Lin Dan faces qualifying for Australian Open
Two-time Olympic champion's ranking has dropped to 104 after a seven-month sabbatical from sport
Two-time Olympic badminton gold medallist and five-time world champion Lin Dan will have to qualify to make his debut at this month’s Australian Open, organisers said on Monday.
Lin, 30, considered the greatest badminton player of all time, saw his ranking drop to 104 after a seven-month sabbatical from the sport, returning to win the Asia Championships and China Masters this year.
The calibre of the field is so strong that someone like Lin Dan would still need to go through the qualifying stages to get to the main draw
“This is shaping up to be the biggest and best Australian Badminton Open in its 60 year history,” tournament director Loke Poh Wong said of the June 24-29 tournament in Sydney.
“The calibre of the field is so strong that someone like Lin Dan would still need to go through the qualifying stages to get to the main draw.”
Lin, who is currently ranked 35 in singles, is China’s second-highest earning athlete after tennis grand slam champion Li Na.
Other stars heading to Sydney include two of the sport’s fastest hitters, Fu Haifeng of China and Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong.