Lin Dan?s unorthodox grip

Lin Dan?s unorthodox grip really caught my attention during the 2009 All England tournament. To be honest i wasn?t aware about this until the commentator commented on his half naked grip.

Lin Dan?s method of grip is very rare among badminton players. So what is the reason of him doing so? According to reports, this forces Lin Dan into using the full length of the grip since he used to always hold his racket about halfway up the grip, no matter which shot he played.

I guess Lin Dan?s feel more comfort doing so by putting the grip tape half way only. We can?t condemn on what he is doing because he is winning matches with it. Why change on your winning formula when it?s working?

For me, i don?t like to waste my grip tape. I would use the whole grip tape and cover my grip higher then normal. That?s how i like it.

I usually hold my grip lower when i am at the baseline while move it up higher when i am in front of the net. The main reason for me doing so is that holding the grip further down generates more power. At the front court we need more control thus i hold my racket grip slightly higher above the middle point.

Every player has a different way to express themselves. So that?s how Lin Dan holds his grip. How about you all? What do you think about Lin Dan?s unorthodox grip and how do you grip your racket?

Wong Mew Choo vs Yao Jie World Super Series Masters Finals 2009 Badminton

Wong Mew Choo took on Yao Jie in the women singles semi finals of the World Super Series Masters Finals badminton tournament in Johor Bahru.

Mew Choo was given the priority to take part in this tournament after Lu Lan gave this event a miss. Can Mew Choo her home fans something to cheer against the lanky Dutch player?

Enjoy the match! Sorry for the delay for bringing this game up so late. Nonetheless, enjoy it! ^^

Nicol Ann David - The Malaysian Queen Of Squash

Nicol David is the current women squash world champion from Malaysia. Nicol Ann David has been on the throne for more than 3 years now. I feel enthusiastic in certain sports where there is one athlete who dominate the sport. Nicol David is one of them!

Nicol Ann David has only lost less than 5 matches for the whole 3 years, undefeated in 2008 and she is only 25 years old. I believe she will continue to dominate the game for 2 to 3 years at least because most of the top ten players are already in their late 20s and early 30s. With the fast pace of the sport total fitness is very important. If you take a look at how Nicol David move you know that she is definitely one true gifted athlete.

Viva Nicol!

Badminton Super Series in Malaysia

Badminton Super Series in Malaysia : Indonesian Shuttlers Start 0-2

Taufik Hidayat didn?t have a good feeling about his group-stage draw.

His instincts were proven right on Wednesday, after the former world champion crumbled in the clutch and lost in two sets to Bao Chunlai of China in their opening match at the season-ending Super Series Masters Finals in Johor Baru, Malaysia.

Down one set and just a point shy of extending the match to a deciding third set, Taufik instead saw Bao string together four consecutive points en route to a 21-18, 26-24 victory at Bandaraya Indoor Stadium.

Indonesia went 0-2 on the day after Alvent Yulianto Chandra and Hendra Aprida Gunawan dropped a 21-16, 21-18 decision to Carsten Mogensen and Mathias Boe of Denmark in men?s doubles action.

Taufik, ranked No. 9 in the world and seeded fifth in the tournament, was ahead 20-17 in the second set, but Bao, the No. 4 seed, stepped up his pace, leaving Indonesia?s lone singles bet shaking his head after the 45-minute match.

?That was bad, really bad, letting the opponent catch up like that,? Taufik, 28, said. ?I was rushing to end the set. I did my best to win, but I still lost in the end.?

Taufik?s headaches aren?t likely to end soon. His next match is against world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, who has beaten Taufik three times this season.

Another loss would prove disastrous to Taufik?s chances of advancing. Only the top two players in each of the two groups will progress to the semifinals.

?I have to admit that playing in [Group A] is hard,? Taufik said. ?But I believe there?s always a chance. Of course I have to beat Lee, and if I can?t do that, then I?m heading home early.?

Taufik is searching for his first Super Series title of the year, his first season after leaving the Indonesian national team. His best performances were runner-up finishes in Indonesia, Japan and France.

Two other matches featuring Indonesian shuttlers finished after press time on Wednesday.

Rian Sukmawan and Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki were up against Xu Chen and Guo Zhendong of China in men?s doubles, while the mixed doubles tandem of Hendra and Vita Marissa were scheduled to play Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul of Thailand.

In other results, men?s No. 2 seed Peter Hoeg Gade cruised to an easy 21-12, 21-15 victory over fellow Dane Jan O Jorgensen in Group B.

?It is a good start for me,? Gade said. ?I used my mental strength to overcome Jorgensen, who has improved tremendously over the last few months.?

Meanwhile, in men?s doubles, the Malaysian pair of Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif put on a strong performance in beating countrymen Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 21-15, 21-17.

Lin Dan offers his own clothing line

SHANGHAI: Lin Dan?s reputation in the world of badminton is unquestionable.

And riding on his greatness in the sport, Li Ning sports apparel company, which sponsors the Chinese national badminton team, has launched a series of fashion apparel dedicated to him.


Lin Dan easily claimed the men?s singles crown.
Lin Dan Rebel Collection, which features street style fashion clothing worn by the superstar, will hit Li Ning stores soon.

?We don?t want this new series of fashion wear to be too associated with Lin Dan on court. It?s targeted for those who love Lin Dan and the public so that they can choose to wear these casual clothes,? said Lin Dan after winning the China Open title here yesterday.

The defending champion won his fourth Super Series tournament of the year with a convincing 21-12, 21-12 win over Denmark?s Jan O Jorgensen.

Lin Dan added that he was providing Li Ning designers with his feedback on how to make the designs for the new products more appealing.

?It?s good to have communication with these good designers. We are after all young people and have different thoughts and ideas on the products,? said Lin Dan, who had worn the new black jacket with a silver LD logo on it during the tournament.

However, the Olympic and three-time world champion said that his job was still a badminton player and not a celebrity.

Jorgensen enters China Open badminton final with luck

SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's world No. 16 Jan Jorgensen disappointed Chinese spectators to edge out fourth seeded Chen Jin of China 11-21, 21-18, 22-20, securing the chance to the final at the China Open badminton here on Saturday.

Chen's injury became the decisive element in today's match.

Chen started the match with a perfect form, establishing an early lead to win the first set 21-11.

Jorgensen, who defeated world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the first round, managed to recover in the second set, while Chen delivered a stable performance to get a 16-12 lead. However, Jorgensen began to catch up afterwards, leveling the score 17-17 and won the second set 21-18.

In the third set, Chen led by 16-12 again, and was leveled again. Chen suffered from injury when the score got to 16-15. Though Chen strived to knock down two powerful attacks, he could not even jump up after that. Jorgensen took the chance to seal the victory 22-20, entering China Open badminton final.

Jorgensen admitted that he had some luck to win the match.

"It was tough to play before he got the injury. In the beginning I was struggling a little bit, and he was able to play long rallies," Said Jorgensen after the match.

"He was playing very confident at the first set, but he got injury and I was trying to play longer rallies, and it worked out."

"Tomorrow, probably Lin Dan, the best badminton player ever. I am just proud to be in the final. I've never played Lin Dan before. I will do everything I can and it will be amazing."

Chen spared no effort to battle against his injury, but he failed at last.

"I didn't grab the chance in the second set, and then I was troubled by the injury. I don't want to say too much of my injury, losing is losing. I tried my best. That's the most important point."

Jorgensen will probably meet China's world No.2 Lin Dan in the final.

Indonesia Badminton Duo Liliyana, Nova Shuffled in Shanghai

Indonesia Badminton Duo Liliyana, Nova Shuffled in Shanghai
Liliyana Natsir?s on-again, off-again quest for a new mixed doubles partner renews this week at the China Open Super Series.

Her longtime partner, 32-year-old Nova Widianto, has repeatedly said he is too old to compete at the highest level and asked the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) to find another partner for Liliyana.

After reaching the Taiwan Gold Grand Prix quarterfinals with Muhammad Rijal in August, Liliyana will team up with Devin Lahardi Fitriawan for the Super Series season finale, which begins today in Shanghai.

Liliyana and Nova have been together since 2004 and became one of the best mixed doubles teams in the world. Together they won 14 tournaments, including world championship titles in 2005 and 2007.

National team mixed doubles coach Richard Mainaky acknowledged Nova?s age has been slowing the duo down his year, though they still won Super Series championships in Malaysia and France. They lost in the finals of the Hong Kong Super Series and the world championship.

?Devin and Liliyana have been showing good improvement as a pair during practices in the national training camp. I think Liliyana will not find a big problem playing with Devin because he plays almost like Nova, a playmaker with complete skills,? Richard told the Jakarta Globe on Monday.

?I don?t want to put too much pressure on them in their first outing. I just want to see how good they can play in China.?

Nova and Liliyana lost 22-20, 21-16 to Poland?s Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Kostiuczyk in Sunday?s final at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong.

A day after the final, Nova went straight home for reconditioning before rejoining Liliyana at the Southeast Asian Games in Laos and the Super Series Masters Finals in Johor Baru, Malaysia, next month.

?If I push [Nova] to play in China, I?m afraid he wouldn?t play at his best in the SEA Games,? Richard said. ?I?m very proud of his performances throughout the year. I think he has shown a stable performance for a player at his age.?

Devin and Liliyana will likely have an easy first-round encounter in Shanghai as they meet New Zealand?s Henry Tam and Donna Haliday.

Indonesian youngsters Fran Kurniawan and Pia Zebadiah Bernadet have a tough opener against mixed doubles top seeds Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung of South Korea. However, Fran and Pia ousted the Koreans in the second round in Hong Kong last week.

Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan hope to bounce back from their poor showing in Hong Kong, where they lost in the quarterfinals. The men?s doubles No. 3 seeds open with China?s Chai Biao and Zhang Nan.

Their half of the draw also features an all-Indonesian opener between sixth seeds Alvent Yulianto Chandra and Hendra Aprida Gunawan, and unseeded Bona Septano and Muhammad Ahsan. In addition, Rian Sukmawan and Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki face Malaysia?s Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah.

Third-seeded Taufik Hidayat and No. 8 seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro begin their final chance to win a Super Series title this year against China?s Du Pengyu and Andrew Smith of England, respectively. No. 7 seed Simon Santoso opens against Kenichi Tago of Japan.

Nike Mercurial Vapor IV Rosa Football Shoes!

Nike Pink Vapor FootBall shoes

Called the Mercurial Vapor Berry, expect to see the Mercurial Vapor IV help male footballers get in touch with their feminine side very soon.

Seen the images of the Vapor Berry and are keen to learn whether you would feel comfortable gracing your local park in a pink football boot.

History of Football Shoes

Fact that you have to know about your football shoes.


Anyone remotely interested in football knows what soccer shoes look like, but have you ever thought about their history? The history of football shoes is a lot older than you might think. Did you know that King Henry VIII wore a pair in 1526? Football shoes, also known as cleats, are shoes that have studs on the underside. These studs are designed to help the shoes grip the playing surface and prevent the player from slipping on muddy or wet playing surfaces.

Football Becomes Popular

Fast forward 300 years. Around the 1800s, football became a more popular hobby, but the shoes the players wore were the same ones they wore to work in the factories. Made of hard leather, they had steel toes, long laces and metal studs or tacks hammered into the sole to give them better grip on the ground.

In the later 19th century, the shoe became modified to better fit the rules that had only recently come into play. Teams now wore the same shoes that had been made into a slipper style shoe and featured a rounded stud (the first cleats) instead of the tacks and metal studs that had been used before. These shoes were designed for better support with a back that came up the back of the ankle and six studs in the sole.

By the time the 1900s rolled around, several companies had started making these specialized boots and in 1925, two brothers (Rudolph and Adolph Dassler) who owned one of these factories developed a new shoe that had 6-7 replaceable studs that were made to be augmented depending on weather conditions and play.

Big Changes: 1940s
In the 1940s, football became an international sport, and the football shoe went through some of the most significant changes of its existence. The South American players wore a model that was more flexible and much lighter than those that had been previously made. The amazing skills of the South American players led manufacturers to modify their shoes to be more like the South Americans' shoes to allow for better kicking and control of the ball.

The next innovation occurred shortly after the Dassler brothers had a falling out and created two separate companies. Thus were born Adidas and what would later be called Puma.

1950s
In the 1950s, Pumas was credited with having created the screw-in stud, and the football shoe started being manufactured with a combination of synthetic and leather materials to get an even lighter shoe. This offered players a better range of movement.
1960s
The 1960s brought further changes. The shoe was now cut lower and allowed for faster movement on the field. It also marks the point at which Adidas became the leader in football shoes with a unprecedented 75% of World Cup 1966 players wearing their shoes.
Modern

In the 1980s, the Predator was born. Designed to offer more surface area to the ball and better traction to the ground, Craig Johnston's football shoe made it possible to better maneuver the ball and hit it at its "sweet spots". In the 1990s, the shoe began being produced by Adidas, who made the sole more flexible and improved bladed studs that gave the player a more stable base. It was also in the 1990s that Nike joined the marketing fray with the Mercurial, a shoe that weighed no more than 200 g.

But the price tag is not light as it weight does..

Choose The Perfect Tennis Footwear

1.Durability and comfort is key to your tennis footwear. You need to select a shoe that is going to stand up to intense impact as there is a lot of running and jumping around the court when playing tennis.

2.Discomfort from your tennis footwear during the tennis match can make you lose focus from the tennis game itself. Your mind will focus on the pain from your feet and will most likely cause you to lose the match.

3.Choose a tennis footwear that give you lateral support. This will keep your ankle from twisting during a tennis match. A twisted ankle will keep you out of the game for a while let alone be very painful.

4.Light weight tennis footwear is always a great choice. Remember you are going to be going a lot of running and jumping so its best to choose a shoe that will not weigh you down.

5.Be sure to try on different brands when selecting tennis footwear. Different people have different size and shaped feet. Some brands fit better for some people while other brands fit better for the rest.

How to Choose Tennis Equipment

Getting Right Tennis Equipment

Choosing the right tennis equipment is not easy. A good tennis game requires a suitable combination of rackets, balls, strings, shoes, and courts. These 5 pieces of tennis equipment are just the basic necessities for playing a game. Having the proper tennis equipment not only improves your tennis experience, but also helps avoid injuries.

Step 1.
Tennis Equipment Tip 1 - Tennis Rackets
Tennis racket is the most crucial piece of tennis equipment in a tennis game and should be chosen with care.
Weight: The optimal weight of a tennis racket varies from person to person. It really depends on how you want to play your tennis games. Generally, a tennis racket less than 10 oz. is too light for an adult and can't protect the arms from even very light shocks.
Material: Graphite is usually the preferable material for a tennis racket. The kind of graphite used is not the pure graphite found in pencils, but carbon fibers mixed with resin to form a strong tennis racket frame.

Step 2.
Tennis Equipment Tip 2 - Racket Strings
Another important tennis equipment is the racket strings. Different string tensions can give you different magnitudes of power and control.
Power: Lower string tensions can make the ball fly farther. This is because the ball spends more time in contact with the strings when the racket is still swinging upward.
Control: The higher the string tension, the more control you have.

Step .3
Tennis Equipment Tip 3 - Tennis Balls
You can't enjoy a tennis game without good tennis balls. The most popular color of tennis balls is greenish yellow because that gives the best visibility under most conditions. To determine whether a tennis ball is still good, simply drop it from your forehead; it is still good if it bounces back to at least your belly button level.

Step .4
Tennis Equipment Tip 4 - Tennis Shoes
A good pair of tennis shoes can prevent injuries on a tennis court and is another important piece of tennis equipment besides a tennis racket. Don't wear running shoes to play tennis. Running shoes have thick heels that can make sideways movements of tennis unstable.

Find Out Racquet use By Lin Dan

Lin Dan - born October 14, 1983 in Longyan, Fujian is a dominant Chinese badminton player of Hakka ancestry. He has been nicknamed "Super Dan" by his fans. Lin won the men's singles gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He is the only player in badminton history to have won three singles world championship titles having done so consecutively in 2006, 2007, and 2009.

Lin became one of the dominant players of men's singles, winning nine top tier international championships between 2002 and 2004. In a surprise loss, he was eliminated as the no.1 seed in the first round of the badminton men's singles in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. However, he has continued his dominance in international tournaments and has been continuously ranked number one in the world since early 2004, except for a very brief period of time in 2006 when Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia overtook him.

The Yonex MP 99



It is reported also that racquet use by Lin is Yonex MP 99.

Among the tournaments Lin Dan have won are the All-England Open (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009), the BWF World Championships (2006, 2007 and 2009), and the Olympic Games (2008). He has helped China win three consecutive Thomas Cup (men's world team) championships in 2004, 2006, and 2008 and has also been a major contributor to Chinese teams which won the Sudirman Cup (combined men's and women's team championship) in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

Largest Badminton Racquet Manufacturer In The World

Find Out The Largest Badminton Racquet In The World


Yonex is the leader and the largest badminton manufacturer in the world with approximately 90% of the top world players using their equipment. Badminton Alley is Yonex largest authorized high-end badminton equipment reseller in the United States.

Rules for Playing Badminton

Before we jump into badminton court, better to know the rules of playing it.

Badminton is a great outdoor sport. Knowing the rules keeps the game entertaining and sets all players on an equal footing.

Starting
After a toss to decide who starts, the serving player stands on the right side of his court and serves diagonally. If playing doubles, the players stand on both sides, but the right side player still serves to the right.

Scoring
The team serving can score. When the opposing side drops the shuttle or sends it out of play, the serving team scores. If the serving team does either, it passes the right to serve to the other team. After the first point, the serve moves to the left; serving switches with each score.

Match Point
Matches are best of three. For doubles or men's singles, the individual games end at the first to 15. Official rules for women's singles end at 11 points. If both players have 14 or 10 points, the first team to reach that chooses whether to continue to 15 or 11, or "set" the game at 17 or 13 points.

Faults and Lets
A fault occurs when players break the rules: Crossing the net, leaving the field of play or other general misconduct. After a fault, the right to serve passes to the opponents. A "let" exists for anything unforeseen by the rules. At that point, an umpire or the players can make a decision on what to do.

End of Rounds
At the end of a round, the teams cross the net and trade. If the game reaches the third round, the teams switch at the middle point (six or eight points, depending on the round's ending score).

The Fact You Need To Know :The History of Badminton

Hi Readers, welcome to Sport palace.
Let share some infos about badminton,one of most popular sports in the world!

In the 5th century BC, the people in china then played a game called ti jian zi.

A direct translation from this word 'ti jian zi' is kicking the shuttle. As the name suggest, the objective of the game is to keep the shuttle from hitting the ground without using hand. Whether this sport has anything to do with the History of Badminton is up for debate. It was however the first game that uses a Shuttle.

About five centuries later, a game named Battledore and Shuttlecock was played in china, Japan, India and Greece.

This is a game where you use the Battledore (a paddle) to hit the Shuttlecock back and forth. By the 16th century, it has become a popular game among children in England. In Europe this game was known as jeu de volant to them. In the 1860s, a game named Poona was played in India. This game is much like the Battledore and Shuttlecock but with an added net. The British army learned this game in India and took the equipments back to England during the 1870s.

In 1873, the Duke of Beaufort held a lawn party in his country place, Badminton. A game of Poona was played on that day and became popular among the British society's elite. The new party sport became known as "the Badminton game". In 1877, the Bath Badminton Club was formed and developed the first official set of rules.

The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was formed in 1934 with 9 founding members.


- England
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Wales
- Denmark
- Holland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- France


Since then, major international tournaments like the Thomas Cup (Men) and Uber Cup (Women) were held. Badminton was officially granted Olympic status in the 1992 Barcelona Games. From 9 founding members, IBF now have over 150 member countries. The future of Badminton looks bright indeed.

Badminton is widely plays around the world. By reading history above, hope that you have a far better understanding on the History of Badminton now.