Peter Gade is one of the best players of the decade even if he still lacks one major title. But his talent, his professionalism, his dedication to the sport has made him a well deserved world wide star.

Some like him for his looks, some for his character, some for his style of play. But one thing is sure : Peter Gade is definitely a role model for his fans or fellow players and the large majority of people around the world of badminton see him as one of the most attaching players all around.

Peter picked up the racket very early − at the age of 4 and he soon realised that badminton would be his life. Very talented, he was one of the best Danes of his category and placed a lot of effort to reach his first main goal : the world junior championships in 1994. yet he took his defeat really hard and it took some hard work to bring back the confidence in him.

Few years later in 1998, it was all rewarded with a number 1 spot which he held for more than a year. If the world junior Championships was his first set back, his second came later in his career, after many tournaments won and a deep respect earn in the circuit from every player.

Yet a bad knee injury saw him leave the courts in 2001, in the world grand prix finals held in Brunei. Back for few months, he had to go back to surgery again for few months the next year until he made his come back after more than a year away from the courts- a period of time said by the specialist to be a long one to make it back to the top. Yet Peter Gade never gave up and always believed in his capacities of making it back.

Hard training both on and off court made it possible for him to come around this bad luck, with a new feeling on court, but the very same motivation, to try to become the best in the world again. In 2001 in Sevilla, Gade had been close to become World champion, but Hendrawan had taken gold, leaving silver to the Dane. In 2003, in Birmingham, Gade wasn’t ready to play his best and 2005 saw his clinch Bronze after a close defeat to Lin Dan.

No world title, nor Olympic title, but the Dane keeps faith and has proven that he was one of the most regular player all around, entering quite systematically the last rounds of big events (not to mention his supremacy over European and National badminton).

His last success remains the Korea Open which he clinched at the beginning of 2005. But he then was closer and closer to beat the world’s two best players : Taufik Hidayat, Olympic and World Champion, and his nemesis, Lin Dan, who had never lost to Gade in 7 meetings before the recent China Open, where the two men gave a fierce battle with the Dane as the ultimate winner.

It could be a key into the Dane’s career. He had been said in the past to be a little weak when it comes to big event, having won the All England on one occasion, but none of the biggest events since then. This semi final in Chendgu, last March, proved that his will to fight has never been bigger and that his talent and cleverness have reached a peak lately.

At 29 years of age, it could be quite late in an Asia perspective, but for Europeans in General and Danes in particular, who have started their career usually later than the Asians, they can peak at later stage of their career, just like Poul Erik Hoyer Larsen, who scooped the Gold Medal in Atlanta past 30 years old. And Peter has set himself this ultimate target : win the Olympic Medal in China, in 2008. He will then be… 31 years old.

The Dane isn’t only an incredible fighter. He is also a dedicated person, one of the most motivated ever to promote his sport, amongst the youngsters. One of his projects called “team attack” saw him guide and train some Danish young player towards the elite level of his country, and needles to say that Gade has spent a lot of time on court, both training for himself and helping others get better.

But since few years, his life has also brightened with the arrival in his life of his wife to be : formerly the fiance´ of Camilla Martin − they were known as the hottest couple in the circuit − Peter and Camilla separated, but Peter found new love again, with.. another Camilla − Camilla Hoeg. A Handball player, whose father had been operated in the same hospital as Gade for his knee injury and who was sharing the same room.

A romance that started in a hospital and continued in a maternity where Camilla gave birth to a splendid young girl called Nanna. He has since then showed as much dedication being a good father as being an outstanding player. His tenderness holding his daughter is equivalent however to his eagerness to beat his opponents when he is on court… and more than anyone, Peter cares for team competitions and has vowed to win the Thomas Cup this year, for the first time ever for a European team….