Badminton legend Hidayat retires
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, June 14, 2013
Indonesia's former Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat bid an emotional farewell on Wednesday to a colorful career that made him one of badminton's biggest stars in front of a roaring home crowd.
With hundreds of fans cheering "Taufik can" and waving banners that read "Legend," the 31-year-old played his final professional match at the Indonesia Open, a tournament that he has won six times.
While the first-round match ended with his defeat to India's Sai Praneeth and an early exit from the tournament, Hidayat had not expected to go far against a tough field and still walked off the court a hero to his fans.
"What's really difficult is leaving badminton, a sport I have known for the past 25 years, 18 years as a professional player," an emotional Hidayat said.
"Henceforth, I will focus on my family," he said, with his young daughter sitting at his side.
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