Thank You Taufik Hidayat

Maybe it's too late for writing this, but finally I have time for this :) Taufik Hidayat has been retired last month. As we know he planned to end his career in the tournament that he already been the king there. Yes Djarum Indonesian open. He has been the champions for six times (three of them consecutively). Taufik is one of the king on court in badminton beside Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, and Peter Gade (who was retired first). He has very accurate smash, super backhand smash, good footwork, and super tricky netting, very scary for who on the other side of court and against him. FYI, he is still on top for the fastest smash in man single with 305 km/h. It was happened when he was against Ng Wei in World Championship 2006.

He started his career when he joined the SGS Club, a badminton club in Bandung, where he trained under Iie Sumirat. He turned in to professional straightly in 15. When he was 18, he reached the All England final but lost from Peter Gade with rubber set. People finally saw at him and know that the new legend was born. After the first All England in 1999, in 2000 he once again went to final for the second time and lost again against China Xie Xuanze (former coach of Chen Jin). Go to the All England final for two times when he is still young made people predict that someday he will win the All England. Ironically, All England is the only one of the title that he never won until he retired this year. 

For Indonesia, the most highest contribution that was contibuted by Taufik Hidayat is when he get an Olympic Gold Medal in Athena on 2004. He cried when Indonesian flag was got up and Indonesia Raya was played. That was a touching moment for him and for us too. He was a Champion for Asian Championship in the same year. But, because he has an injury, his performance was decrease slowly. And the final is in Djarum Indonesia open 2013 as his last tournament before retired, he was lost by Sai Praneeth from India in the first round. Not a good ending for the legend.

He never lift up any championship in 2012 and 2013, he lost his ability, especially the backhand smash, he is not scary to the opponent anymore. But beside that, I mean it's just a little of his career, we can see his contribution for badminton and for Indonesia, so many achievements that he already gave to Indonesia. Thank you Taufik Hidayat, you're a legend not just for Indonesia but for Badminton.