The game of badminton has produced many legends over the years, and since it was added to the Olympic program, its popularity has increased by a factor of two. Chinese athletes used to dominate the sport, but now a large number of other great athletes have taken over. A unique foundation called the BWF oversees badminton and develops rules in an effort to improve the game. The official singles and pairs world rankings are also kept up to date by the Badminton World Federation. The game of badminton would not be nearly as good without the Badminton World Federation.
The top 10 badminton players in the world are listed below.
1. Lin Dan
The renowned Chinese badminton player Lin Dan is widely regarded as the greatest male singles player in history. In addition to winning the Hong Kong East Asian Games in 2009, he has won two consecutive gold medals at the Olympics.
His rival Peter Gade gave him the moniker “Super Dan” after he defeated him in the 2004 All England Open final. Because of his success since then, his supporters and the media frequently use the name to refer to him.
2. Lee Chong Wei
He represents Malaysia as a professional badminton player. He is the only player from Malaysia to have held the top spot for more than a year. Lee’s performance at the Olympics earned him three silver medals.
On June 13, 2019, Lee made his retirement announcement due to the difficulty he had in getting back into shape following his diagnosis with nose cancer.
3. Taufik Hidayat
In his career, Taufik Hidayat has amassed 27 victories, including 6 victories at the Indonesian Open. He still holds the record for the fastest smash in the singles competition’s history in addition to all the titles he has won.
Hidayat was most proficient at making shots with his backhand. In December 2012, Taufik Hidayat Arena received its official opening as a badminton training center from Hidayat.
4. Chen Long
The 2007 BWF World Junior Championships, a competition for young people, served as Chen Long’s debut event.
He has won one for All England and two world championships. For a total of 76 weeks between December 2014 and June 2016, former world number one Chen held the top spot in the men’s singles rankings.
5. Gao Ling
Gao ranks among the most successful doubles competitors in the annals of women’s badminton. She is well-liked for her dependability, forecourt talent, and anticipation.
She also always keeps a positive attitude. In the mixed and women’s doubles competitions at the Olympics, she took home two gold medals, one bronze medal, and one silver medal.
6. Tony Gunawan
One of the greatest male doubles players in badminton history is probably Tony Gunawan. Tony has won numerous titles in both doubles and mixed doubles.
He has earned 35 titles in total. He initially represented Indonesia in competition before switching to the United States, where he won numerous international honors, including an Olympic gold medal and the title of world champion.
7. Rudy Hartono
The world’s oldest badminton competition was won seven times in a row by this Indonesian player in the past. He won the title at the 1980 IBF World Championships.
He is frequently cited as one of the greatest badminton players in history. In the lengthy and illustrious history of the sport, he is among the most well-known athletes.
8. Viktor Axelsen
Viktor Axelsen made history by becoming the first athlete from Europe to win the World Junior Championships in 2010.
He is a talented young Danish player with a promising future. Axelsen won the men’s singles competition in Europe in both 2016 and 2018.
9. Li Lingwei
At the 1985 BWF World Championships, Li Lingwei, an excellent all-arounder, took home three gold and two silver medals. Her net play was the best on the badminton court at the time.
She was consequently selected in December 2016 for the position of Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee. Li is very involved in the movement to give more women the chance to play sports and make sure they are fairly represented.
10. Han Aiping
Due to the numerous awards Han Aiping and Li Lingwei received for the nation while playing together, they were referred to as soul sisters. She took home three gold and three silver medals from the world championship.
She is also one of the best female players in the annals of the sport. Because of her exceptional overhead strokes, she was able to dominate the international singles competition for the majority of the decade.
These were the top 10 badminton players in our opinion. How about yours?
