Badminton: Greats of the Eighties

Most contemporary fans will, without hesitation, nominate Lin Dan as the ‘greatest’ of all time. With four World Championships and two Olympic gold medals, ‘Superdan’ has a strong case – but it would do injustice to history if former players were summarily ignored.

Former Indian chief coach Vimal Kumar, for instance, is one of those who believe the current generation of internationals is not superior to the best players of the Eighties, despite all the advances in sport science and equipment technology. “There was greater variety in the eighties,” Vimal is fond of saying. “Nowadays, all the top players play the same kind of game. Perhaps that is due to the scoring system, because everyone is scared of making mistakes. But I don’t think current players are any faster or stronger or more skilful than players of the Eighties.”

The Eighties were a distinct period in world badminton. It saw the beginning of the era of prize money tournaments and the consequent growth of professionalism, and the entry of the Chinese into international badminton. There was intense rivalry between players of Indonesia, China and Denmark, besides some strong contenders from Malaysia, England and India as well. We present eight greats of the Eighties:

Liem Swie King (Indonesia)

One of the devastating attackers of his time, he was flamboyant and spectacular, and simply called ‘The King’. He took over from Rudy Hartono as the face of Indonesian badminton. Won three All England titles in six finals, and reached two successive World Championship finals.

Han Jian (China)

He took up badminton relatively late, at the age of 17. He was discovered by a scout when he was playing football. Han Jian’s greatest strength was his ability to keep retrieving tirelessly, and playing at a high pace. He ensured China’s maiden Thomas Cup triumph in 1982, and won a World Championship in 1985.

Luan Jin

He was known to be a powerful and muscular player, who could outlast his opponents. The only time he was vulnerable was when his fitness wasn’t 100 per cent, which enabled opponents to outplay him.

Icuk Sugiarto

A defensive wall, he shot into stardom with his stunning victory over compatriot Liem Swie King in the final of the 1983 World Championships, when he was still an upcoming player. He was known for his strong lower body, and was a brilliant defensive player.

Morten Frost

He could well have been hailed as the greatest player of the eighties if only he had managed to win a world title. He came desperately close, losing in two World Championship finals, in 1985 and 1987. However, his record at the All England is impeccable – four titles in eight finals, and victories all over the world and over every player. He was one of the few who could prevent the total domination of the Chinese.

Yang Yang

A steady left-hander, known for his agility, footwork, accuracy in attack and composure under pressure, Yang Yang became the first player to win two successive World Championship gold medals. He also won the 1988 Olympic event, when badminton was a demonstration sport.

Zhao Jianhua

A brilliant attacking player, and deceptive as well, Zhao was recognised as a phenomenon when he arrived. He unexpectedly beat Frost in the final of the World Championships in 1991. Perhaps China’s most charismatic player of the Eighties, Zhao often played to the galleries, and yet, was one of the hardest players to beat. He won two All England titles and the 1991 World Championships.

Prakash Padukone

Pioneer of a distinct style in world badminton, his use of deception was unmatched, while his clever court-craft outfoxed the best of the Chinese and Indonesians. He remained in the top-ten for nearly a decade, winning several titles, including the All England, Swedish Open, Denmark Open and Hong Kong Open. His touch and mastery of the net offset deficiencies in attack, and provided a template for future generations of Indians to counter explosive play by the opposition.