One of the most infamous racquet sports worldwide has to be Badminton. It was introduced in the Olympics in the year 1992, and has five major categories namely, singles of men and women, doubles of men and women, and finally a mixed double. Throughout history it has however been seen that Badminton has been dominated by Asian countries like China, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and latecomer countries like India, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Thailand. Moreover, China especially seems to be the most dominant on the Badminton court, with a record high of 161 medals till the last World Championship. It is hence, not a surprise when four of the most well-known players have originated from China and are a part
of the Top 10 list.
Let us then take a moment to honor the Top 10 greatest Badminton players of all time.
1. Lin Dan: Greatest Chinese Badminton player
Known by the name of "Super Dan", he is regarded as the greatest men's single player the world has to offer. Lin Dan was called by this name particularly because he was the only 28-year- old to have won all nine major titles and to have completed the "Super Grand slam". His achievements are truly legendary as he is also the only player in Badminton history to have
two Olympic gold consecutively. Moreover, he was also awarded multiple golds and silvers in the World Championships, Badminton World Cup, Thomas Cup, Asian Games and Asian Championships. Additionally, he was also recognised as the best male athlete of 2010 by CCTV sports.
2. Taufik Hidayat: Greatest Indonesian Badminton player
The second greatest player of all time is an Indonesian retired badminton star, named Taufik Hidayat. After achieving the Indonesian Open a record six times and holding the record of the fastest smash in 2006 world championships, he definitely deserves the second place in our list. Although, Taufik Hidayat and Lin Dan were referred to as 'arch rivals', Hidayat has also
bagged numerous medals in the World Championships, Asian Games, Thomas Cup, and Asian Championships. Furthermore, he has also achieved 27 international titles until his retirement and has received the singles title at the Athens Olympic Games in the year 2004.
3. Gao Ling: Chinese Female Badminton Star
Famous for her cheerful face, consistency and forecourt prowess, Gao Ling is noted as the most successful doubles player in history. In mixed and women's doubles matches, the Chinese badminton legend dominated the Badminton era, capturing two golds, one bronze, and one silver at the Olympics. From 2001 to 2006, she and her women's double partner,
Huang Sui also made history by winning six consecutive All-England Championships titles. Among her other notable achievements are also four gold medals in the Badminton World Championships, three gold medals at the Sudirman Cup, and five gold medals at the Uber Cup.
4. Tony Gunawan | Indonesian Badminton Legend
Representing Indonesia from 1992 to 2001, Tony Gunawan is also regarded as one of the greatest male doubles players in history. He has achieved a gold in men's double in the 2000 Sydney Olympic games with three different partners and has also received the titles of US Open, Taipei Open, Puerto Rico Open, and SCBA Classic in mixed doubles.
This star has also skilfully won the IBF World Championships and All-England Open with his partner Halim Haryanto in 2001. In total, Gunawan won 358 international titles, and now is also successfully coaching the United States team since his retirement.
5. Lee Chong Wei: Greatest Malaysian Badminton Player
Ranked number 5 in our list of the greatest badminton players of all time Lee Chong Wei, is the only player from Malaysia to hold the world’s number one spot for a record consecutive 199 weeks. Along with winning 2 silver medals in Olympic Games, a gold medal at the 2006 Asian Championships, and three silver and a bronze in World Championships, he was also named the BWF player of the year four times in his career. Other feather in his cap includes, achieving the Penang Sportsman Award six times till now, and a silver medal in the Southeast Asian Games.
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6. Rudy Hartono: Greatest Indonesian Badminton Player
One of the greatest athletes of all time, and the winner of the prestigious All-England Championships men’s singles events eight times in his career, Rudy Hartanto is the sixth greatest Indonesian player on our list. He has won the men’s singles title at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics and has also achieved four gold medals and two silver medals in Thomas Cups. One of his most exciting achievements was winning the title of 2nd IBF World
Championships in 1980 in Jakarta in just a single attempt.
7. Morten Frost Hansen: Best Danish Badminton Player
Asian countries have dominated the Badminton era for years; however, Morten Frost Hansen was one of the only two European players to stand apart. The Danish star spent twelve years in the top three positions of the world ranking and was also called Mr. Badminton Morten for winning every international championship except the World Badminton Championship. The
winner of the Nordic Championship for a record seven times was also the winner of the Denmark Open for consecutive seven times.
8. Li Lingwei: Greatest Female Singles Player from China
Retired female Chinese badminton player Li Lingwei, and her doubles partner Han Aiping dominated international women's doubles events, winning the IBF World doubles title in 1985. She was also won the singles event twice in the IBF World championships and was titled the winner of three gold medals and two silver medals in the BWF World Championships. Furthermore, in July 2012, Li Lingwei was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
9. Peter Høeg Gade: Greatest Danish Badminton Player
He along with Morten Frost Hansen is the other European player to stand apart. Known for his trademark shot famously referred to as 'Double Action', Gade was also known for his swift footwork. Being world number one and a five-time European Champion, he also achieved three gold medals in the European Team Championships and a bronze medal at 2012 Wuhan Thomas and Uber Cup.
10. Han Aiping: Greatest Chinese Female Badminton Player
Widely recognised for her overhead strokes, Han Aiping was one of the greatest Chinese female players in the 80's. During her successful career she won the Japan Open twice, Malaysia Open thrice, and Hong Kong Open four times. Moreover, she also achieved great feat in the World Championships and World Grand Prix. All these achievements have thereby rightfully earned her a place in the Badminton Hall of Fame in the year 1998.
Being one of the most sophisticated as well as demanding racquet sports of all time, it remains important to applaud all these players that have achieved such great heights and also appreciate all the other upcoming and hard-working players from all around the world.
References:
https://www.sportscrunch.in/top-10-greatest-badminton-players-of-all-time/
https://sportsbrowser.net/greatest-badminton-players/
