ko's smash is awesome. he is always fully behind the shuttle, gets great height on his jumps, and transfers rotational energy stunningly at the moment of contact with the shuttle. his smashes are steep and well-placed, a lethal combination, plus he is a great defender and has a good flat game. he is just amazingly athletic and dangerous wherever he is on the court. wang chi lin is also a great smasher, especially out of his left-hand corner, but for the first game and a half it was shin baek-cheol doing the technical work to avoid wang's artillery and generate lifts so ko could to do his thing. so you saw a lot of lee in the back of the court and wang in front, which is not their preferred formation, before a physical issue slows wang down and then forces him out of the match shin baek-cheol is also a brilliant player whose work doesnt get as much appreciation as the sensational smashers and power players, but in the partnership with ko he is the tactical engine and engineer that allows ko to shine. his moves are smaller and more finely tuned than ko's but his energy is extremely intense and quick. he is incredibly early to the shuttle and has a perfect touch in the front half of the court. he and ko's styles couldnt be more different and it's a thrill to watch them complement each other in play