Table Tennis

HISTORY

Table tennis, also known as ping pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a

lightweight, hollow ball back and forth with rackets. The game takes place on a hard table

divided by a net. Except for the initial serve, players must allow a ball played toward them

only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the

opposite side. This game can be played inside or outside[citation needed]. Points are scored when a

player fails to return the ball within the rules. Play is fast and demands quick reactions. A

skilled player can impart several varieties of spin to the ball, altering its trajectory and

limiting an opponent's options to great advantage.

Table tennis is the most popular racket sport in the world, with over 300 million active

members of governing associations worldwide.[1] The game is controlled by the International

Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. Since 1988, table tennis has been

an Olympic sport which includes four event categories. From 1988 until 2004, these were:

men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008 the

doubles have been replaced by the team events.

The game originated as a sport in Britain during the 1800s, where it was played amongst the

upper-class as an after dinner entertainment activity, commonly known then as "wiff-waff".

A row of books were to be stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books

served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball from one end of the table to

the other. Later, table tennis was played with paddles made of cigar box lids and balls made

of champagne corks. Eventually, table tennis evolved into the modern game in Europe and

the United States. The popularity of the game led game manufacturers to sell the equipment

commercially. Early rackets were often pieces of parchment stretched upon a frame, and the

sound generated in play gave the game its first nicknames of "wiff-waff" and "Ping-pong". A

number of sources indicate that the game was first brought to the attention of Hamley's of

Regent Street under the name "Gossima". The name "ping-pong" was in wide use before

British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in 1901. The name "Ping-Pong" then

came to be used for the game played by the rather expensive Jaquesses equipment, with

other manufacturers calling theirs table tennis. A similar situation arose in the United States,

where Jaques sold the rights to the "Ping-Pong" name to Parker Brothers.

The next major innovation was by James Gibb, a British enthusiast of table tennis, who

discovered novelty celluloid balls on a trip to the US in 1901 and found them to be ideal for

the game. This was followed by E. C. Goode who in 1901 invented the modern version of the

racket by fixing a sheet of pimpled, or stippled, rubber to the wooden blade. Table tennis

was growing in popularity by 1901 when table tennis tournaments were being organized,

books on table tennis were being written, and an unofficial world championship was held in

1902. During the early 20th century the game was banned in Russia due to a belief that was

held by the rulers at the time that playing the game had an adverse effect on players'

eyesight. In 1921, the Table Tennis Association was founded in Britain, and the International

Table Tennis Federation followed in 1926. London hosted the first official world

championship in 1927. Table tennis was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Olympics in

1988.

In the 1950s rackets that used a rubber sheet combined with an underlying sponge layer

changed the game dramatically, introducing greater spin and speed. These were introduced

to Britain by the sports goods manufacturers S.W. Hancock Ltd. The use of speed

glue increased the spin and speed even further, resulting in changes to the equipment to

"slow the game down".

Toward the end of 2000, the ITTF instituted several rules changes aimed at making table

tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport. First, the older 38 mm (1.5 inch) balls

were officially replaced by 40mm balls. This increased the ball's air resistance and

effectively slowed down the game. By that time, players had begun increasing the thickness

of the fast sponge layer on their rackets, which made the game excessively fast, and difficult

to watch on television. Secondly, the ITTF changed from a 21 to an 11-point scoring system.

This was intended to make games more fast-paced and exciting. The ITTF also changed the

rules on service to prevent a player from hiding the ball during service, in order to increase

the average length of rallies and to reduce the server's advantage. Variants of the sport

have emerged. "Large-ball" table tennis uses a 44 mm ball which slows down the game

significantly. This has seen some acceptance by players who have a hard time with the

extreme spins and speeds of the 40mm game. The ball's mass is 2.47 grams.

There is a move towards reviving the table tennis game that existed prior to the introduction

of sponge rubber. Classic table tennis like Liha or "hardbat" table tennis players reject the

speed and spin of reversed sponge rubber, preferring the 1940–60s play style, with no-

sponge, short-pimpled rubber equipment, when defense is less difficult by decreasing the

speed and eliminating any meaningful magnus effect of spin. Because hardbat killer shots

are almost impossible to hit against a skilled player, hardbat matches focus on the strategic

side of table tennis, requiring skillful maneuvering of the opponent before an attack can be

successful.

EQUIPMENT

Ball

The international rules specify that the game is

played with a light 2.7 gram, 40 mm diameter

ball. Generally, it is the most-used ball. The

rules say that the ball shall bounce up 23 cm

when dropped from a height of 30 cm thereby

having coefficient of 0.88. The 40 mm ball was

introduced after the 2000 Olympic Games.

However, this created some controversy as the

Chinese National Team argued that this was merely to give non-Chinese players a better

chance of winning since the new type of balls has a slower speed, while at that time most

Chinese players were playing with fast attack and smashes. A 40 mm table tennis ball is

slower and spins less than a 38 mm one. The ball is made of a high-bouncing gas-

filled celluloid, colored white or orange, with a matte finish. The choice of ball color is made

according to the table color and its surroundings. For example, a white ball is easier to see

on a green or blue table than it is on a grey table. Stars on the ball indicate the quality of the

ball. Three stars indicates that it is of the highest quality, and is used in official competition.

Table

The table is 2.74 m (9 ft) long, 1.525 m (5 ft)

wide, and 76 cm (30 inch) high with

a Masonite (a type of hardboard) or similarly

manufactured timber, layered with a smooth,

low-friction coating. The table or playing

surface is divided into two halves by a

15.25 cm (6 inch) high net.[3] The table surface is often in a green, blue or red color.

Racket

Players are equipped with a laminated wooden

racket covered with rubber on one or two sides

depending on the grip of the player. This is

called either a paddle, racket, blade or a bat

depending on where in the world the game is

being played. In the USA the term "paddle" is

common, in Europe[where?] the term is "bat," and

the official ITTF term is "racket."

The wooden portion of the racket, often referred to as the "blade," features, on average, anywhere

between 1 and 7 plies of wood, cork, glass fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum fiber, or even Kevlar. There are

no restrictions as to what kinds of materials may be used, just so long as the racket consists of at least

85% natural wood. Common wood types include Balsa, Limba, Walnut, and Cypress or "Hinoki," which is

popular in Japan. The average size of the blade is about 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) long and 6 inches (15 cm)

wide. Although there are no official restrictions on the shape or size of the blade itself, these dimensions

are optimal for most styles of play. Table tennis regulations allow different surfaces on each side of the

racket. The different types of surfaces provide various levels of spin or speed, or in some cases, nullify

spin. For example, a player may have a rubber that provides much spin on one side of his racket, and one

that provides no spin on the other side of the racket. By flipping the racket in play, different types of

returns are possible. To help a player distinguish between different types of rubber used by his opposing

player, international rules specify that one side must be red while the other side must be black. The player

has the right to inspect his opponent's racket before a match to see the type of rubber used and what

color it is. Despite high speed play and rapid exchanges, a player can see clearly what side of the racket

was used to hit the ball. Current rules state that, unless damaged in play, the racket cannot be exchanged

for another racket at any time during a match.

Net

Divides the table into opposing sides.The net should first of all run parallel to end lines and should be

continuous over the whole area of each court. The net should be accompanied with supporting posts,

including the clamps. The top of the net must be 6 inches above the table surface. The net posts may

extend 6 inches outside the side edges of the ping pong table. Another important thing is that the bottom

of the net all over its length should be as close as it can be to the playing surface according to

professional ping pong rules

Rules and Regulations

Table Tennis Rules and Regulations

Table Tennis EquipmentTable tennis was earlier played with a 38mm ball, but since 2000 the 44mm, 2.7 gram ball has been introduced. It is mostly white in color, but also sometimes orange, depending on the color of the surface of the table. The table is 9ft long and 5ft wide, and its surface is 2½ft above the ground. It is divided into two halves by a net which is 6 inches in height from the surface of the table. The table surface is mostly green in color, though it can also be blue or red. The racket is made of laminated wood covered with rubber on both sides. One side usually has rubber for spin and the other to defend. The most common grips used around the world are the penhold grip and the shakehand grip. According to the ITTF norms, the rubber on one side should be red and the other black. It can be of any shape and size, but needs to be flat on the surface and rigid. The racket is also known as a paddle or a bat in some countries.

Table Tennis ServingThe game commences with a toss, and the winner gets to decided whether he would like to serve, receive the serve, or choose the side of play. The server holds the racket in one hand, and the ball in the palm of the other hand which is known as his freehand, which needs to be higher than the table surface

and behind the endline of the table. He needs to toss the ball up at least 6 inches and cannot spin it with his hand, but can only hit it on descent. Table tennis serves need to be executed in such a manner that the ball is clearly visible to the umpire and opponent. The ball, after being hit, needs to bounce once on the server's side and then once on the opponent's side. The server loses the point if the ball hits the net, or even brushes the net and falls out of the table. If it brushes the net and falls on the opponent's side, the serve needs to be retaken. The serve changes to the other player after every 2 points.

Table Tennis RallyAfter the serve, every shot needs to be returned back directly on the opponent's half side of the table. It is all right if a shot brushes the net on the way to the other side. A player wins a point if his opponent cannot return his shot, or hits the ball in his own half or out of the table. Also, a point is won if it touches the edge of the table, and not the sides.

Table Tennis PointsA game of table tennis is made up of 11 points for a win. The player to reach 11 points with a difference of at least 2 points, wins the game. In case both players are tied at 10 a piece, each player serves once till one player has a difference of 2 points. A match can be a best of 5 or 7, depending on the particular tournament being played. Players change sides for every game, and if it's a deciding game, then players change sides whenever one player reaches 5 points first.

These were the basic and important international table tennis rules that are followed for all tournaments everywhere in the world, and also recognized by the ITTF. You can also read more about ping pong rules and regulations. To play well, it is also important to have an idea of the ping pong table dimensions.

Table Tennis Singles Rules

The rules for singles have been mentioned above. A game is won when a player reaches 11 points with a difference of at least 2 points. Sides change after every game and when a player reaches 5 points in a deciding game. A match can be best of 5 or 7 games. The serve changes every 2 points, and then every point after a deuce. Shots can be played on any part of the opponent's half of the table.

Table Tennis Doubles Rules

The rules for doubles are mostly the same as the singles game. Scoring of points is also the same as singles. There are only a couple of things that are different when it is a doubles match. First of all, the serving rules are different. There are 2 players on each side, and the serve has to be taken from the right side of the table. Each half of the table is divided into 2 more halves. The server has to strike the ball in such a way that the ball bounces first in his team's half, and also in the right side half of his team's side of the table. The serve needs to be in a cross of diagonal direction. Meaning, the ball has to land on the opposite side of the table in the right half of the other team, right half of the other side as the other team sees it. Serve still changes every 2 points, but each player from a team takes one serve each. Shots are taken by each player alternatively in a rally. This is the major difference from lawn tennis where in a double match any player can take a shot according to the situation. Also, in a deciding game, after changing sides, the combination of players serving and receiving changes. For example if player A was serving to player C, and player B was serving to player D, after the change, player A would serve to player D and player B would serve to player C. Besides these few aspects, all the rules are the same as the singles game. In doubles, coordination of both partners between themselves play an important role in getting that winning edge over opponents.

Table Tennis Terms

The hand in which the racket is held is called the racket hand. The hand that is not carrying the racket is called the free hand. When a rally ends, it is known as a point. A rally is the period from which the ball is served till the point is scored. The player who strikes the ball first is called the server.

The player who is supposed to hit the ball second during a rally is called the receiver. The person who conducts and controls the match is called the umpire. A rally is a let if for some reason or the other it does not end in a point.

Points, Game and MatchPoints are won in these cases:

The player can score a point unless the rally has a let, that is the ball hits the net post before it reaches the opponent's half.

Incorrect service by the opponent. Incorrect return by an opponent. If a player's opponent obstructs the ball. If the ball touches anything other than the net assembly after being served and before being hit

by the other player. If a player's opponent strikes the ball twice successively. If the opponent of the player's free hand touches the playing surface. In case a doubles opponent strikes the ball and it goes out of sequence initiated by the first server

and receiver. A game is won by the player or in a doubles a pair which scores 11 points first. If both the parties are on 10, a tie, then the first player gaining a lead of 2 points wins. A match comprises of the best of any odd number of games.

Male Table tennis Player

Ma Lin (simplified Chinese: 马琳; traditional

Chinese: 馬琳; pinyin: Mǎ Lín; born

February 19, 1980

in Shenyang, Liaoning, China) is a

male table tennis player. He is the world's

number three ranked player as of June,

2010 in the International Table Tennis

Federation (ITTF).

He learned to play table tennis at the age of

five and became a member of the provincial

team in 1990. In 1994, he joined the

Chinese national team. At the 2008 Summer

Olympics, Ma won gold in both the singles and team competitions, becoming the third Chinese male

player to achieve this feat.

Ma Lin now holds a professional era record of 70 major titles (7 World Cups, 3 Olympic golds). Should he

be able to win a World Championship, he will be the fourth player to achieve a Grand Slam in table tennis.

Style and equipment

Ma Lin uses the penhold grip. An aggressive player, he is known for his converse unpredictable serves,

heavy short push receives, fast footwork, and powerful third ball attacks. In addition to possessing a solid

backhand push, Ma Lin also uses the reverse penhold backhand (RPB), an innovative stroke utilizing the

underside of the blade which allows a penholder to produce topspin from both wings. The most

dangerous weapon Ma Lin has in his arsenal, however, is his consistent forehand loop, which he often

uses to end a point decisively.

Ma Lin is currently using a Yasaka Ma Lin Extra Offensive Penhold as his blade. He uses DHS Skyline 2

for his forehand, and Butterfly Bryce/Bryce Speed for his backhand.

Titles

1999 Men's World Championship 2nd Place 2000 Men's World Cup champion 2002 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men's Singles Gold 2003 Men's World Cup champion 2004 Athens Olympic Games champion doubles (with Chen Qi) 2004 Men's World Cup champion 2005 Men's World Championship 2nd place 2006 Men's World Cup champion 2007 Men's World Championship 2nd place 2007 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men's Singles Gold 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Men's Singles champion and Men's Team champion. 2009 Men's World Championship 3rd place

Female Table Tennis Player

Fukuhara began playing at the age of 3 and

became a professional at age 10. The following

year, she became the youngest player ever to

become a member of the Japanese national

team. At age 13, in 2002, she reached the

quarterfinals of the Japan table tennis

championship. In the following year, she

finished fifth in the world championship in Paris.

In 2004, she took part in the world team

championships and helped Team Japan finish

third. She also speaks Mandarin fluently as she

had resided in China during her early career. She attended Aomori Yamada Junior High School and

graduated from Aomori Yamada High School in 2007. Both schools are located in the city

of Aomori in Aomori Prefecture.

As of May 1, 2008, she was ranked #13 in the ITTF rankings (the highest ranked Japanese player). As of

the same date, she is also ranked #3 of players under 21, a position she has held since December 2006.

She was chosen as the national flag bearer for Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Badminton

History:

Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs

(doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players

score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their

opponents' half of the court. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and each side may

only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.

The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly

differently from the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag,

causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top

speed, when compared to other racquet sports. Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind,

competitive badminton is played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational

activity, often as a garden or beach game.

Since 1992, badminton has been an Olympic sport with five events: men's and women's singles, men's

and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, in which each pair consists of a man and a woman. At high

levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength,

speed and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development

of sophisticated racquet movements.

The beginnings of Badminton can be traced to mid-18th century British India, where it was created

by British military officers stationed there.[2]Early photographs show Englishmen adding a net to the

traditional English game of battledore and shuttlecock. Being particularly popular in the British garrison

town Poona (now Pune), the game also came to be known as Poona.[2][3] Initially, balls of wool refereed

as ball badminton were preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but ultimately the

shuttlecock stuck. This game was taken by retired officers back to England where it developed and rules

were set out.

As early as 1860, Isaac Spratt, a London toy dealer, published a booklet, Badminton Battledore - a new

game, but unfortunately no copy has survived.[4]

The new sport was definitively launched in 1873 at the Badminton House, Gloucestershire, owned by

the Duke of Beaufort. During that time, the game was referred to as "The Game of Badminton," and the

game's official name became Badminton.[5]

Until 1887, the sport was played in England under the rules that prevailed in British India. The Bath

Badminton Club standardized the rules and made the game applicable to English ideas. The basic

regulations were drawn up in 1887.[5] In 1893, the Badminton Association of England published the first

set of rules according to these regulations, similar to today's rules, and officially launched badminton in a

house called "Dunbar" at 6 Waverley Grove, Portsmouth, England on September 13 of that year.[6] They

also started the All England Open Badminton Championships, the first badminton competition in the

world, in 1899.

The International Badminton Federation (IBF) (now known as Badminton World Federation) was

established in 1934 with Canada, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand,

Scotland, and Wales as its founding members. India joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs

international badminton and develops the sport globally.

While set out in England, competitive badminton in Europe has traditionally been dominated by Denmark.

Indonesia, South Korea, China and Malaysia are among the nations that have consistently produced

world-class players in the past few decades and dominated competitions on the international level, with

China being the most dominant in recent years.

Equipments:

Racquets

Badminton racquets are light, with top quality

racquets weighing between 75 and 95 grams (2.6 to

3.3 ounces) including the strings.[8][9] They are

composed of many different materials ranging

from carbon fibre composite (graphite reinforced

plastic) to solid steel, which may be augmented by a

variety of materials. Carbon fibre has an excellent

strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives

excellent kinetic energy transfer. Before the adoption

of carbon fibre composite, racquets were made of

light metals such as aluminum. Earlier still, racquets

were made of wood. Cheap racquets are still often

made of metals such as steel, but wooden racquets

are no longer manufactured for the ordinary market,

because of their excessive mass and cost. Nowadays, nanomaterials such as fullerene and carbon

nanotubes are added to rackets giving them greater durability.

There is a wide variety of racquet designs, although the laws limit the racquet size and shape. Different

racquets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape is

still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new racquets.

Strings

Badminton strings are thin, high performing strings in the range of about 0.62 to 0.73 mm thickness.

Thicker strings are more durable, but many players prefer the feel of thinner strings. String tension is

normally in the range of 80 to 160 N (18 to 36 lbf). Recreational players generally string at lower tensions

than professionals, typically between 18 and 25 lbf (110 N). Professionals string between about 25 and

36 lbf (160 N).

It is often argued that high string tensions improve control, whereas low string tensions increase power.

[10] The arguments for this generally rely on crude mechanical reasoning, such as claiming that a lower

tension string bed is more bouncy and therefore provides more power. This is in fact incorrect, for a

higher string tension can cause the shuttle to slide off the racquet and hence make it harder to hit a shot

accurately. An alternative view suggests that the optimum tension for power depends on the player:[8] the

faster and more accurately a player can swing their racquet, the higher the tension for maximum power.

Neither view has been subjected to a rigorous mechanical analysis, nor is there clear evidence in favour

of one or the other. The most effective way for a player to find a good string tension is to experiment.

Grip

The choice of grip allows a player to increase the thickness of his racquet handle and choose a

comfortable surface to hold. A player may build up the handle with one or several grips before applying

the final layer.

Players may choose between a variety of grip materials. The most common choices are PU synthetic

grips or towelling grips. Grip choice is a matter of personal preference. Players often find that sweat

becomes a problem; in this case, a drying agent may be applied to the grip or hands, sweatbands may be

used, the player may choose another grip material or change his grip more frequently.

There are two main types of grip: replacement grips and overgrips. Replacement grips are thicker, and

are often used to increase the size of the handle. Overgrips are thinner (less than 1 mm), and are often

used as the final layer. Many players, however, prefer to use replacement grips as the final layer.

Towelling grips are always replacement grips. Replacement grips have an adhesive backing, whereas

overgrips have only a small patch of adhesive at the start of the tape and must be applied under tension;

overgrips are more convenient for players who change grips frequently, because they may be removed

more rapidly without damaging the underlying material.

Shuttlecock

A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle and also commonly

known as a bird or birdie ) is a high-drag projectile, with an

open conical shape: the cone is formed from sixteen

overlapping feathersembedded into a rounded cork base.

The cork is covered with thin leather or synthetic material.

Synthetic shuttles are often used by recreational players to

reduce their costs as feathered shuttles break easily. These nylon

shuttles may be constructed with either natural cork or synthetic

foam base, and a plastic skirt.

Additionally, nylon shuttlecocks come in three varieties, each

variety for a different range of temperatures. These three varieties

are known as green (slow speed which will give you an extra 40%

hang time/shot length), blue (middle speed), and red (fast speed). The colours, and therefore speeds, are

indicated by coloured strips fastened around the cork. In colder temperatures, a faster shuttle is used, and

in hotter climates, a slower one is chosen.

Rules and Regulations:

Court and Equipment

Court size for singles - 44 feet long x 17 feet wide Court size for doubles - 44 feet long x 20 feet wide Net height - 5 feet Shuttlecocks - Also known as birdies or birds. One type has feathers with a cork base, and the

other is plastic with a rubber base. Rackets - Made of lightweight material like wood, plastic or metal.

Object of the game

The object of the game is to hit the shuttlecock back and forth over a net without permitting it to hit the floor in bounds on your side of the net. 

Some general rules and terms

1. A player may not touch the net with a racket or history body during play.

2. A birdie may not come to rest or be carried on the racket.

3. A birdie may hit the net on its way across during play and the rally can continue.

4. A term of service is called an inning.

5. A player may not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.

6. A loss of serve is called a side out.

7. In class games will be played to 15 points and a match is 2 out of 3 games.

8. Some types of shots are the lob, drop shot, smash and drive.

Serving

1. A coin toss or spin of the racket determines who will serve first.

2. The serve must travel diagonally (cross court) to be good.

3. A serve that touches the net and lands in the proper court is called a let serve and is reserved, otherwise, only one serve is permitted to each court until a side out occurs. A serve that is totally missed may be tried again.

4. The racket must make contact with the birdie below the waist on a serve.

5. The server and receiver shall stand within their respective service courts until the serve is made.

6. Points may only be scored when serving.

Male Badminton Player

Lin Dan (simplified Chinese: 林丹; traditional Chinese: 林

丹; pinyin: Lín Dān; born October 14, 1983 in Longyan, Fujian) is the

current dominant player of world badminton from China.

Of Hakkaancestry, he has been nicknamed "Super Dan" (超级丹) by

his fans.[2][3][4] While some consider Lin as the greatest player of his

generation,[5] others hail him to be among the greatest of all time.[6][7]

Lin won the men's singles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic

Games (2008). He is the only male player in badminton history to

have won three consecutive titles at the World

Championships (2006, 2007 and 2009).[8] Lin was also a 4-time title

holder of the All-England Open (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009) and

has helped China win four consecutive Thomas Cup (Men’s Team

World Badminton Championships) (2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010)

and three consecutive Sudirman Cup (World Team Championships)

(2005, 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

often been ranked number one in the world since early 2004, although Lee Chong

Wei of Malaysia overtook him in 2006 and again in 2009.

Careers

2004

By the beginning of 2004, Lin Dan was already world number one at age 20. He started off the year by

winning his first All England title by beating Peter Gade of Denmark. He continued to shine as he won

the Swiss Open and the Denmark Open by defeating his senior teammate and former world number

one Xia Xuanze. He also went on to take the German Open and the China Open, beating his compatriot

and good friend Bao Chunlai. In May, Lin Dan also played a major role in bringing the Thomas Cup back

to China after a long domination by Indonesia.

2005

In 2005, Lin Dan won his "warm-up" tournament for the All England, the German Open, after

beating Malaysia's Muhammad Hafiz Hashim. However he lost his All England title to compatriotChen

Hong. In May 2005, Lin Dan and his compatriots brought back the Sudirman Cup to China, where in 2003

they had lost to South Korea. In August, Lin Dan reached his first World Championship final in Anaheim,

USA, but lost to the talented Indonesian, Taufik Hidayat. Even so, he managed to claim more titles at

the China Masters and the Hong Kong Open.

2006

Lin Dan started 2006 by recapturing the All England championship by overcoming Lee Hyun-il of South

Korea. He carried on his reign as the world number one when he swept the Chinese Taipei Open,

the Macau Open, Hong Kong Open and Japan Open. In September 2006, Lin Dan won his first World

Championship by beating fellow compatriot Bao Chunlai in a three game thriller 18–21, 21–17, 21–12.

Subsequently, Lin Dan regained his world number one status which had been briefly occupied by Lee

Chong Wei. Lin Dan lost once again to Taufik Hidayat, this time in the final of the Asian Games in Doha.

Earlier in May, Lin Dan and his teammates extended China's supremacy in the Thomas Cup event in

Tokyo, Japan. Lin Dan beat Peter Gade in the first mens singles match in straight sets 21–17, 21–19 as

China shut out Denmark 3–0 in the final.

2007

Lin Dan entered 2007 with a loss at the Malaysia Open, losing to South Korea's Park Sung-hwan in the

round of 16. The losing streak did not last long as a week later he captured the Korea Open after

defeating his fellow national player Chen Jin. He went on to win the German Open and then the All

England championships again, crushing compatriot Chen Yu 21–13, 21–12. In June, Lin Dan was part of

Team China in the Sudirman Cup, which was held in Glasgow, Scotland. The Chinese team brought

home the cup after beating Indonesia 3–0 in the final. Later in the season Lin Dan ousted Wong Choong

Hann of Malaysia and became the China's Master champion for 2007. In August, Lin Dan extended his

reign as the world champion as he beat Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro 21–11, 22–20. Lin Dan would

become the first man since Yang Yang to win back to back world championships.

2008

As every athlete looked forward to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Lin Dan, who was certainly qualified

to play, did not begin the year on a strong note: he failed to win either the Malaysian Open or the Korean

Open (he was a finalist in the latter). He also lost his All England title to Chen Jin, but then went on to win

the Swiss Open.

At the 2008 Thomas Cup, which was held in Jakarta, Lin Dan won every match he played except in the

semi-finals where he lost to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei. Even with his loss, his team advanced to the

finals. In the finals, Lin Dan earned a point for China by returning from a first-set loss and overcame Park

Sung-Hwan of South Korea 10–21, 21–18, 21–8. China beat South Korea 3–1 and brought the cup back

for the third consecutive time.

Lin Dan did not play in Singapore Open or the Indonesia Open, two Super Series tournaments, because

of his intensive training for the Olympic Games. He did, however, play in the Thailand Open Grand Prix as

a precursor to the Olympic Games. There, he defeated local favorite Boonsak Ponsana to take the title.

In the Olympic Games, Lin Dan, who was undoubtedly the local hero and heavy favourite, began his gold

medal hunt by subduing Hong Kong's Ng Wei 21–16, 21–13 in the round of 32. Next he saw off Park

Sung-Hwan 21–11, 21–8, and in the quarter finals, Lin Dan ended veteran Peter Gade's dream of ever

winning an Olympic medal as he beat Gade in straight sets. He then faced teammate Chen Jin in the

semi-finals and beat him handily in two sets. This vaulted him into the finals where he was set to

meet Lee Chong Wei. The dream match had finally come as the World No. 1 and 2 were set to battle it

out for badminton's most prestigious title. It was supposed to be a tough match for both players, but Lin

Dan grabbed the gold as he overwhelmed the Malaysian in a one-sided two-setter 21–12, 21–8. Lin Dan

thus became the first men's singles player ever to win the All England title, two world championship titles,

and the Olympic gold medal.

After a hiatus of almost four months, Lin Dan came back in November from a post-Olympic break and

played in the China Open Super Series. He again met Lee Chong Wei in the finals and won by the scores

of 21–18, 21–9 with the second set almost identical to their match in the Beijing Games. In late November

he faced Chen Jin in the finals of the Hong Kong Super Series but lost 9–21, 21–9, 17–21.

Even though Lin Dan only competed in 5 Super Series events that year, he had enough points to qualify

for the BWF Super Series Masters Finals being held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.[9] However, Lin

Dan did not participate in the tournament because the Chinese team did not send any representatives.

Female Badminton Player

Yang Wei (simplified Chinese: 杨维; traditional Chinese: 楊維; pinyin: Yáng Wéi; Yale: Yeung4 Wai4; born January 13, 1979 in Hubei, China) is a female badminton player from the People's Republic of China. Yang grew up in Guangdong.

Career

A woman's doubles specialist, Yang has won some

forty international titles, most of them in the sport's top

tier events, since 1998. Prior to 2003 she

partnered Huang Nanyan with whom she earned a

silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and gained

the winning point against South Korea in the 2002 Uber

Cup (women's world team championship) final. Her

subsequent partnership with Zhang Jiewen has been

even more successful as they have shared international domination with compatriot rivals Gao

Ling and Huang Sui. Yang and Zhang captured gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics by defeating Gao and

Huang in the final. They bested the same team in winning both the 2005 and 2007 BWF World

Championships. On the other hand, Gao and Huang have been an obstacle for them at the

prestigious All-England Championships, defeating Yang and Zhang in the 2003, 2004, and 2006 finals.

Curiously, this is the one major tournament that neither Yang nor Zhang has ever won.

In 2008 Yang helped China to secure its sixth consecutive Uber Cup title and won women's doubles at

the Swiss, Thailand, and Malaysia Opens with Zhang Jiewen. At the Beijing Olympics where they were

first seeded, however, Yang and Zhang were upset in the quarterfinals by Japan's Miyuki

Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna. The event was eventually won by a younger Chinese pair, Du Jing and Yu

Yang, perhaps signaling a changing of the guard in the Chinese dynasty.

ProjectIn

Physical Educatio

nSubmitted to:

Vilma Natividad

Submitted by:

Marco Sabino T,Calvara