Hey guys! We’re back after some amazing episodes with great guests! We love to see the support on the videos! So let’s keep it going 🤩! Remember to subscribe and get active in the comments! Multiple topics on the latest episode come from your questions 🙌🏻. Also, let us hear your top 5 best badminton players of all time in the comments section👀👇🏼..
So you guys think it's ONLY Lee Zii Jia alone who will be able to beat Axelsen?? I don't know how you ended up with that conclusion, but I think you're wrong, you couldn't even back up with any good evidence.
The best thing about this podcast is you two speak as a fan of the sport with insight of a pro athlete, and not the other way around. A lot of athletes have a podcast (or being a guest in one), and most of them talk with their athlete's perspective: their career, their glory and injury, their training regime, etc. But you guys discuss things that a lot of fans also discussing (Momota's form, Axelsen's streak, MS GOAT, etc) and not afraid to say ur opinion (just like most fans do!), and for me thats what makes this podcast very relatable.
Again, kudos to Hans for eloquently explaining the Momota situation so perfectly. I agree with the “Rhythm”, i think momota been missing a beat but can’t quite pin point it. Good to see Anders as well, can’t wait to see you back on court!
Yes it was so sad, the whole stadium was chanting momota's name after the loss. But momota still an idol for so many people. Many young players still envy him in malaysia. I just hope momota feel the love while being in malaysia.
I feel like the community for badminton in Malaysia started to go up higher because of Lee Zii Jia and both Aaron Chia and Soh Woo Yik. Even I got even more interested after the men's double won the bronze medal.
In terms of big results, Axelsen has overtaken lcw. However the duration lcw was at the top is ridiculous. He was world number one for so long. Axelsen isn’t even close to that yet. You must remember that while you are saying Lin Dan is the GOAT, lcw had to play him in almost every single major final, and lcw narrowly missed out by a few points multiple times. The reason lcw doesn’t have much better major results than viktor is because he unfortunately was in the same era as the GOAT. Viktor right now has little competition, so he can clean up every big tournament and he still lost first round of the most recent worlds. Something prime Chong wei wouldn’t do.
Viktor losing in the first round doesn't say much in that regard since it was against the player (Loh Kean Yew) who ended up winning the world championship. The messed up frozen rankings was the reason they played against each other so early.
The overall level of badminton right now is higher though than it was before the only difference is that the before the level between the top 3 players in the world before was negligible while the level between the top 3 right now is much higher, so it’s the lens you use to view the level of competition. There’s a reason it was always Lin Dan vs LCW back then while now it’s Viktor vs someone new almost every tournament.
po-tay-to, po-tah-to : it's about timing.. right place right moment. Carolina Marin has most titles and yet I don't think she's the top player or considered as GOAT.
1) Lee Chong Wei 2) Lin Dan Its easy to understate the consistency and longevity of LCW. Gill Clark would testify how amazing LCW's career was. Every tournament he entered, you would expect him to be in the finals. Anything else, would be a huge upset. And the man did it for many years. As professional players, you know the amount of energy sapped out of you each tournament. LCW did that for so many tournaments, lasting all the way to finals, winning it and did so for so many years. I always wonder, had he not played that many tournaments, would he have won a big one. We would never know.
@@desmondtan998 lcw himself has said many times who was the best and why .. game and consistency matters but at the end of the day we all know what matters most
Honestly guys. What else did you expect him to say? In any case, this is my opinion of whom I respect as the greatest player. So why the need to quote LCW? Feel free to feel and think LD is the best.
I just feel compared to other current players including momota who is very talented viktor is more focused,more ambitious he doesn't get satisfied with one big tournament win & very disciplined.Also what i hv observed after an injury viktor plays even more better bcz as viktor said in an interview even in injury period if he can't be on court he does lot of video analysis & other things which can help him once he starts playing so he never wastes his time.
I recently discovered this podcast and this is the same appeal Joe Rogan has over his fans - honest unfiltered conversations. Definitely don’t stop. Easily a million dollar product
Correction for Hans, Badminton started in Olympic since 1992 with MS, WS, MD, and WD... XD is the only one that debuted in 1996,,, but your point is very good... i enjoy this episode so much
My own humble opinion as a fan (before watching the podcast) is that Viktor was there to capitalise whenever Kento was out of commission. When the latter was suspended in 2017, Viktor took the world title and became no. 1. I guess the suspension was a smaller hurdle to come back from compared to the accident and subsequent operations for Kento, but back in 2018 when he came back, it looked like he had a point to prove, and he proved it. He took two world titles in succession, took the Asian championship in 2018 by beating LCW in the semi finals who at that time was still a major force in world badminton despite his advancing age, before his cancer diagnosis. Then he went on to win 11 titles in 2019, beat Viktor in all their meetings, got to no. 1 in in a short time, with Viktor himself admitting in some late 2019/early 2020 interview (can't remember exactly when) that he hadn't got Kento figured out at all. Then came the accident. It came at a time when no one would bet against Kento winning the Olympics. They say success is hard work colliding with luck, and it certainly is true in Viktor's case. No one would begrudge him the success he's enjoying at the moment, but you just had to wonder what if the accident, something that was so unlikely and improbable no matter how you look at it, hadn't happen, where would things be now? Lady Luck has dealt Kento an EXTREMELY bad hand, even the staunchest Viktor supporter would have to admit that. We can understand why the fans in M'sia last week cheered Kento on as if he were their own player. They wanted him to win the M'sian Open, if only just to serve some weird, karmic form of poetic justice if you like. It is taking him a while, and the longer he remains in mediocrity, the more we would feel for him. It was a different with Shi Yuqi. Shi Yuqi wasn't the no. 1 even before his injury, though he was one of the best and could beat Kento maybe 1 in every 3 or 4 matches. My heart goes out to Kento. I hope by some minor miracle he wins the world title in Tokyo.
You have to acknowledge that his defensive style has been found out. It doesn't work anymore - Axelsen, for instance, will just slow it down with a high lift - then rely on his superior defense counter
It's so sad about Kento..... He did only did play Viktor when Viktor was injured.. I told you Keith....and lots of others about how an un-injured, fully fit Axelsen would dominate Badminton. Momota is as one dimensional as one can be. He's not coming back
@@TheBadmintonExperience watched some old videos of LCW, circa 2014 to 2018. He was skilful and powerful and I could be biased, but I doubt even LZJ with his power play today could beat LCW of 2016/2017. As with Lin Dan... what more can we say. He's the undisputed GOAT.
@@KeithHiew Not really, LCW has good defense, so LZJ smash not gonna work. The reason why Viktor lost to LCW most of the times is because smashes doesn't work against LCW, LCW just dived defense all the times.
I think the size of the titles doesn't matter. LCW had been obviously the highest skilled badminton player for a long time and everyone knows that. Of course he could'nt gain as big title as Lin Dan did ,but what he did is definitely the biggest. It only counts.
Thanks for a really enjoyable episode. It feels like I'm in a barbershop for Badminton, which I absolutely adore. Great topics and its great to have these discussions with an open mind and open opinion. The goat discussion in terms of ranking is very difficult. Like you guys said Lin Dan is a clear #1. After that it really does get iffy everywhere. I was always a huge Lee Chong Wei advocate and was heartbroken 💔 in so many tournaments. Regarding accolades Victor, Axelson and Chen Long all have more hardware than LCW. Yet many may argue for LCW to rank higher, simply BECAUSE his rival was THE G.O.A.T so it means a lot more emotionally to viewers. It may persuade us a lot. For me I could not even make a ranking without being completely bias. That also burdens me because Id like to think of someone who could be neutral. Here is my subjective list. #1 - Lin Dan (no arguments.) #2 - Chen Long(most underrated champion) personally I think that Chen Long could have won more tournaments but due to China politics he was forced into the shadow sadly. For me I always felt he threw games vs Lin Dan and it always burdened me. He may have been the actual G.O.A.T like Antonsen had said. Had he been from another country he could have had a strong chance for #1. #3 - Lee Chong Wei (unfortunafe circumstance) #4 - Victor Axelsen.
Had not seen this episode when I made that comment about Kento and Viktor. Now I’ve seen it, and it’s another great, great episode. Greatest of all time list: 2. Chen Long 3. Viktor/Yang Yang 5. Taufik/Lee Chong Wei/Kento I know from no. 2 onwards it can get very subjective (which actually just emphasises how great the no. 1 must’ve been to make that spot undoubtedly his). I put Yang Yang there because before Lin Dan came on he was the only who’s won the world title more than once. He also won the 1988 Olympic gold when badminton was an exhibition sport. I couldn’t find out how it was done, e.g. how many players were invited to play etc but I suppose it COULD count, because he won whatever he could win. Chen Long has two world titles but no Asiad, which is played once every four years but only among Asian players. Taufik has two Asiads but no AEs. So I’d put CL now at no. 2 but obviously with time Viktor (or even Kento if he finds himself again) could surpass him. Lee Chong Wei is great, maybe technically superior compared to everyone else except Lin Dan, but it’s when the pressure’s on that he hasn’t been able to get past the winning line that’s counting against him.
Thanks for ultrafast uploading the new videos. I enjoy as always, no matter about the guest stars, I just love your (and the other guests) perspective about badminton during this cool podcast. Something that we will never get just from the regular interview. TBE is really representing of BWF jargon "Badminton is our life" ✌😁.
It is what it is though, tough luck. Like nobody's gonna say the people who got 2nd because they lost to Usain Bolt were greater than the current Champions just because they lost to Bolt and the current champions don't have to face Bolt
@@benrichards5765 yeah that's why i always have 2 different list, the "best players" list (who's better at their peak) and the "greatest players" list (career/accomplishment)
Anders and HK, I have been following your podcasts for a long time...and as always they are just so informative and enjoyable! You guys discuss so many various aspects of badminton and the players in such a fun and interesting manner! Thank you so much for taking out time to connect with the fans and give us a detailed insight into the badminton world! In my opinion the all time greats of badminton are- Lin Dan Lee Chong Wei Peter Gade Viktor Axelsen (in the past 2 years he has struck amazing form and has been winning back to back events and the Olympics of course!) Chen Long (He is very underrated considering he won medals thrice at Olympics (Bronze- 2012, Gold- 2016, Silver- 2021) , which is no mean feat!) In the women's category - Susi Susanti Zhang Ning Carolina Marin(she has 1 Olympic and 3 WC titles) Best wishes, Ananya K.
I don't remember badminton players from how many tournament they've won and how many olympics medals they've collected. But, I do remember them by their fighting spirit and the beauty of the game they've shown in the court. Enjoy the game!
Like the discussion and comparison of VA and LCW. Think about 3 olympic silvers of LCW, 8 years at the very top, probably playing the best badminton in the world in 2011 and 2012, the golds denied only by none other than LD, the whole Chinese team allegedly training just to beat him and make the way smooth for their best... I would say VA is to the level with LD, LCW, TH, KM at their best. To pick just one of them, LD still sits above the rest.
It's great listening to you guys talking about the recent things in the badminton world as usual even without any guests! hope Anders can recover and ready for BWC looking forward to that, Goodluck Hans for Singapore Open and shoutout to Oliver as well!
Chen Long has 3 medals OG, 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze and 2 times world champion. And completely agree that he's underrated compared to Lin Dan. He's one of the great player all the time.
Lee Zii Jia and Ginting seem to be the only people with the potential to beat Viktor. Axelsen used to only be beaten by Momota with fitness and mistakes which he's almost completely eradicated from his game
I want to know about what are you guys thinking of The World Badminton Day for the first time on 5th July? I thought you were making this podcast because of it 😁 In my opinion : 1. Rudy Hartono 2. Lin Dan 3. Lee CW 4. VA VA is below LCW because we can see from videos that LCW played in higher level & quality of playing , despite he played earlier than VA...
Wow that it a bad mistake by me. I very well knew that already - Denmark even won a bronze in 92 in MS by my former coach Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen! Anyway, thanks for correcting me. A brain fart from my side 🤣
I agree that sometimes fans are focusing too much on men's single and overlooking other categories. I mean, for me what makes badminton rather more fun than, let's say tennis, is the doubles are not less enjoyable. It might even more intense and faster. It's good that Anders and Hans are taking notice of it. Korea and Japan are very good at doubles (and obviously China as well). I don't know if some of them speak English fluently though. Or Sapsiree from Thailand, she speaks English well. That sounds fun. She'd be able to shed some perspective on women's and mixed double.
Difficult to compare LCW even Lin Dan with Viktor. LCW and LinDan was in the era of the best badminton player (Gade, Chen Long, Hidayat, etc.) Viktor has a lot less of opponent at the moment (and remember where he was when Momota was at his prime). Can't use the number of titles to compare when you don't compete the same opponents. Just admire the player, the game and the story of each one because it's all amazing these legends
i think competition in first 2-3 matches in an average has increased but opponents that viktor is facing in finals is definitely not equal to era of lcw ld
Can’t agree more with you!! Victor is a great player, no doubt about it. But somehow you just feel that the competition now is much less than the past. It is more like other players are not consistent than he is unbeatable.And agree that where he was when Momota was at his prime. If Viktor is in the era of the LD,LCW,PG,and TH, it is hard to say we will see him In the final that often….
@@angelababy9887 Peter Gade would take a beating by Antonsen and Gemke probably. Taufik would have a hard time against Ginting, Christie, Rhustavito etc. And thats not even mentioning Lee Zii Jia, Chou tien Chen, Vitidsarn etc etc. I cant agree with you, this era is stronger
@@leob4403 if you've seen the way lcw and lindan played in 2009-2012 the answer is very clear who's better. Theres no way vitidsarn or chou tien chen would be a match for any of them. Ginting and chou havr nvr defeated lcw and thats an old lcw
rank order 1. Lin Dan (won every big title at least twice) 5 times world champion and 2 olympic gold . Also 2 times world cup winner in 2005 and 2006 plus 2 asian games gold 2. Chen Long(2 times world champion with 3 olympic medals) 3. viktor axelsen (2 olympic medals with a gold medal at the world championships but no european games) 4. taufik hidayat (only one olympic and world championship gold medal but with 2 asian games gold) 5. momota ( 2 times world champion)
Even though Viktor may have more majors than LCW, current Viktor does not come close to prime LCW in terms of actual skills. LCW was the 2nd best of his generation and got silver medals for almost all the majors (Olympics, Asian Games, World Champs). Some say it’s normal because as 2nd best, you get silver. Some say he was very unfortunate because despite being so good and almost a level above the rest, he was born in the same era as LD. If he was born in another era, he could have won all majors like LD. Now let’s talk about Viktor. Viktor to me is the luckiest MS player. Not that he is lousy, he is actually very good. But he, just like LCW, was the 2nd best player of his generation, behind Kento Momota. But he won all of the majors. He won his first world champ in 2017 by beating an Old Dan. Where was Kento? Banned due to the gambling incident. Was Viktor the best at that time? Nope. Because when Kento came back, Viktor couldn’t beat him at all. He won his first All England in 2020. Kento couldn’t play due to the car accident. Kento destroyed Viktor in the Malaysia masters just before this. Viktor won Olympics 2020. Kento couldn’t get back to his old form due to the accident and you could also say covid. Check their head to head record before Covid and you will realise Viktor can’t beat Kento. Viktor is good, but would he have won all these majors if Kento was around back then? Most probably not. Viktor can be the current best player of this generation, but it when comes to contesting for the GOAT, he will always be behind LCW, and 2014-2016 Chen Long.
Im just gonna say this, imo the current axelsen is better than prime momota. He is a much better player now compared to 3 or 4 years ago when he kept on losing to momota. 32 consecutive wins and counting
@@nisaam1926 Luck plays a big factor in sports, thats y context matters and GREATNESS is subjective.Wang chi lin despite his OG gold is not greater than Kevin sanjaya in any sense of the word.
It is sad to say but it was a real luck for Victor, and not because Momota was better. Victor had some kind of mental block especially against Kento. But after his first World Champion and All England titles he finally got confidence in his game and stoped to fall to the frustration spiral.
I feel like the badminton audience in Malaysia grew due to the fact that the kids who watched Lee Chong Wei have grown into adulthood and now have the chance to purchase their own tickets to watch the matches in person. I am definitely one of the kids and I can tell you that when we were younger, we watched a lot of badminton but only do we have our own money and freedom to watch.
Hello there from Malaysia! Just to let you guys know Axiata Arena has 16k capacity, and though the first two days may take some time for the audience to fill up, it still is a full house for all 6 days ✨♥️ (even when there's no malaysian rep in the finals haha)
Mhmm, really interesting podcast whereby the legends were also brought in. Personally my all time top 5 would be: -Lin Dan -Lee Chong Wei -Chen Long -Viktor Axelsen -Taufik Hidayat Just current rankings, has to be these 5, pending for the next generation to try surpassing them, looks like lee zii jia would be on that list in a couple of years to come
U forgot momota, just because momota suck now doesn't mean he didn't dominate. Viktor only dominate these past two years, where as momota dominate from 2015 to 2019, Momota still winning since he dominate for 4 years, Viktor still need to domoninate another 2 more years to be on par with momota.
@@Badmintonforall Yeah cuz viktor got lucky due to momota accident, keep crying. Plus momota won so many tournament during the time when LCW and LD still playing, which Viktor only won a few cuz he suck against LD and LCW.
In terms of best player (who's the best at their peak) -1. Lin Dan -Close 2nd. LCW (Big Gap) -Everybody Else In Terms of Greatest Player (Career/accomplishment wise) -1. Lin Dan (Big Gap) -2nd. Rudy Hartono -Fighting for 3rd LCW, Chen Long -And then Axelsen, Taufik and momota after that
I think you also have to consider that LCW has a arch-nemesis LD. If LD is not in the same era as LCW, LCW would have won more. At the moment, no one come close to VA’s level. He has free reign at winning all these titles. So I don’t know, it’s hard to say who’s better LCW or VA.
- Singapore Indoor Stadium’s max capacity is 15k, Axiata Arena in Malaysia is 16k - Lee Chong Wei has won All England 4 times and he’s been in the final 7 times in his career - Putting Viktor above Lee Chong Wei means you also put Chen Long and even Taufik Hidayat above him because they have also won the same amount of big tournaments. Come on that is just not true. You don’t just look at how many titles they have when we’re talking about the GOAT. You look at the longevity, the gameplay, the skills, the pool of opponents, and many more. Viktor could very well surpass LCW one day, but maybe not now. He’s only 28. By the time he retires he might even surpass Lin Dan’s achievements (i doubt it because Lin Dan was in a league of his own but who knows) - My ranking of best MS players of all time (based on when they were at their peak) would be: 1. Lin Dan 2. LCW 3. Viktor Axelsen 4. Chen long 5. Kento Momota
Thanks for the corrections. You’re argumentation about the players is fair - but still have to say, I would personally choose CLs, Taufiks and Viktor’s career any day over LCWs. Big titles count for much more in my mind. But it’s a matter of personal preference. But I agree titles is not the only way to measure who is greater and I believe I’m also saying in the podcast that it’s too early to “judge” Viktor yet, he’s only 28 as you say.
@@TheBadmintonExperience Oh yes I totally get it! As an athlete you must’ve had your own dreams when you were a kid. I reckon becoming an olympic gold medalist, a world champion and winning the thomas cup must’ve been every badminton player’s dream. It’s a shame LCW never got them in his career. Anyway, I wish you the best in your upcoming tournaments! Always rooting for both of you :)
i think if it's going to win big titles,its all about the player who have better preparation also with strong mentality,that's make lin dan as the goat,but for now,i think axelsen not yet to surpass lcw,bcs dude he have 3 olympic silver medal in a row,its also big achievement,maybe victor little bit more than taufiq and come closer to chen long so, my rank is: 1)lindan 2)lcw 3)chenlong 4)taufik and victor 5)momota and base to the play style i have opinion like,lin dan and victor has more powerfull attack also has solid defensee,of course they could adaptif depends how the oponent play style,lcw and chenlong have same play style but chenlong more rally player like momota,and also taufik also have his playstyle,he like an art with badminton,but as you know,badminton is very physics sport,he hasn't the atleticism as good as lcw and lindan to stay on top level,but also hes very good player
You are right Momota was almost back on track in Denmark, but the real problems started after he got Covid in my opinion. I know Viktor has also had it, but it seems it affected them differently. It’s known that some people go through it easier than others.
I have a question for the next episode. What rackets you guys use to play and why did you choose this particular racket? Does it suit your play style in some way or it’s just a habit now or all is about sponsorship?
Just because they dominate for couple of years, you can compare them with LCW that dominated for a decade. Momota was dominated only from 2018 - 2019 then he becomes average. Axelson is dominating only from last year and grap Olympic gold medals along the way. LCW has 3 Olympic silver medals. That will put you into perspective on how consistent he was. His only flaw was he didn't win gold (Thanks to other legend Lin Dan and Chen Long). Axelson is legend in the making but he is not the same level as LCW yet. Momota is definitely not on the same level as LCW.
If I had the money I would no doubt be flying business class. But to be honest I’m struggling to even pay for the economy fare tickets at the moment - prices are craaaazy! 🤣🙈💸
My top 5: Lin Dan Lee chong wei Chen Long Viktor Axelsen Kento Momota This is based in titles and in personal preference i just love momota and if the car crash didnt exist maybe i would already put him 2 on this list, he is my favorite player I really want him to comeback to is old form i was amazed with is match against viktor in denmark open, wich to see more battles like that between this two
Greatness and accomplishment is mutually exclusive. You can be more accomplished or decorated but not necessarily GREATER. In this case however, Viktor, taufik,chen long are more accomplished than LCW, to say viktor is GREATER than LCW is borderline inflammatory.
At their peak, it could be a freakin insane matchup to see current Viktor stand up against the likes of LCW and LD, as of late (even with LCW’s last Malaysia Open, I don’t see them defeating Axelsen) In terms of longevity, no, Axelsen would never reach the same level as LCW. At their latest best, I’d say Axelsen is above LCW, he has always struggled against Chen Long, imagine him playing against a faster, sharper, more hungry Axelsen 🤣 I enjoy these podcasts, as the truth can be so bitter for people who are not in deep from part of the badminton industry.
Its nt a fair comparison to begin with. Lin Dan, LCW and Chen Long all are world class players who are really consistent in their game. If LCW played in an era without LD, he would have all the major title without a doubt in his prime. With all due respect to Viktor's ability and his tenacity on court, if he is playing alongside the legends during their prime, he wouldn't be as dominant as he is. In few years to come, the rising stars like LZJ, LKY and Lakshya Sen will definitely developed their game to the next level and improved their consistency.
Nah I don't think so. If you look at who made it to the quarters/semis during that era, you would see that those players would probably be beaten by the likes of Momota or Axelsen today, since there have been e.g. matches of Momota vs Lee Hyun Il, or Taufik vs Axelsen. Too bad we never saw a Chen Jin vs. a more mature Momota, which would prove my point even more. 2012 Olympics quarterfinalist Sho Sasaki was also surpassed by Momota relatively early on, and Sasaki took Lin Dan to 3 sets in London with a pretty even score. Whereas we didn't see Lee Chong Wei losing badly to a much younger player just because he's older.
Because viktor doesn't have to face young LD and young LCW, he has no tough opponent, he's good but not a big fan of him. He failed to beat old LCW and even have a hard time beating old LD. SO what he's good now? He's good now cuz LCW and LD already retired, unlike LD and LCW, when they are 20s, they already beaten many previous legend, Viktor is too late, he only became good at 28 years old.
Happy to hear I'm not alone in my inability to let injuries recover, heh. I've started over so many times with all my injuries. Must be approach 20 different kinds of injuries over 10 years. Sigh.
Anders, u have similar injury like me. From lower abs down. Get pressure treatment on your hips and lower abs, i would massage my own hips and lower abs. Some muscles in that area must be stiff, press & massage those area and it would feel better
Please look at lcw stats he has 50 superseries and 4 all england titles. And look has world number years of lcw and also leave everything aside lee chong wei was a emotion on court hos speed and smooth movement and the era in which lcw played with big fours and still winning so much tell me are there players nowadays of the level of taufik , peter , lin , chen hong . Lcw will always be the greatest and no one can close to his era .
I think instead of talking about who the „greatest“ is, you could have discussed who was the „best“ at their peak. So who would have won, peak LCW or peak Axelsen? I m actually still going with LCW here, even though I agree with Axelsen‘s career having been more successful.
@@sidsche3734 Taufik was very slow compared to the rest of the legends hence i would put viktor above taufik but the rest of the list is accurate for the most part
@@LYCANCLANTEAM Did you see Taufik when he was young? He was very quick, albeit not as quick as LCW or LD. In addition he had nerves of steel, excellent touch everywhere on the court, a very good net play, hard smashes and his famous backhand. Furthermore he is one of the most tactically clever players ever. He beat prime or close-to-prime Lin Dan multiple times, for example during the world championship 2005, 15-7; 15;3. Don’t underestimate Taufik.
I still rank LCW above VA, because of total titles, olympic and WC medals and BWF rankings. In reality there was no player that was better than LCW for around 10 years. He was about equal with Lin Dan and later Chen long. But VA will probably get there.
