and apologised on Weibo. Social media users had purportedly identified the woman as actress and model Zhao Yaqi.[232]
Lin won the Eddie Choong Player of the Year award for two consecutive years in 2006 and 2007.[233] He also secured the BWF Best Male Player of the Year in 2008.[234] Lin was votedMost Valuable Player (MVP) during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.[235]
On 16 January 2011, he was named China's best male athlete for 2010 inChina Central Television's Sports Personality of the Year poll for his clean sweep in major badminton titles.[236]
On 26 May 2023, Lin was inducted into theBWF's Hall of Fame along with long-time rival, Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.[237][non-primary source needed]
Weibo is the mainsocial media platform which Lin is using to post and update his latest status as well as communicate with his fans or friends. Lin uses his name '林丹' as the name of the account. In February 2018, the latest number of his followers on Weibo has achieved 3.7 million.[238] Additionally, Lin's fan group has set an exclusive account called '林丹全国球迷会' on Weibo to update Lin's latest status, post his pictures and results of matches.[239]
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium,Beijing, China |  Lee Chong Wei | 21–12, 21–8 |  Gold | [108] |
| 2012 | Wembley Arena,London, United Kingdom | Lee Chong Wei | 15–21, 21–10, 21–19 | Gold | [175][8] |
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Arrowhead Pond,Anaheim, United States |  Taufik Hidayat | 3–15, 7–15 |  Silver | [69] |
| 2006 | Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad,Madrid, Spain |  Bao Chunlai | 18–21, 21–17, 21–12 |  Gold | [81] |
| 2007 | Putra Indoor Stadium,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Sony Dwi Kuncoro | 21–11, 22–20 | Gold | [90] |
| 2009 | Gachibowli Indoor Stadium,Hyderabad, India | Chen Jin | 21–18, 21–16 | Gold | [122] |
| 2011 | Wembley Arena,London, England | Lee Chong Wei | 20–22, 21–14, 23–21 | Gold | [152] |
| 2013 | Tianhe Sports Center,Guangzhou, China | Lee Chong Wei | 16–21, 21–13, 20–17r | Gold | [178] |
| 2017 | Emirates Arena,Glasgow, Scotland |  Viktor Axelsen | 20–22, 16–21 | Silver | [205] |
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Olympic Park,Yiyang, China |  Boonsak Ponsana | 21–14, 21–11 | Gold | [61] |
| 2006 | Olympic Park, Yiyang, China | Chen Yu | 21–19, 19–21, 21–17 | Gold | [83] |
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Aspire Hall 3,Doha, Qatar | Taufik Hidayat | 15–21, 20–22 | Silver | [75] |
| 2010 | Tianhe Gymnasium,Guangzhou, China | Lee Chong Wei | 21–13, 15–21, 21–10 | Gold | [140] |
| 2014 | Gyeyang Gymnasium,Incheon, South Korea | Chen Long | 12–21, 21–16, 21–16 | Gold | [186] |
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | PhilSports Arena,Manila, Philippines | Xia Xuanze | 10–15, 9–15 | Silver | [18] |
| 2008 | Bandaraya Stadium,Johor Bahru, Malaysia | Chen Jin | 13–21, 14–21 |  Bronze | [99] |
| 2010 | Siri Fort Indoor Stadium,New Delhi, India | Wang Zhengming | 21–17, 21–15 | Gold | [128] |
| 2011 | Sichuan Gymnasium,Chengdu, China | Bao Chunlai | 21–19, 21–13 | Gold | [148] |
| 2014 | Gimcheon Indoor Stadium,Gimcheon, South Korea |  Sho Sasaki | 14–21, 21–9, 21–15 | Gold | [180] |
| 2015 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China | Tian Houwei | 21–19, 21–8 | Gold | [188] |
| 2016 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Lee Chong Wei | 20–22, 21–15, 4–21 | Bronze | [240] |
| 2017 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Chen Long | 23–21, 11–21, 10–21 | Silver | [203] |
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong |  Choi Ho-jin | 19–21, 18–21 | Silver | [120] |
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Tianhe Gymnasium,Guangzhou, China | Bao Chunlai | 4–7, 2–7, 7–0, 7–0, 1–7 | Bronze | [17] |
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Nishiyama Park Gymnasium,Kyoto, Japan | Sony Dwi Kuncoro | 15–12, 15–5 | Gold | [15] |
Boys' doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | National Indoor Stadium – 1,Yangon, Myanmar | Zheng Bo | Chen YuSang Yang | 15–10, 3–15, 10–15 | Bronze | [241] |
The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[242] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by theBadminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tours are divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[243]
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Shi Yuqi | 19–21, 21–16, 9–21 |  Runner-up | [206] |
| 2018 | New Zealand Open | Super 300 | Jonatan Christie | 21–14, 21–19 |  Winner | [207] |
| 2019 | Thailand Masters | Super 300 |  Loh Kean Yew | 19–21, 18–21 | Runner-up | [209] |
| 2019 | Malaysia Open | Super 750 | Chen Long | 9–21, 21–17, 21–11 | Winner | [210] |
| 2019 | Korea Masters | Super 300 | Kanta Tsuneyama | 22–24, 12–21 | Runner-up | [212] |
The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[244] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by theBadminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels wereSuperseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011.[245] Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Korea Open | Chen Jin | 21–14, 21–19 | Winner | [85] |
| 2007 | All England Open | Chen Yu | 21–13, 21–12 | Winner | [87] |
| 2007 | China Masters | Wong Choong Hann | 21–19, 21–9 | Winner | [89] |
| 2007 | Denmark Open | Bao Chunlai | 21–15, 21–12 | Winner | [91] |
| 2007 | Hong Kong Open | Lee Chong Wei | 9–21, 21–15, 21–15 | Winner | [92] |
| 2008 | Korea Open | Lee Hyun-il | 21–4, 21–23, 23–25 | Runner-up | [93] |
| 2008 | All England Open | Chen Jin | 20–22, 23–25 | Runner-up | [96] |
| 2008 | Swiss Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–13, 21–18 | Winner | [98] |
| 2008 | China Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–18, 21–9 | Winner | [109] |
| 2008 | Hong Kong Open | Chen Jin | 9–21, 21–9, 17–21 | Runner-up | [110] |
| 2009 | All England Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 21–12 | Winner | [112] |
| 2009 | Swiss Open | Lee Chong Wei | 16–21, 16–21 | Runner-up | [113] |
| 2009 | French Open | Taufik Hidayat | 21–6, 21–15 | Winner | [124] |
| 2009 | China Masters | Boonsak Ponsana | 21–17, 21–17 | Winner | [123] |
| 2009 | China Open | Jan Ø. Jørgensen | 21–12, 21–12 | Winner | [125] |
| 2010 | China Masters | Chen Long | 21–15, 13–21, 21–14 | Winner | [136] |
| 2010 | Japan Open | Lee Chong Wei | 20–22, 21–16, 17–21 | Runner-up | [137] |
| 2011 | Korea Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 14–21, 21–16 | Winner | [144] |
| 2011 | All England Open | Lee Chong Wei | 17–21, 17–21 | Runner-up | [146] |
| 2011 | Singapore Open | Chen Jin | Walkover | Runner-up | [150] |
| 2011 | China Open | Chen Long | 21–17, 26–24 | Winner | [162] |
| 2011 | Hong Kong Open | Chen Jin | 21–12, 21–19 | Winner | [161] |
| 2011 | BWF Super Series Finals | Chen Long | 21–12, 21–16 | Winner | [163] |
| 2012 | Korea Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–12, 18–21, 14–21 | Runner-up | [164] |
| 2012 | All England Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 6–2r | Winner | [167] |
| 2014 | Australian Open | Simon Santoso | 22–24, 21–16, 21–7 | Winner | [184] |
| 2014 | China Open |  Srikanth Kidambi | 19–21, 17–21 | Runner-up | [187] |
| 2015 | Malaysia Open | Chen Long | 22–20, 13–21, 11–21 | Runner-up | [246] |
| 2015 | Japan Open | Viktor Axelsen | 21–19, 16–21, 21–19 | Winner | [189] |
| 2016 | All England Open | Tian Houwei | 21–9, 21–10 | Winner | [193] |
| 2017 | Malaysia Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 21–14 | Winner | [201] |
The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, theGrand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by theBadminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Denmark Open | Bao Chunlai | 5–7, 1–7, 0–7 | Runner-up | [19] |
| 2002 | Korea Open | Shon Seung-mo | 1–7, 7–3, 7–3, 7–5 | Winner | [20] |
| 2003 | German Open | Lee Hyun-il | 4–15, 4–15 | Runner-up | [39] |
| 2003 | Japan Open | Xia Xuanze | 12–15, 10–15 | Runner-up | [31] |
| 2003 | China Open | Wong Choong Hann | 17–16, 15–12 | Winner | [38] |
| 2003 | Denmark Open | Chen Yu | 15–4, 15–6 | Winner | [36] |
| 2003 | Hong Kong Open | Boonsak Ponsana | 15–4, 9–15, 15–8 | Winner | [37] |
| 2004 | German Open | Xia Xuanze | 17–16, 15–9 | Winner | [53] |
| 2004 | All England Open | Peter Gade | 9–15, 15–5, 15–8 | Winner | [42] |
| 2004 | Swiss Open | Bao Chunlai | 15–12, 15–6 | Winner | [41] |
| 2004 | Denmark Open | Xia Xuanze | 15–12, 15–11 | Winner | [52] |
| 2004 | China Open | Bao Chunlai | 15–11, 15–10 | Winner | [54] |
| 2005 | German Open | Muhammad Hafiz Hashim | 15–8, 15–8 | Winner | [56] |
| 2005 | All England Open | Chen Hong | 15–8, 5–15, 2–15 | Runner-up | [64] |
| 2005 | China Masters | Bao Chunlai | 15–6, 15–13 | Winner | [60] |
| 2005 | Malaysia Open | Lee Chong Wei | 15–17, 15–9, 9–15 | Runner-up | [65] |
| 2005 | Japan Open | Chen Hong | 15–4, 2–0r | Winner | [59] |
| 2005 | Hong Kong Open | Bao Chunlai | 15–4, 15–6 | Winner | [57] |
| 2006 | All England Open | Lee Hyun-il | 15–7, 15–7 | Winner | [76] |
| 2006 | Malaysia Open | Lee Chong Wei | 18–21, 21–18, 21–23 | Runner-up | [74] |
| 2006 | Japan Open | Taufik Hidayat | 16–21, 21–16, 21–3 | Winner | [80] |
| 2006 | Chinese Taipei Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–18, 12–21, 21–11 | Winner | [77] |
| 2006 | Macau Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–18, 18–21, 21–18 | Winner | [78] |
| 2006 | Hong Kong Open | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 8–21, 21–16 | Winner | [79] |
| 2007 | German Open | Chen Yu | Walkover | Winner | [86] |
| 2008 | Thailand Open | Boonsak Ponsana | 17–21, 21–15, 21–13 | Winner | [103] |
| 2011 | German Open | Chen Jin | 21–19, 21–11 | Winner | [145] |
| 2012 | German Open | Simon Santoso | 21–11, 21–11 | Winner | [166] |
| 2014 | China Masters | Tian Houwei | 21–14, 21–9 | Winner | [179] |
| 2014 | Chinese Taipei Open | Wang Zhengming | 21–19, 21–14 | Winner | [185] |
| 2015 | Brasil Open |  Pablo Abián | 21–13, 21–17 | Winner | [190] |
| 2016 | German Open |  Chou Tien-chen | 15–21, 21–17, 21–17 | Winner | [191] |
| 2016 | China Masters | Chen Long | 21–17, 23–21 | Winner | [194] |
| 2017 | Swiss Open | Shi Yuqi | 21–12, 21–11 | Winner | [200] |
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Copenhagen Masters | Peter Gade | 22–20, 16–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | China International Challenge | Lee Chong Wei | Cai YunFu Haifeng | 18–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | G | S | B | NH | N/A | DNQ |
This table is current through2020 All England Open.
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | SR | W–L | Win % | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas Cup | N/A | A | N/A | SF-B 3–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 4–1 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | SF-B 2–0 | N/A | QF 3–0 | N/A | G 2–0 | N/A | 6 / 9 | 34–1 | 97% | [24][47][82][102][131][169][181][208] | |||
| Sudirman Cup | A | N/A | A | N/A | A | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 3–1 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | A | N/A | G 3–0 | N/A | S 2–0 | N/A | A | N/A | 5 / 6 | 23–1 | 96% | [63][88][118][149] | ||
| Asian Games | N/A | SF-B 0–1 | N/A | G 3–1 | N/A | G 3–0 | N/A | S 3–0 | N/A | G 0–0 | N/A | 3 / 5 | 9–2 | 82% | [29] | |||||||||||||
| East Asian Games | N/A | G 2–0 | N/A | A | N/A | 1 / 1 | 2–0 | 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Individual competitions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summer Olympic Games | N/A | A | N/A | 1R 0–1 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | 4th 4–2 | N/A | 2 / 4 | 14–3 | 82% | [50][108][175][8][197] | |||||||||||||
| World Championships | A | N/A | A | N/A | 3R 2–1 | N/A | S 4–1 | G 5–0 | G 5–0 | N/A | G 6–0 | QF 3–1 | G 6–0 | N/A | G 6–0 | A | QF 3–1 | N/A | S 5–1 | 3R 2–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 5 / 12 | 48–7 | 87% | [32][69][81][90][122][135][152][178][205] | ||
| World Cup | not held | G 4–0 | G 4–0 | not held | 2 / 2 | 8–0 | 100% | [61][83] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Games | N/A | A | N/A | S 3–1 | N/A | G 4–0 | N/A | G 5–0 | N/A | A | N/A | 2 / 3 | 12–1 | 92% | [75][140][186] | |||||||||||||
| Asia Championships | absent | S 5–1 | absent | SF-B 4–1 | A | G 6–0 | G 6–0 | SF-B* 4–0 | QF* 3–0 | G 5–0 | G 5–0 | SF-B 3–1 | S 4–1 | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 4 / 12 | 46–6 | 88% | [18][99][128][148][168][176][180][188][203] | ||||||||
| East Asian Games | N/A | NH | N/A | NH | N/A | S 2–1 | N/A | A | N/A | 0 / 1 | 2–1 | 67% | [120] | |||||||||||||||
| BWF tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BWF Super Series Finals[1] | not held | absent | W 5–0 | absent | 1 / 1 | 5–0 | 100% | [111][163] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| All England Open | absent | SF 4–1 | 2R 1–1 | W 6–0 | F 5–1 | W 6–0 | W 5–0 | F 4–1 | W 5–0 | QF 2–1 | F 4–1 | W 5–0 | absent | SF 3–1 | W 5–0 | SF 3–1 | F 4–1 | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | 6 / 17 | 63–11 | 85% | [30][42][64][76][87][96][112][126][146][167][193][199][206][216] | |||||
| Indonesia Open | absent | 1R 0–1 | 3R 2–1 | SF 4–1 | absent | QF 2–1 | A | 2R 1–1 | absent | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 0 / 10 | 11–10 | 52% | [26][34][119][151][195] | |||||||||
| China Open | 3R 2–1 | NH | QF 2–1 | 2R 1–1 | W 5–0 | W 5–0 | 2R 2–1 | A | 1R 0–1 | W 5–0 | W 5–0 | QF* 2–0 | W 5–0 | absent | F 4–1 | SF 3–1 | A | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | N/A | 5 / 16 | 41–10 | 80% | [28][38][54][70][72][109][138][162][187] | |||
| Malaysia Open | absent | QF 5–1 | QF 3–1 | 2R 1–1 | QF 3–1 | F 4–1 | F 5–1 | 2R 1–1 | absent | QF* 2–0 | 2R 1–1 | absent | F 4–1 | QF 2–1 | W 5–0 | 2R 1–1 | W 5–0 | N/A | 2 / 14 | 42–11 | 79% | [35][48][65][74][84][165][246][201][210] | ||||||
| Japan Open | absent | 3R 1–1 | F 5–1 | SF 3–1 | W 5–0 | W 5–0 | SF 3–1 | absent | F 4–1 | SF* 3–0 | absent | QF 4–1 | W 5–0 | A | QF 2–1 | QF 2–1 | 1R 0–1 | N/A | 3 / 13 | 42–9 | 82% | [31][59][80][137][154][183][189] | ||||||
| Denmark Open | absent | F 5–1 | 2R 1–1 | W 6–0 | W 6–0 | absent | W 5–0 | absent | 2R 1–1 | absent | 2R* 1–0 | QF 2–1 | absent | 2R 1–1 | 1R 0–1 | absent | 3 / 10 | 28–6 | 82% | [19][27][36][52][91][155] | ||||||||
| French Open | absent | NH | SF 3–1 | A | W 5–0 | A | SF 3–1 | absent | 1R 0–1 | absent | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 1 / 6 | 12–5 | 71% | [124][156] | |||||||||||
| China Masters | not held | W 5–0 | SF 2–1 | W 5–0 | 1R* 0–0 | W 5–0 | W 5–0 | SF 3–1 | absent | W 5–0 | A | W 6–0 | SF 3–1 | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | N/A | 6 / 12 | 39–5 | 89% | [60][89][123][136][153][179][194][202] | ||||||||
| Malaysia Masters | not held | absent | 1R 0–1 | A | 1R 0–1 | 0 / 2 | 0–2 | 0% | [213] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Indonesia Masters | not held | absent | NH | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | 1R 0–1 | 0 / 3 | 0–3 | 0% | [214] | ||||||||||||||||||
| India Open | not held | absent | QF 2–1 | 2R 1–1 | absent | N/A | 0 / 2 | 3–2 | 60% | [247] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Singapore Open | A | NH | 2R 1–1 | 1R 0–1 | SF 4–1 | A | SF 4–1 | A | QF 2–1 | absent | F* 4–0 | absent | SF 3–1 | absent | 1R 0–1 | N/A | 0 / 8 | 18–7 | 72% | [25][33][150][211] | ||||||||
| Thailand Open | absent | NH | absent | W 6–0 | A | NH | A | SF 4–1 | A | NH | absent | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 1 / 3 | 11–2 | 85% | [103][170] | |||||||||||
| Korea Open | absent | W 5–0 | absent | W 5–0 | F 4–1 | absent | W 5–0 | F 4–1 | absent | 2R 1–1 | absent | 2R 1–1 | 1R 0–1 | N/A | 3 / 8 | 25–5 | 83% | [85][93][144][164] | ||||||||||
| Hong Kong Open | A | NH | A | NH | W 6–0 | NH | W 5–0 | W 6–0 | W 5–0 | F 4–1 | A | QF* 2–0 | W 5–0 | absent | 2R 1–1 | A | QF 2–1 | 1R 0–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 5 / 10 | 36–4 | 90% | [37][57][79][92][110][139][161] | ||||
| Thailand Masters | not held | absent | F 4–1 | 1R 0–1 | 0 / 2 | 4–2 | 67% | [209][215] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Spain Masters | not held | absent | w/d | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 0% | [248] | |||||||||||||||||||||
| German Open | absent | F 5–1 | W 5–0 | W 6–0 | SF 4–1 | W 5–0 | absent | W 6–0 | W 6–0 | absent | W 6–0 | 3R 2–1 | QF 2–1 | 2R 1–1 | N/A | 6 / 11 | 48–5 | 91% | [39][53][56][71][86][145][166][191] | |||||||||
| Swiss Open | absent | W 5–0 | absent | SF 3–1 | W 5–0 | F 4–1 | QF 2–1 | absent | W 6–0 | A | QF 2–1 | N/A | 3 / 7 | 27–4 | 87% | [41][98][113][200] | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand Open | absent | NH | A | NH | absent | W 5–0 | SF 3–1 | N/A | 1 / 2 | 8–1 | 89% | [207] | ||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | NH | absent | W 5–0 | 1R 0–1 | A | QF 2–1 | A | QF 2–1 | N/A | 1 / 4 | 9–3 | 75% | [184][204] | ||||||||||||||
| US Open | absent | 1R 0–1 | A | N/A | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% | [249] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil Open | not held | A | W 6–0 | A | not held | 1 / 1 | 6–0 | 100% | [190] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese Taipei Open | absent | NH | absent | W 5–0 | absent | W 6–0 | SF 4–1 | absent | N/A | 2 / 3 | 15–1 | 94% | [77][185] | |||||||||||||||
| Macau Open | not held | W 6–0 | absent | N/A | 1 / 1 | 6–0 | 100% | [78] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Korea Masters | not held | absent | F 4–1 | N/A | 0 / 1 | 4–1 | 80% | [212] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dutch Open | absent | QF 2–1 | absent | N/A | 0 / 1 | 2–1 | 67% | [250] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SaarLorLux Open | absent | 3R 1–1 | A | A | 0 / 1 | 1–1 | 50% | [251] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | R | W–L | Win % | Ref | ||
| Career Statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total | ||||||
| Tournaments played | 1 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 21 | 4 | 226 | |||||
| Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 81 | |||||
| Finals Reached | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 108 | |||||
| Overall win–loss | 2–1 | 0–0 | 21–7 | 18–8 | 37–7 | 42–4 | 49–5 | 59–5 | 50–7 | 41–5 | 41–3 | 38–4 | 64–5 | 34–3 | 9–0 | 40–2 | 42–12 | 34–7 | 35–10 | 21–17 | 27—20 | 1—4 | 705–136 | |||||
| Win Percentage | 67% | 0% | 75% | 69% | 84% | 91% | 91% | 92% | 88% | 89% | 93% | 90% | 93% | 92% | 100% | 95% | 78% | 83% | 88% | 55% | 57% | 20% | 83.83% | |||||
| Year End Ranking | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 101 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 17 | 19 | [252] | ||||||||||
* : Means Lin Dan gave a walkover at his last round of this tournament (Lost the match and didn't count into the number of loss)Notes
In 2006, Lin created a record by winning 34 matches in a row.[253][254]
| # | Tournament | Category | Start date | Rd | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Malaysia Open | Grand Prix | 18 June 2006 | F | Lee Chong Wei | 18–21, 21–18, 21–23 |
| 1 | Chinese Taipei Open | Grand Prix | 21 June 2006 | 1R | Poompat Sapkulchananart | 21–12, 21–11 |
| 2 | 22 June 2006 | 2R | Muhammad Roslin Hashim | 21–16, 21–11 | ||
| 3 | 23 June 2006 | QF |  Rajiv Ouseph | 21–14, 21–13 | ||
| 4 | 24 June 2006 | SF | Chen Jin | 21–13, 21–17 | ||
| 5 | 25 June 2006 | F | Lee Chong Wei | 21–18, 12–21, 21–11 | ||
| 6 | Macau Open | Grand Prix | 19 July 2006 | 1R |  Chan Io Chong | 21–5, 21–15 |
| 7 | 19 July 2006 | 2R | Shon Seung-mo | 21–14, 20–22, 21–10 | ||
| 8 | 20 July 2006 | 3R | Shōji Satō | 22–20, 21–9 | ||
| 9 | 21 July 2006 | QF | Muhammad Hafiz Hashim | 19–21, 21–18, 21–15 | ||
| 10 | 22 July 2006 | SF | Lee Hyun-il | 21–10, 21–17 | ||
| 11 | 23 July 2006 | F | Lee Chong Wei | 21–18, 18–21, 21–18 | ||
| 12 | Hong Kong Open | Grand Prix | 29 August 2006 | 1R |  Agus Hariyanto | 21–19, 19–21, 21–12 |
| 13 | 30 August 2006 | 2R | Poompat Sapkulchananart | 21–11, 21–15 | ||
| 14 | 31 August 2006 | 3R | Yeoh Kay Bin | 21–18, 22–20 | ||
| 15 | 1 September 2006 | QF | Taufik Hidayat | 4–1r | ||
| 16 | 2 September 2006 | SF | Kenneth Jonassen | 16–21, 23–21, 21–16 | ||
| 17 | 3 September 2006 | F | Lee Chong Wei | 21–19, 8–21, 21–16 | ||
| 18 | World Championships | 20 September 2006 | 1R |  Bobby Milroy | 21–16, 21–17 | |
| 19 | 21 September 2006 | 2R | Park Sung-hwan | 21–16, 21–12 | ||
| 20 | 22 September 2006 | QF | Muhammad Hafiz Hashim | 21–10, 21–9 | ||
| 21 | 23 September 2006 | SF | Chen Hong | 15–21, 21–19, 21–14 | ||
| 22 | 24 September 2006 | F | Bao Chunlai | 18–21, 21–17, 21–12 | ||
| 23 | Japan Open | Grand Prix | 10 October 2006 | 1R | Yusuke Arita | 21–11, 21–17 |
| 24 | 11 October 2006 | 2R | Joachim Persson | 21–12, 21–10 | ||
| 25 | 12 October 2006 | QF | Muhammad Hafiz Hashim | 21–19, 21–14 | ||
| 26 | 13 October 2006 | SF | Peter Gade | 21–12, 21–14 | ||
| 27 | 14 October 2006 | F | Taufik Hidayat | 16–21, 21–16, 21–3 | ||
| 28 | World Cup | 24 October 2006 | RR |  John Moody | 21–9, 21–14 | |
| 29 | 27 October 2006 | RR | Kuan Beng Hong | 21–12, 21–8 | ||
| 30 | 28 October 2006 | SF | Taufik Hidayat | Walkover | ||
| 31 | 29 October 2006 | F | Chen Yu | 21–19, 19–21, 21–17 | ||
| 32 | Asian Games | Team Event | 30 November 2006 | RR | Anup Sridhar | 21–19, 21–11 |
| 33 | 2 December 2006 | RR | Taufik Hidayat | 17–21, 21–17, 16–21 | ||
| 34 | 4 December 2006 | SF | Taufik Hidayat | 22–20, 13–21, 21–12 | ||
| – | 5 December 2006 | F | Lee Hyun-il | 20–22, 21–11, 13–21 |
Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.
|
|
| Time span | Records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Cup | ||
| 2004–18 | 6 gold medals | Stands alone |
| Summer Olympic Games | ||
| 2008–12 | 2 gold medals in men's singles (consecutive) | Viktor Axelsen |
| World Championships | ||
| 2005–17 | 7 finals in men's singles | Stands alone |
| 2006–13 | 5 gold medals in men's singles | |
| Asian Games | ||
| 2006–14 | 3 finals in men's singles | Stands alone |
| 2010–14 | 2 gold medals in men's singles | Zhao Jianhua |
| Taufik Hidayat | ||
| 2006–18 | 3 gold medals in men's team | Stands alone |
| World Cup | ||
| 2005–06 | 2 gold medals in men's singles | Liem Swie King |
| Han Jian | ||
| Icuk Sugiarto | ||
| Yang Yang | ||
| Joko Suprianto | ||
| Asia Championships | ||
| 2001–17 | 4 gold medals in men's singles | Stands alone |
| 6 finals in men's singles | ||
| All England Open Badminton Championships | ||
| 2004–18 | 10 finals in men's singles | Rudy Hartono |
| China Open | ||
| 2003–11 | 5 titles in men's singles | Stands alone |
| Fuzhou China Open | ||
| 2005–16 | 6 titles in men's singles | Stands alone |
| Hong Kong Open | ||
| 2003–11 | 5 titles in men's singles | Lee Chong Wei |
| Swiss Open | ||
| 2004–17 | 3 titles in men's singles | Chen Jin |
| German Open | ||
| 2004–16 | 6 titles in men's singles | Erland Kops |
| Brasil Open | ||
| 2015 | 1 title in men's singles | Scott Evans |
| Zulfadli Zulkiffli | ||
Mens Badminton Champions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
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