World Badminton Championships 2018: 5 players to watch out for

#5 Lin Dan

5-time world champion Lin Dan would look for one last hurrah

Lin Dan is certainly in the last stage of his career and the lack of consistency has been hurting him. But, as they say, form is temporary but class is permanent. Maybe this championship is the time for the great Chinese shuttler to produce one last great performance in front of his home crowd and regain the title he has won five times before.

At the moment, his run of form suggests that is unlikely, but with champions, it’s wise to never write them off. The big stage can certainly get the best out of them. Also, what would spur Lin Dan on is the fact that he came second in last year’s world championship, losing to Viktor Axelsen in the final. This is an opportunity to set that record straight.

There are two other Chinese participants in the men’s division who could make a mark – the Olympic champion Chen Long and the All England Open champion Shi Yuqi. But with lack of consistency on their part, Lin Dan is China’s biggest hope. Will he become the world champion for a sixth time?