Badminton world champion Xie Xingfang leapt to the defense of her boyfriend Lin Dan yesterday after he was accused of being arrogant and widely disliked, calling his accuser Taufik Hidayat "cold."
The 25-year-old was replying to an extraordinary personal attack on world No.1 Lin by Indonesia's Olympic champion Hidayat.
Hidayat, who has a reputation as the `bad boy' of badminton, on Friday slammed Lin as arrogant and said he was widely disliked by other players.
PHOTO: AFP
Xie had an equally hard-hitting response.
"If we're talking about arrogance and a cold personality then I definitely think that Taufik is worse than Lin Dan," Xie said.
Xie also blasted Hidayat's temperament which has seen him walk off court before, as in Hong Kong in September when he picked up his bags and stormed out of his quarter-final against Lin after only five points.
"Lin Dan wouldn't just give up a match like Taufik. That is rude to the spectators and rude to fans," Xie said.
Xie had been stung into action by Hidayat's astonishing tirade.
"I don't like Lin," said Hidayat, who is the defending Asian Games champion "He's just a good player -- off the courts I don't think he's a good person. Many players don't like Lin Dan. He's arrogant and he doesn't talk to you."
"I know he's a good player, yes, he's the world No.1, but he's not nice to other players," added Hidayat, who is playing his last Asian Games.
Xie was also in feisty form over why she was nicknamed "Beauty."
"If you play well, people will think you are pretty. If you don't play well, people don't think that," she said.
Xie was speaking after leading China to a 5-0 cleansweep over Indonesia in their group team match at the Asian Games.
Xie beat her opponent Adriyanti Firdasari 21-13, 21-13 and indicated she still had plenty in reserve.
"I haven't woken up yet. I am still half asleep," she said.
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
RSS