Announcement

Hong Kong China Shine on Sand

11 August, 2025
TEXT BY LLOYD GREEN | Images by Cheesen Lim

Did you catch the BWF AirBadminton Asia Pacific Continental Championships 2025 at Port Dickson, Malaysia over the weekend? If you haven’t, we suggest you do!

It was perhaps the best glimpse yet that AirBadminton is here to stay. The incredibly high standard of performance a clear indication of the growing interest in the game.

We had players of all ages and backgrounds representing their teams. For China, Korea and Japan, it was a mix of university players – many just returning from the World University Games last month.

Malaysia had a youth policy, taking the best juniors from the Kuala Lumpur state team. Others used pathway players on the cusp of the elite level.

For Hong Kong China, the most dominant team on show, it was a squad of former seasoned tour players, now furnished into professional AirBadminton athletes.

Their tally of two gold and one silver just reward for the time, effort, commitment and passion they have poured into AirBadminton over the last few years.

Leading the way was former Top 10 men’s singles star Wong Wing Ki Vincent, whose leadership, tactical acumen, and sublime skills steered his Hong Kong China to victory in the Team Relay.

“It’s a milestone victory for us. We’ve created history for Hong Kong,” said Wong.

“After the group stage, we knew we had the confidence and experience to win this. The goal was to get the trophy and the gold medal. It was very exciting.

“We were a little nervous in the quarterfinal but after that we played with great stability and control.”

Hong Kong China and their vanquished opponents in the final, Indonesia, along with the third placed China all qualified for the BWF AirBadminton World Cup 2025 to be staged in Sharjah, UAE from 11-14 December.

For the victors, it was an improvement on their bronze medal from two years ago. In fact, they were the only team to return with the same faces from the inaugural Asian championships two years ago.

That experience and familiarity with AirBadminton clearly showing.

“Six of us are ex-players, and we are the same team from two years before. None of us have been to UAE before so that is exciting,” he added.

Vincent urged more of his fellow ex-tour players to consider making the switch to AirBadminton.

“This week I was the only former Top 10 player here. In the future I hope I can bring more other retired players to come and play AirBadminton,” Wong said.

“The main reason I retired was my right ankle injury. I could never fix it. But as AirBadminton is played on sand there is less pressure on my foot and I feel really good.

“My athlete life is coming back now. I’ve always loved playing competitions but that was taken away with my injury.

“So, making the World Cup and competing again is very exciting.”

Indonesia proved they will forever be strong exponents of AirBadminton with their penchant for highly skilled, fast, midcourt doubles transitioning well to the sand.

They added Men’s Triples gold to their bag of silvers from the Team Relay and Women’s Triples.

→Results

Indonesian men’s triples team en route to gold.

Announcement

Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul Confirmed BWF President 2025-2029

26 April, 2025

Thailand’s Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul has been confirmed new BWF President at the 86^th BWF Annual General Meeting in Xiamen, China held Saturday 26 April 2025.

Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul is the second woman president of the Badminton World Federation. She won unopposed.

“For me, badminton has always been more than a sport and tonight marks a deeply meaningful milestone,” said Khunying Patama.

“While badminton is in a strong position today, we must continue to work towards making badminton a truly global sport.

“The next Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles are just three years away and LA28 presents a powerful opportunity to elevate our sport on the world stage. We must be ready to grab this moment.”

Khunying Patama succeeds Denmark’s Poul-Erik Høyer, whose 12-year tenure as BWF President ends today.

Høyer was awarded Honorary Life Vice President by the BWF membership at the AGM.

Khunying Patama added: “Badminton has come a long way over the past decade, and I am truly grateful for the strong foundations that have been laid by my good friend Poul-Erik Høyer.

“Thank you so much for everything you have done for badminton, as a champion on court, a visionary administrator, and, above all, as a wonderful person.

“It is both a privilege and a great responsibility to accept the baton of leadership from you. You have set a high standard for us all to follow.”

Poul-Erik and Khunying Patama share a moment on stage.

Høyer reflected on his 12-year term, the growth of the sport, and his wishes for the future.

“It’s a great honour to pass on the baton of BWF President to my dear friend and colleague Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul,” said Høyer.

“I am sure badminton and the BWF will continue to grow and blossom under your leadership and guidance.

“Badminton has been such a big part of my life for so many years now, both on and off the court.

“And I am so proud of the transformations we have collectively made together over the last 12 years to take the sport to where it is today.

“Continuity, innovation and capacity building are core elements I would like to see the Federation champion over the next four years heading into Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.”

Long-serving BWF Council member and Paris 2024 CEO Etienne Thobois of France was confirmed as Deputy President. He was the sole candidate for the position.

Thobois said: “I’m very excited personally to work with Khunying Patama and the team to further the sport’s global footprint.

“We now have a great challenge ahead of us to keep badminton relevant and exciting for the masses around the world. And the good news is that we are already in a strong position and we are working from a solid strategic blueprint that can help us narrow the gap between badminton and other leading global sports.

“I also want to share my deep admiration for Poul-Erik. He is a true hero. We go back a long time from our playing days, including Atlanta 1996, and we even share the same birthdate. He was an inspiration then, and is still an inspiration now. To see him go out on his own terms today and show amazing strength in leadership is reflective of who he is as a person. He is a living testimony of what the word resilience means and is wonderful example for the badminton community.”

France’s Richard Perot was successful in the election for BWF Vice President Para Badminton over incumbent Paul Kurzo. Perot said he was eager to elevate the sport to new heights.

“My vision is to set a more global and geographically balanced sport where all countries are having the necessary resources to push their boundaries.

“A sport that breaks the barriers and gives every child, disable or not, whatever their social origin, colour of skin, gender or religion, a chance to play for life and achieve their dream to become a champion.”

20 new BWF Council members were also elected in accordance with Continental and gender quotas outlined in the BWF Constitution.

1. Andoni Azurmendi Ibarrola (ESP)	11. Mohamad Norza Zakaria (MAS)
2. Bambang (Rudy) Roedyanto (INA)	12. Nora Perry (ENG)
3. Charlotte Dew-Hattens (DEN)	13. Odette Assembe Engoulou (CMR)
4. Francis Orbih (NGR)	14. Pilar Carrillo la Fuente (PER)
5. Jan Helmond (NED)	15. Rukhshona Narzulloeva (TJK)
6. Jo ‘Anne Cassar (MLT)	16. Sawsan Taqawi (BRN)
7. Jose Gabriel del Busto Fernandez (GUA)	17. Sven Serre (BEL)
8. Julie McDonald (AUS)	18. Taleh Ziyadov (AZE)
9. Kim Jong Soo (KOR)	19. Wajid Ali Chaudhry (PAK)
10. Mitsuru Murai (JPN)	20. Zhang Jun (CHN)

*alphabetical order by surname

The 23 new BWF Council members elected today join the five Continental Vice Presidents and Chair of the Athletes’ Commission currently serving their terms.

Michel Bau (Vice President – Africa)
Jassem Kanso (Vice President – Asia)
Robbert de Kock (Vice President – Europe)
Loke Poh Wong (Vice President – Oceania)
Vishu Tolan (Vice President – Pan Am)
Greysia Polii (Chair – Athletes’ Commission)

BWF Updates

During today’s AGM, the BWF membership formalised the permanent banning of the ‘spin serve’ as per Law 9.1.5.
The next BWF AGM is planned for April or May 2026 in conjunction with the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 in Horsens, Denmark. The exact date will be announced before 31 October 2025.
BWF can confirm Richard Vaughan as the new Chief Operating Officer, who began on 1 April 2025. Vaughan has joined as part of BWF succession plans that will see him replace Stuart Borrie who has served as COO for over 17 years.
Borrie will remain with the BWF during a transition period in a new Project Director role in order to ensure a smooth onboarding for Vaughan, as well as creating added capacity to develop badminton even further in the years to come.

Member Association Awards 2025

BWF Membership Grant Programme Impact Award
- Federation Nacional de Badminton de Honduras
Participation Award
- Federation Francaise de Badminton
Inclusion Award (joint winners)
- Azerbaijan Badminton Federation
- Federation Senegalaise de Badminton
Promotion Award
- Egyptian Badminton Federation

Announcement

‘His Story Must be Told’

29 August, 2024

“I have told his story 500 times and it must be told 500 more times. It’s the most inspiring story I have ever heard,” said former Liverpool Football Club Manager Jurgen Klopp as he spoke to media after watching his friend SL3 player Wojtek Czyz compete on Day 1 of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

“It’s just not normal, especially his sailing story and he didn’t even know how to sail,” said Klopp, referring to Czyz’ five-year sailing trip around the world several years ago. “His story is so inspiring, so special and the world needs to hear it.”

Czyz struck up a friendship with the German manager more than 20 years ago with Klopp heralding Czyz’s ‘crazy story’ to media post-match. The two revived their friendship playing frisbee on a beach before Klopp took over the high-profile role at Liverpool FC and Czyz went sailing around the world with his wife donating prostheses to those who couldn’t afford it.

“I said to Jurgen back then on the beach, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’. And now all those years later, here we are,” said Czyz.

Czyz is the first player from New Zealand to compete in Para Badminton at the Paralympic Games.

Czyz was a 21-year-old footballer with SC Fortuna Koln when during a match the opposing team’s goalkeeper crashed into him causing multiple fractures and his leg to be amputated.

Not to be stopped, Czyz then went on to have a stellar athletics career, winning gold medals in 100m, 200m and long jump at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympics, as well as multiple world titles.

After more than a decade of professional athletics, he retired in 2013 and went sailing around the world, ending up in New Zealand, where he and his wife relocated permanently, started a family, and now run a manuka honey farm. Incredibly, he only took up Para badminton three years ago.

Speaking from the Porte de la Chapelle Arena, Klopp said of Czyz’s performance: “I enjoyed watching the match. Well, the seven points that he [Wojtek] won, ha ha ha,” he said jokingly, acknowledging the 21-5 21-2 result against Great Britain’s No.1 seed, Daniel Bethell.

“I sat next to his incredible wife, Elena, and we both had tears in our eyes. Sport can be about results and winning, but there’s much more behind his story. He’s 44-years-old. I can’t get my head around it.

“Yes, he played the best in the world today, but I enjoyed every second of it. We celebrated each point and we kept going. It was pure joy. I couldn’t be prouder of Wojtek and to be here.”

Klopp and Czyz’s wife, Elena shed tears of joy watching Wojtek play on Day 1 at Paris 2024.

Czyz said of the experience: “Maybe it wasn’t the best match to have Jurgen watch me, when you’re playing against the best in the world. I think you’re looking at the gold medallist right there.

“But we’re here to advocate the sport for the future. If we can do something and that gives the next generation access to disabled sport and better support, then that’s great.

“With Jurgen’s presence, I think it’s a great statement that we need for Para badminton and that makes me very proud of him, and I’m really thankful for that.”

For the ex-Liverpool man, being in Paris for the Paralympics and supporting Wojtek is part of his quest to help increase the exposure of Para sports.

“I went to the Opening Ceremony and it was spectacular, like a Taylor Swift concert. I saw China and Brazil with these huge delegations of athletes and I was blown away. I didn’t expect that.

“The greatest stories are in Para sports. I am always trying to watch as many Para events as possible and it’s made easier these days with streaming. The whole thing has been wonderful and I’m just glad to support my friend,” said a smiling Klopp.

Announcement

2022汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛迁往曼谷举办

15 November, 2022

世界羽毛球联合会（BWF）宣布2022汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛将不继续在中国广州举办。

赛事将迁往泰国曼谷Nimibutr体育馆举办，由于场馆档期和比赛地变更，比赛日期为12月7日至11日，比广州原计划日期提前一周。

世界羽联经与中国羽毛球协会（CBA）协商后同意，鉴于目前疫情形势带来的各种挑战，易地举办2022汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛。

世界羽联感谢中国羽毛球协会、广州市政府和广州市体育局所作的出色工作。

世界羽联还要感谢泰国羽毛球协会在这么短的时间内为2022汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛提供替代举办地点。

2022汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛的参赛运动员名单将在11月22日澳大利亚公开赛结束后确认。

Announcement

2022年汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛重回广州

29 September, 2022

世界羽联确认，2022年汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛将于12月14日至18日在广州举办。这是继2019年之后，中国大陆首次举办国际羽毛球巡回赛。

本赛季各单项最顶尖的八位/组球员将在广州天河体育馆标志性的红色地胶上争夺赛季末的最高荣誉，以及羽毛球史上最高的奖金池——150万美元。

世界羽联秘书长托马斯·伦德表示，国际羽毛球巡回赛再次回到中国对这项运动来说是积极的一步。

伦德说：“汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛是我们一年中最重要的赛事之一，我们很高兴能与中国羽协、广州市政府和我们的主要合作伙伴汇丰银行合作，将总决赛带回广州。”

“我们也感谢中国政府向世界顶级羽毛球运动员发出邀请，我们仍然有信心，我们的东道主将以最高标准为运动员提供安全和舒适的总决赛。”

“广州已经在2018年和2019年举办了两届精彩的汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛，我们期待着为中国的球迷们再次举办一场羽球盛会。”

赛季缩短

即将在10月和11月举行的巡回赛是球员们争夺总决赛积分的最后机会，伦德也确认了2022中国常州公开赛(超级1000)和2022中国福州公开赛(超级750)已被取消。

伦德表示：“遗憾的是，原本在常州和福州举办两站公开赛的计划将无法推进。对于羽毛球界来说，这是至关重要的一年，我们非常自豪能够举办汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛的绝大部分比赛。现在的焦点转向了未来几周将举办的汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛和赛季末的总决赛，在未来几周球员们将为了更多的积分而奋战。”

汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛的参赛选手名单将于2022年澳大利亚公开赛结束后11月22日确定。

Announcement

东京世锦赛半决赛：中国队三项进决赛

28 August, 2022

2022年道达尔能源世界羽联羽毛球世锦赛五个单项决赛选手全部产生。中国队在女单、女双和混双项目中各获一个决赛席位，分别是：陈雨菲、陈清晨/贾一凡和郑思维/黄雅琼。其中陈雨菲击败戴资颖，中国队女单时隔八年重返世锦赛决赛。

中国男单选手赵俊鹏以20-22、6-21不敌泰国选手昆拉武特，无缘决赛，获得其职业生涯第一块世锦赛铜牌。昆拉武特成为了世界羽联世锦赛男单决赛中第一位泰国选手，将在决赛中面对安赛龙。

昆拉武特赛后采访时说道：“我很高兴，这是我第二次参加世锦赛。在第一局比赛中我确实犯了一些错误，但在第二局比赛中我可以很好地控制球。我的注意力集中在控制上，因为球场有风。我期待着在决赛中与安赛龙交手。我想向他学习，他是如何在每场比赛中都打得那么好。我没有压力，因为他是最受欢迎的。”

另一场男单半决赛，安赛龙以2-0的战绩击败了周天成，在第二局14比16落后的情况下，安赛龙积极调整心态，并在接下来的8分中拿下了7分，终结了比赛的悬念。

“我很高兴我在第二局比赛中取得了进步。对手给了我很大的困难，但在精神上，我成功地加快了步伐，这意味着我可以赢得比赛。我告诉自己，我必须专注于每一分，认真防守。我做到了，并且赢得了一些关键的分数。”关于决赛，安赛龙说：“我对自己现在的状态非常满意，我很享受。我不会考虑谁是弱者，谁不是。我期待着明天一场精彩的比赛。这将是艰难的。”

女单决赛将由奥运会冠军陈雨菲对阵卫冕冠军山口茜。半决赛中，陈雨菲以15-21丢掉首局后，以21-14、21-18连扳两局，成为李雪芮在2014年世锦赛获得亚军以后，首位打入女单决赛的中国队选手。山口茜在另外一场比赛中快速战胜了韩国选手安洗莹，晋级决赛。

陈雨菲在赛后采访时表示：“因为这次比赛球比较慢，在场上对抗的拍数会很多，自己在比赛中一直没有放弃，通过多拍相持去逼迫对手失误。”谈到决赛，陈雨菲坦言“全力以赴展示最好的自己，不留遗憾。”

女双比赛中，头号种子陈清晨/贾一凡迎战日本组合松本麻佑/永原和可那，陈清晨/贾一凡以21-13、21-14击败曾同为两届世锦赛冠军的松本麻佑/永原和可那，将与韩国组合金昭映/孔熙容争夺冠军，后者在半决赛中以2-1险胜泰国组合菩提塔/沙西丽。

混双半决赛，头号种子郑思维/黄雅琼经过三局苦战，以21-16、12-21、21-10战胜了队友王懿律/黄东萍，第三次闯入决赛。他们决赛的对手是日本组合渡边勇大/东野有纱。

Announcement

赵芸蕾入选2022年世界羽联名人堂

22 June, 2022

中国羽毛球双打传奇赵芸蕾入选2022年世界羽毛球联合会（BWF）名人堂，一同入选的还有与其同时代征战羽坛的印尼双打名将莉莉亚娜·纳西尔。

赵芸蕾是她那个时代最全能的双打运动员。在很长一段时间内，她在混双和女双两个项目中的统治地位无人能及。退役后，她成为了史上最优秀的羽毛球运动员之一——细数她职业生涯中所获得的冠军头衔，包括两枚奥运会金牌和五枚世锦赛金牌。

Zhao Yunlei (right) with Tian Qing at London 2012 Olympics after winning women’s doubles gold.

世界羽毛球联合会主席保罗·埃里克·霍耶对赵芸蕾入选BWF名人堂表示祝贺。

他说，“入选世界羽联名人堂是对羽毛球运动员最大的致敬。名人堂旨在表彰精英中的精英，赵芸蕾当之无愧地占有一席之地。赢得奥运会或世锦赛金牌是大多数运动员的梦想，而赵芸蕾取得了这两项大赛的双冠王，这是一项了不起的成就。”

赵芸蕾

赛场上的赵芸蕾总是充满信心，她对比赛有着敏锐的洞察，她出色的攻防技巧，以及时刻保持冷静应对突发情况的头脑，帮助她赢得了多次比赛。其中，在她与张楠搭档的混双以及与田卿搭档的女双比赛中表现尤为突出。尽管在高强度的赛事环境中同时参加两个项目的比赛，然而赵芸蕾似乎享受压力，在伦敦奥运会和两届世锦赛上取得了双冠王。她成为唯一一位在一届奥运会上拿到两枚金牌的羽毛球运动员，也是唯一一位在连续两届世锦赛上获得两个双打冠军的羽毛球运动员。

Click Here for the BWF Hall of Fame Honour Roll

赵芸蕾将于2022年6月24日周五下午两点举办的线上典礼和媒体活动中正式被官方授誉。

Announcement

2024年巴黎奥运会羽毛球参赛资格规则

02 May, 2022

世界羽毛球联合会(以下简称：BWF)的2024年巴黎奥运会参赛资格规则已经得到国际奥委会(以下简称：IOC)的批准。巴黎奥运会积分周期将于2023年5月1日开始持续到2024年4月28日，以2024年4月30日的奥运积分排名名单来确定。

羽毛球参赛总名额为172个(男86个，女86个)，除常规名额(166个)外，还包括2个主办国名额和4个额外名额。每个国家或地区协会派出的男女运动员的名额都不得超过8个。

单打

在每个单打项目中，国家或地区协会至少需要两位球员排在奥运积分前16位，才能获得两个满额参赛名额。共有35个名额，一个东道国名额，两个额外名额。额外名额将在资格期结束后由三方委员会确定。每个单打项目还必须至少有两名来自五大洲协会的运动员，前提是他们的排名在前250名之内。

双打

在每个双打项目中，国家或地区协会至少需要两组球员排在奥运积分前8位，才能获得两个满额参赛名额。每个双打项目还必须至少有一对来自五大洲协会的运动员，前提是他们的排名在前50名之内。

考虑到所有项目的参赛资格，没有任何国家或地区协会可以在单个项目中派出超过2组以上运动员。

在国际奥委会官网上查看已批准的2024年巴黎奥运会参赛资格规则。

Announcement

关于世锦赛的退赛声明

09 December, 2021

世界羽联确认将有大批印尼选手退出将于12月12日在西班牙韦尔瓦举行的2021道达尔能源世锦赛。

印尼羽毛球协会(PBSI)周三上午宣布了这一消息，表达了与新冠肺炎疫情相关的担忧。还有一小部分印尼选手仍在签表中。

世界羽联对PBSI的决定感到失望，并对在抽签后退出感到遗憾。

然而，世界羽联和西班牙羽毛球联合会目前正根据地方和国家卫生当局制定的建议和措施，包括针对所有运动员、团队官员和主要利益攸关方的一套全面的安全协议，集中精力举办一场安全、成功的世锦赛。

此外男单卫冕冠军、世界第二桃田贤斗因伤退出比赛，世界羽联也确认了这一不幸消息。桃田贤斗还退出了上周的2021汇丰世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛，并已返回日本。

混双7号种子陈炳顺和吴柳莹在搭档13年后宣布解散，并退出世锦赛。

大多数球员现在已经安全抵达韦尔瓦并进入了“安全泡泡”。第一轮比赛将于当地时间周日上午10点开始。目前没有重新抽签的计划。

Announcement

老牌男双高成炫/申白喆夺得法国公开赛冠军

01 November, 2021

2021尤尼克斯法国公开赛男双决赛中，韩国老将组合高成炫/申白喆击败了世界排名第一吉迪恩/苏卡穆约，自2019年澳大利亚公开赛后再次夺得男双冠军。

这是属于两位老将的标志性胜利，他们用韩国的传统打法击败了世界最顶级的男双组合。34岁的高成炫和32岁的申白喆是2016年里约奥运会后退役的几对顶级男双选手之一；他们于2018年复出，但复出之旅磕磕绊绊。与此同时，小黄人组合将自己塑造成里约后男双一代的佼佼者。

但韩国老将今天的表现表明，他们的技术仍旧是最顶级的；不管对手的什么球，他们都用顽强的防守化解；他们调动苏卡穆约让他无法发挥前场的实力，当机会来临时，他们由守转攻一击制胜。

高成炫获得了他的第三个法国公开赛冠军(前两次分别搭档李龙大和金荷娜），申白喆获得了他的第一个法国公开赛冠军。“在来这里之前，我们都不认为我们能赢，”高成炫说。“每次胜利后，我们都感觉更好，今天我们超级开心。几年前我们离开了国家队，在疫情之后，这是我们第一次进入高级别赛事决赛，所以这对我们来说真的很重要。”

“与年轻选手相比，我们体能限制很大，所以很难跟上他们。我们有经验，这对我们今天很有帮助。这取决于具体情况。也许今天我们的处理得比对手好。他们真的是很好的球员。很难把他们和我们同时代的人相比。即使在那时，也有很多人比我们更好。”

申白喆说：“我们没有任何遗憾。但在我们不打球的那段时间里，我们对自己的未来感到不安。现在我们很高兴我们今天做到了。这是我第一次在法国参加决赛，所以意义重大。在这之后，我们将对未来的重大比赛更有信心。”

他们的的同胞李绍熙和申昇瓒早些时候以21-17、21-12击败队友金昭映/孔熙容获得了女双冠军，继2019年后再次登上最高领奖台。

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Announcement

2021苏迪曼杯：中国队第12次夺冠

04 October, 2021

2021道达尔能源世界羽联苏迪曼杯总决赛决赛中，卫冕冠军中国队以3-1击败日本队，第12次捧起苏迪曼杯。

纵观全场比赛，双方都展现了超强水准，年轻的球员们表现出了与久经沙场的球星们一样的抗压能力。在上一届苏迪曼杯上，日本队以0-3被中国队击败，这次他们试图推翻这一结果，但他们不得不再次区居亚军。

Zhou Hao Dong and He Ji Ting provided the breakthrough for China.

中国队教练张军谈到了对年轻队员的信任，以及他们在这场重大赛事中坚守立场的能力。让一位球员上两个单项的计划被搁置，中国选择了何济霆和周昊东参加男双。

结果如愿以偿。保木卓朗/小林优吾在一个多小时的时间里与中国的年轻队员进行了战斗，但日本人错误地过度依赖防守。在比赛的最后阶段，何济霆/周昊东始终保持着进攻的活力，帮助中国队取得了领先。

“我们在四分之一决赛中输给了丹麦，我们吸取了教训——我们试着更有耐心，”周昊东说。

在上届苏迪曼杯决赛中，山口茜输给了陈雨菲。今天山口一心要进攻。日本人不愿意在对抗赛中留下遗憾，她保持着陈雨菲难以跟上的速度。即使当她的对手找到空档时，山口茜也依靠着顽强的跑动进行补救。正是这种更顽强的风格帮助山口茜赢得了比赛，因为陈雨菲在其他方面还是一如既往的精确和稳定。

“上一届苏迪曼杯我也是同样的情况，但我输了，所以我不想重蹈覆辙。而且，她是奥运会金牌得主，所以我决定挑战她。”山口说。“我只是想打一场稳定的比赛。我知道她打了几场长时间的比赛，一定会累的。我没有打过这么多长时间的比赛，所以我很有活力。”

在一场高质量的开局之后，男单比赛出现了最令人好奇的转折。开局似乎消耗了石宇奇太多精力，因此他放弃了第二局，把所有精力留到第三局上。无论是这一周累积的疲劳，还是仅仅精神上的压力，桃田贤斗又一次输了。世界第一面对石宇奇的不断高强度进攻，并没有什么办法能够应对，最终石宇奇以2-1击败对手，使中国队以2-1领先。

Shi Yu Qi took advantage of an under-par Momota.

桃田否认疲劳是他在第三局比赛中有点无精打采的原因。“我被对手的进攻能力压垮了，所以我输了。我没有那么累，但我找不到赢球的方法。”

石宇奇在庆祝他2019年7月受伤复出后的最佳时刻时，承诺要比受伤前更好。“我放弃了第二局以恢复我的体力。我必须把所有的精力都放在第三局比赛上。我有90%的最佳状态。赢得比赛是一件很棒的事情，但我的目标不是回到以前的水平——我要达到以前水平的120% !”

Chen Qing Chen is mobbed by her teammates after the women’s doubles victory gave the title to China.

日本最后的希望寄托在女双临时组合上，松本麻佑/松友美佐纪给陈清晨/贾一凡造成了不小的麻烦。中国组合一路经受着考验，她们表现出了出色的气质，关键时刻下手更加果断。

随着21-17 21-16的胜利，苏迪曼杯留在了中国。“奥运会之后,这个冠军让我们可以再次激励我们的队员，”张军说，“我们本届苏杯男双阵容上不是最完美的，对泰国和丹麦我们有一些困难，但我们决定让年轻球员上场，我们信任他们的能力，他们今天做的很好。”
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Announcement

2021苏迪曼杯：克服困难，桃田贤斗重新出发

29 September, 2021

2021道达尔能源世界羽联苏迪曼杯总决赛第三比赛日中，桃田贤斗率领的日本队5-0击败英格兰队，将与马来西亚队争夺小组头名位置。

在东京奥运会小组赛阶段被淘汰之后，球迷对桃田的状态充满了好奇。今天，在D组日本对阵英格兰的比赛中，渡边勇大/东野有纱帮助日本取得领先后，桃田贤斗在与世界排名第205位的托尔森的比赛中，看上去与巅峰时期的状态还相距甚远。

日本人经常被托尔森的杀直线所击溃，这位22岁的英格兰球员打得非常轻松，然而最后一记发球将优势拱手让给了桃田，他在第一局比赛中获得了信心，并在没有进一步失误的情况下结束了比赛。

“一开始我非常紧张，无法发挥自己的能力。接近第二局的时候，我让自己冷静下来，控制住自己的比赛。”

“我希望在专注度方面有所提高。我今天很紧张，不能专注于一件事。不过，好在我能让自己冷静下来。”

托尔森说，他对自己的表现感到惊讶。

“这对我来说绝对是一个惊喜，我不知道他是否感到紧张。很高兴看到我的扣杀能够穿透他的防守。我认为这对我来说绝对是一个巨大的信心助推器，能够在与世界上最好的球员的比赛中取得这样的成绩。我想在未来面对每一个球员时都这样做。”

本·莱恩和文迪不敌古贺辉/斋藤太一，没能阻止日本队。山口茜以21-16/21-12击败霍尔顿，之后志田千阳/松山奈未在与布里奇/史密斯的比赛中直落两局，帮助日本队5-0完胜英格兰队。

在另一场B组比赛中，马来西亚以5比0击败埃及，而在B组中，中华台北以5比0击败德国，韩国以同样的优势击败了塔希提岛。

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Announcement

‘I Thought: What Am I Doing Here?’

09 July, 2026

Of the clutch of Pan Am players making a mark on the circuit, Presley Smith’s is perhaps the most unique story. After a not-so-promising start in his junior years, and embarking on a professional badminton journey far later than any of his peers, Smith has come a long way in quick time.

The highest-ranked Pan Am player in both men’s doubles (No.25 with Chen Zhi Yi) and mixed (No.17 with Jennie Gai), Smith has had several noteworthy performances in recent years. The graph has ticked upward this season, with quarterfinal performances at the Malaysia Open, a double at the Pan Am Individual Championships, and semifinals at his last three tournaments, in Australia, USA and Canada.

At the upcoming BWF World Championships 2026, Smith will be among the leading contenders from Pan Am in both his disciplines.

In this interview, Smith talks about his unusual journey. Part 1 of a two-part interview:

Childhood Years

I was born in Albany, New York, and we moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, when I was around one. We stayed there until I was nine, and then we moved to Baltimore. Indiana had no badminton at all. There was one small recreation center my mom would go to.

My mom is Taiwanese and she played recreational badminton. My dad was into wrestling and tennis; I think he was pretty good at tennis. When I was young, my mom would take me to the center — I would just sit there and watch. I started playing when we moved to Baltimore. There was a club there, and I used to play tennis before that, but I didn’t like it so much. I quit, and then I started playing badminton for fun. That was when I was 9-10 years old. I just kept training at that same place till I graduated high school, until I was 18. I really enjoyed it. I loved the sport, so I put everything into it, but I wasn’t great as a junior player. I was pretty unknown.

All the people on the Tour today, like Jennie (Gai), Frankie (Corbett), Allison (Lee), I would see them in the junior circuit. They would always win. They would be on top, and I was always — I was like that kid losing first round (laughs).

Moving to Taipei

But I still really enjoyed playing. When I was in my later years, like under-19, I started getting a little better. I was growing more, and then I got stronger, faster, and then I some better results in juniors. I still wanted to play after that, and I didn’t want to do school right away. So my mom told me I could go to Taipei. We could go to her old school, and then if I wanted to find a place to train and I enjoyed it, I could stay. But the plan was like go there for one year and see if I enjoyed it first.

It was a 50/50 call, because it was still a risk. I didn’t know if I could find a place to train. But if I enjoyed the schooling there, I’d just stay and do school there and then just see how it went.

I moved in 2021. I really liked it. I found a good place to train — Land Bank of Taiwan. I ended up staying for three-four years.

I’d visited Taipei a lot before, for the summer, but it’s quite different to moving and going to school there.

Integrating Quickly

It was fun. I made a lot of friends and I started to really enjoy it. It quite different than US schooling. I could speak a little Mandarin and understand a little bit, so I had a little edge over someone who was completely fresh. So I had a little head start, which was helpful.

There was not much of a culture shock. My mom would speak to me in Mandarin, but I would reply in English. So, I could understand it very well, but my speaking was not (great) — even now my tones are tones are off sometimes (laughs).

New Club, New Life

I was very lucky with the club. My mom had some connections and got me sort of a tryout with a team. They thought I was OK. I started off just training weekends, only Saturday, with their high school team.

Even then their high school team was a lot better than what I was playing with in the US, so I was pretty happy about it. I worked my way up. I got a lot better, and then I eventually started playing with the better players and then started integrating with the group a little more.

At the start it was so scary. The schooling part was easy, but walking into a club or their team, you see like these great players, like Wang Chi-Lin. These great players, that’s what hit me the most. I thought “What am I doing here? I don’t think I belong here.”

But I eventually worked my way up. I started with the high school, and then it took a while for me to gain confidence. I was always so quiet then too. I didn’t talk to people, but I always say to them, they’re all so nice. They’re so welcoming. They didn’t shun me at all. And eventually, after almost a year later, I started talking to everyone, and I felt like I could be a part of the group.

Part 2 of the interview to follow

Announcement

Top Committed Player Programme 2026 | Tournament Cancellations

08 July, 2026

1) Top Committed Player Programme for 2026

Top Committed Players 2026 – List 2

Please find attached the full list of Top Committed Players for 2026, including the following:

List 1: based on the World Ranking of 18 November 2025 (Top 15 singles / Top 10 doubles); and
List 2: based on the World Ranking of 7 July 2026 (new Top 15 singles / new Top 10 doubles).

Top Committed Player Procedures – Mandatory Tournament Participation – 2026

As per clause 2.1, “Top Committed Players” for the entire calendar year (List 1) are required to play in the following tournaments in 2026:

BWF World Tour Finals (if qualified);
All Super 1000 Tournaments;
All Super 750 Tournaments; and
Two out of nine Super 500 Tournaments.

As per clause 2.2, “Top Committed Players” included as of 7 July 2026 (List 2) are required to play in the following tournaments in 2026 (starting from the LI-NING China Masters 2026, 1-6 September):

BWF World Tour Finals (if qualified);
All Super 1000 Tournaments;
All Super 750 Tournaments; and
One Super 500 Tournaments.

Failure to play in any required tournament will be subject to an additional penalty over and above any normal withdrawal fees (if applicable), as stated in the Table of Offences and Penalties (BWF Statutes, Section 2.4).

Exemptions from any penalties will be considered in case of injury, upon receipt and review of comprehensive medical documentation (e.g. formal/verifiable medical certificate, copies of MRI scans, etc.), or in certain exceptional circumstances with appropriate documentation. Otherwise, players can be exempted by travelling to the tournament to support promotional activities on-site.

Please find attached the current Top Committed Player Procedures document (18 November 2025), including how the BWF, respective Members, and hosts can best work together to ensure the appropriate participation of Top Committed Players in support of the HSBC BWF World Tour, and particularly the Super 1000, 750, and 500 levels of tournaments.

For more information on the Top Committed Player Regulations, please refer to BWF Statutes, Section 5.3.6 (Player Commitment Regulations), Clause 2.

2) Tournament Cancellations

Please note that the following tournaments have been cancelled:

Abu Dhabi Masters 2026 – BWF Tour Super 100 – 29 September – 04 October 2026
I Costa Rica International Junior U19 2026 – Junior Future Series – 08-13 September 2026
Guyana GNR International 2026 – Future Series – 03-07 November 2026

More Information / Contact Person

If you have any questions, please contact:

For the Top Committed Player Programme: Events Director – Technical Operations, Christopher Trenholme ([email protected]) or Technical Events Manager, Matthieu Hecker ([email protected]).
For tournament cancellations: Head of Tournament Development, Fern Gilders ([email protected]).

Announcement

Building the Future of Argentine Badminton

In December 2023, during a National Administrator Workshop in Lima, Peru, a deceptively simple question sparked what would become a transformative national initiative for the Argentine Badminton Federation (FEBARA): “What should we do today to build the badminton we want in a decade?”

For FEBARA, the answer became Proyección 2036 — a long-term programme grounded in the idea that the future of sport begins with children.

The programme was so successful that it would be awarded the BWF Membership Grant Programme Impact Award in April 2026. It highlighted how a clear vision — combined with collective dedication — could overcome the limitation of resources.

A Shift in Perspective

Traditionally, the federation’s efforts had not focused on the youngest age groups. Proyección 2036 changed that. Early on, it became clear that teaching children badminton required more than rackets and courts.

Using the BWF’s MA Grant, a programme was built on a holistic development model, integrating not only young players but also their families, schools, clubs, communities, and local governments. This approach recognises that sustainable sporting growth depends on the environment that surrounds the athlete.

Prof. Mariela Parisi, Secretary of Argentine Badminton Federation, receives the BWF Membership Grant Programme Impact Award.

The programme sought to redefine the traditional concept of children’s events, with activities not conceived only as competitive events, but as platforms that combine sport, culture, local identity and family participation. The model also promoted coach education exchanges during events, encouraging peer learning and collaboration.

Supported by the BWF Membership Grant Programme, the initiative introduced educational tools, including a children’s storybook featuring mascots called Minton, Badmy, and Uma.

Uma, a wheelchair hare, raised awareness about inclusion and para sport for children. A children’s storybook with badminton-themed fables brought the sport closer to young participants.

Within a year of its launch in 2024, six provinces and eight localities engaged in the programme. In 2025, three regional events and a major inter-provincial mini-badminton festival were conducted. In Santa Rosa, over a hundred children (U-9 and U-11) participated. A national event delivery guide was developed to systematise best practices.

“One of the programme’s most valuable aspects has been its ability to adapt to very diverse contexts,” said Daniel Pallarola, Vice-President of FEBARA. “Argentina is a vast country with very different regional realities. Proyección 2036 has made it possible to create a shared framework while respecting these local particularities, encouraging the participation of clubs, schools, local governments, and families.”

Beyond Medals: Measuring Impact

The success of Proyección 2036 is not measured solely by competitive outcomes. Instead, its impact is visible in growing interest in mini-badminton, stronger collaboration among affiliated organisations, expansion into new regions, and a vibrant and engaged badminton community.

Most importantly, children are forming lasting emotional connections with the sport — an essential foundation for long-term development.

Looking Ahead

The next phase of Proyección 2036 focuses on:

Expanding territorial reach
Enhancing coach and leader education
Strengthening family involvement
Developing richer learning experiences for children

Innovative approaches are also on the horizon, including research on adapted rackets tailored to children’s physical and developmental needs, and peer-learning programmes for coaches working with Under-9 and Under-11 categories.

These efforts reflect a commitment to continuous improvement and knowledge-sharing across the badminton community.

“Perhaps the greatest contribution of Proyección 2036 has been offering a vision of the future,” said Pallarola. “The programme has allowed many people to imagine that the development of Argentine badminton can be built in a planned, inclusive, and sustainable way. This idea has generated enthusiasm and commitment among different actors within the sports system.”

Announcement

Casual Vacancy on Council / Administrator Awards 2026 – Call for Nominations

07 July, 2026

1. Vacant Position on Council

This is to inform the BWF Membership that Zhang Jun has resigned from his position as BWF Council Member.

The resignation means there are two vacant positions on the BWF Council. Elections to fill these positions will take place at the AGM 2027. As per Clause 15.1 of the BWF Constitution, the BWF will inform the membership on the Closing Date for proposals and nominations no later than 31 October 2026.

2. Administrator Awards 2026

BWF is calling for nominations for the BWF Administrator Awards 2026.

The Administrator Awards recognise excellence, achievement and service to BWF, the sport and to the badminton community. We encourage Member Associations and Continental Confederations to look at the award categories below and consider nominating individuals.

The deadline for nominations is Wednesday 30 September 2026.

The system of awards is governed by the Award Regulations of the Statutes, Section 1.2.3 (linked here). Each award category has selection criteria, and the regulations defining who can nominate individuals / organisations for each award (see the summary below).

Nomination Forms – download from this page – (linked here)

Complete the nomination form and send to Patricia Wong – [email protected]

Categories of Award

Award

Description

Who can Nominate?

Lifetime Achievement Award

A highly prestigious award to recognise individuals who have made an exceptional and lifetime contribution to the sport as a coach, technical official, administrator and/or elected official. The nominee must have retired or be retiring from the sport.

BWF Members

BWF Recognised Para-sports organisations

Continental Confederations

Council

Herbert Scheele Trophy

For outstandingly exceptional and long-standing service in the management / administration of badminton at an international level.

Council

Distinguished Service Award

Recognition of long and/or distinguished and exemplary service to badminton at the international level (at least 15 years’ service).

Continental Confederations

Council

Technical Officials Commission

Meritorious Service Award

Honours exemplary service to badminton at the national level.

BWF Members

Certificate of Commendation

Recognises commercial and other external organisations that have rendered significant service to the sport for no less than three years.

BWF Members

BWF Recognised Para-sports organisations

Continental Confederations

Council

Gender Equity and Diversity Award

Recognises an individual (man or woman) or an organisation that has made a significant contribution towards the involvement of women or girls (or other under-represented groups) in badminton.

Beyond being a strong role model, the nominee must also have actively contributed to the involvement of others in the promotion of the sport.

Continental Confederations

Council

Member Associations

Announcement

World Badminton Day in Quotes

We celebrate World Badminton Day through the words of those who know the sport best. These memorable quotes capture the passion, resilience and joy that define badminton.

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Women’s singles world No.1 An Se Young marked the day by encouraging others to pick up a racket.

“Badminton makes me feel wonderful. It gives people the opportunity not only to play together but also to bond with each other.”

Eighteen-year-old Rini, participant of a BWF Shuttle Time activity.

“Whenever I see their happy faces, I feel relieved. It reminds me of my passion for badminton when I was young.”

Kingsley Mah Wei Yi, a team leader for the activity, on seeing 71 children participate in the project.

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A grateful Angela Yu, Australia’s women’s doubles star.

“When children go from not knowing how to do something to understanding and enjoying it, that’s the best moment for me.”

Shuttle Time coach Ng Shu Er Christina on introducing badminton to teenagers.

“When I won my first World Championships medal, it gave me a lot of confidence. That took me forward and helped me grow.”

Pusarla V. Sindhu shares what her bronze at Guangzhou 2013 did to her career.

“We may be opponents on court, but off court we support, admire and rely on one another. I have friends in almost every country I’ve competed in.”

WH2 great Chan Ho Yuen Daniel on the Para badminton community.

“I’m grateful to badminton for all the wonderful people I’ve met and the experiences it has given me. I hope to continue growing alongside this sport that I love so much, while never forgetting the joy I felt back then.”

Japan’s Paris 2024 women’s doubles bronze medallist Nami Matsuyama.

“We celebrate each member of our badminton family. Wherever you are, pick up a racket, enjoy a match and share it with someone new. Raise a racket for the sport we love. Happy World Badminton Day.”

BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul delivered a special World Badminton Day message to the badminton community.

Announcement

Closed Tournaments (Grade 4) Sanction Application

06 July, 2026

Following the BWF Council Meeting in April 2026, regulations were approved regarding the implementation of Closed (Grade 4) Tournaments and the awarding of World Ranking points to those tournaments that meet the regulated criteria.

Closed tournaments are restricted to a predefined group of Member Associations, linked by regional, institutional, or organisation affiliation.

Sanction applications will follow a nine (9) month sanction period. However, for the first year of implementation, a shorter sanction application window is being applied.

Only two (2) Grade 4 tournaments will be approved per Continent per calendar year.

Acceptance Criteria

When determining which two Grade 4 tournaments per Continent may be eligible to receive BWF World Ranking Points, the following criteria will be considered:

Eligibility Criteria: The tournament must be open to seven (7) or more Member Associations.

Historical Delivery: The host Member Association must be able to demonstrate that they have held previously established badminton tournaments.

Participation Spread: Participation spread may include the number of participating Member Associations, balance of entry distribution, and geographical representation within the eligible group.

This will also consider the number of Grade 4 tournaments that a Member Association can access to ensure that a proportion of Member Associations do not have unfair access to multiple closed tournament opportunities.

Development value: for the sport of badminton.

Endorsement: from the respective ‘hosting’ Continental Confederation.

How to apply

Application requests must be made through the Host Member Association and using the following forms link.

The deadline for applications for those wishing to be considered for hosting a Closed Tournament between 1^st January 2027 and 30^th June 2027 is 23:59 hr (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia time zone) Monday 31^st August 2026.

More Information / Contact Person

We would encourage Member Associations to familiarise themselves with the new regulations relating to Grade 4 tournaments.

General Competition Regulations (Section 5.1) – Updated to reflect the implementation of Closed (Grade 4 Tournaments) – see Chapter 5 – Competition Regulations – Section 5.1 (linked here).

World Ranking System (Section 5.3.3.1) – Regulation adjustments relating to the implementation of Closed (Grade 4 Tournaments) (linked here).

Please contact Fern Gilders – Head of Tournament Development – ([email protected]), should you have any questions.

Announcement

Canada Open: Clean Sweep by Japan

Breakthrough wins by Yudai Okimoto and Riko Gunji helped Japan sweep all five titles at YONEX Canada Open 2026. Japan became the first team this year to achieve the sweep on the HSBC BWF World Tour.

For both Okimoto and Gunji, it was their first Super 300 (or above) crown. World No.29 Okimoto, who was in the semifinals of the US Open the previous week, got the better of compatriot Riki Takei 21-13 21-13.

Okimoto after beating Takei for the men’s singles title.

Okimoto had earlier upset top seed Victor Lai in the semifinals, while Takei had edged Lee Zii Jia at the same stage.

“Even though it’s my third World Tour final after playing in many tournaments, I haven’t been able to win a World Tour title previously,” said Okimoto. “So I’m really happy to win it for the first time. However, I’m not satisfied with just this. I want to win more titles. The next tournament is the Japan Open. I want to take good care of myself and build for the next one.”

In women’s singles, world No.21 Gunji, who had upset favourite Michelle Li in the semifinals, beat recent US Open champion Line Christophersen 21-15 15-21 21-6.

“I’ve never won a Super 300 before, so I’m really happy,” said Gunji. “I want to use this confidence again at the Japan Open and do my best to surpass last year’s results.”

Other highlights

» New pair Hiroki Okamura/Kyohei Yamashita achieved their second success in two weeks as they followed up the US Open win with a title in Canada. The Japanese, who came together at the Swiss Open in March, have made three finals in five tournaments.

» World No.25 Hinata Suzuki/Nao Yamakita won their first title this year beating compatriots Kaho Osawa/Mai Tanabe 21-15 21-16. The Japanese pairs both upstaged home rivals in the semis, with Suzuki/Yamakita beating Francesca Corbett/Jennie Gai, while Osawa/Tanabe outplayed Lauren Lam/Allison Lee.

Suzuki thrilled after winning the final point.

» Akira Koga/Natsu Saito, who came together this year, also won their first title, beating Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang Heng/Hsu Yin-Hui 21-17 17-21 21-17.

→ Results

WHAT THEY SAID

“In our previous match we had no answer to our opponents’ challenge and lost by a wide margin. So being able to perform well in this match, we gained a lot of confidence.” – Saito

“This is a big step for us as a pair and it boosts our confidence. This win is huge for us.” – Okamura

Announcement

World Badminton Day: Building Confidence Through Shuttle Time

05 July, 2026

For many children, badminton begins with a simple introduction to the sport – a chance to pick up a racket, learn something new and enjoy being active with others.

That was the focus of a recent BWF Shuttle Time activity at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TARUMT) in Malaysia, where 71 children took part in a day of learning, participation and fun on 27 June 2026, ahead of celebrating World Badminton Day.

Supported by certified Shuttle Time coaches and volunteers, the programme introduced young participants from various care homes to the fundamentals of badminton in a welcoming environment designed to encourage confidence and engagement. While some children arrived with prior experience, for many it was their first meaningful exposure to the sport.

Leading the activity was Kingsley Mah Wei Yi, who oversaw the coordination of the courts, organised station leaders and briefed caregivers and participants on safety procedures and the day’s programme.

Although Mah describes himself as a recreational player who stopped playing regularly after sustaining an injury during his school years, his enthusiasm for badminton remains strong. Volunteering gave him the opportunity to share a sport that continues to hold a special place in his life.

“Whenever I see their happy faces, I feel relieved inside. It actually reminds me of my passion for badminton when I was young.”

Supporting him was Ng Shue Er, who served as a group leader and worked directly with the children through a range of activities and skill-based exercises. A former school-level player, Ng said this was her second time volunteering with Shuttle Time and as such felt more comfortable guiding the children.

“When they go from not knowing how to do something to understanding and enjoying it, that’s the best moment for me.”

Throughout the programme, participants learned key badminton fundamentals, including racket grip, serving and basic stroke techniques. The sessions combined demonstrations, practice activities and games to create an enjoyable learning experience for children of all abilities.

For the coaches, however, the most meaningful outcome was seeing the children’s confidence grow as they became more familiar with the sport.

Ng observed a noticeable transformation over the course of the day.

“In the morning, some of them were quite quiet and not very energetic. As they started playing and became more involved, they became more engaged and comfortable in the environment.”

One of the participants, Rini, 18, said: “Badminton makes me feel wonderful. It gives people the opportunity not only to play together but also bond with each other.”

Beyond introducing badminton skills, the activity also highlighted the wider benefits of sport. Through structured play and group participation, children were encouraged to communicate, support one another and challenge themselves in a positive setting.

Mah said: “Not everyone is perfect, especially kids. They are always learning, so it’s better to take things slow and build gradually. Try not to push the kids too hard.”

His comments reflected a coaching philosophy centred on patience and encouragement, particularly when working with young participants still developing physically and emotionally.

Nicolas (left) and Rini made new friends during the Shuttle Time activity.

The inclusive nature of the programme was also closely aligned with the values of World Badminton Day. For both coaches, the celebration is a reminder that badminton is a sport for everyone, regardless of age, experience or background. Through initiatives such as Shuttle Time, more children are given the chance to experience the game’s physical, social and emotional benefits.

Nicolas, 16, said: “I would like to encourage more people to play badminton because it is a great activity for your health. Badminton makes me feel energised.”

The Shuttle Time activity at TARUMT demonstrated how a single day on court can leave a lasting impression. For the 71 children who participated, it was an opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence, make new friends and discover the enjoyment of badminton.

As BWF marks World Badminton Day on 5 July, Shuttle Times continues to demonstrate how badminton can extend beyond competition by bringing communities together, encouraging participation and inspiring young people take their first steps into the sport.

At the heart of Shuttle Time is a simple ambition: giving every child the chance to play badminton for life. For the children who took part at TARUMT, that journey may have started with a single session, but the lessons, friendships and confidence gained could last far longer.

Ng all smiles at her second Shuttle Time activity.

Announcement

Canada Open: Okimoto Halts Lai’s Home Title Bid

Victor Lai’s hopes of contesting a second consecutive home final at YONEX Canada Open 2026 ended on Saturday after a three-game defeat to Yudai Okimoto.

Chasing the distinction of becoming the first Canadian men’s singles champion in 21 years, the top-seeded Lai made a strong start by taking the opening game 21-15. However, the 21-year-old Okimoto responded with a 21-16 win before pulling away 21-11 in the decider. Lai, who appeared hampered by a left knee problem, struggled to match the Japanese shuttler’s pace as the match wore on.

World No.29 Okimoto advances to an all-Japanese final against Riki Takei, who earlier ended Paris 2024 bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia’s campaign with a 21-13 18-21 21-18 victory in 70 minutes. Japan are also guaranteed the women’s doubles title after Hinata Suzuki/Nao Yamakita and Kaho Osawa/Mai Tanabe set up a title bout against each other.

With representatives in all five finals, Japan have on Sunday the chance to become the first nation since England in 2004 to complete a sweep at the Canada Open.

Among those is Riko Gunji, who upset another Canadian top seed Michelle Li, 21-13 21-17 in the women’s singles semifinals. She will face US Open champion Line Christophersen, who has reached back-to-back HSBC BWF World Tour finals for the first time in her career.

Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang Heng and Hsu Yin Hui also advanced to a second straight final, defeating top-seeded mixed pair Presley Smith/Jennie Gai 21-9 23-21, a week after claiming the US Open title.

→ Results (Semifinals)

→ Order of play (Finals)

Announcement

World Badminton Day: Connecting, Inspiring and Transforming Lives

04 July, 2026

On World Badminton Day (5 July), BWF celebrates badminton not only for its speed, skill and excitement, but also its power to bring people together and shape lives.

For Pusarla V. Sindhu and Ho Yuen Chan Daniel, the sport has meant far more than medals and titles. It has given them purpose, connection and a sense of belonging that reaches across the globe.

One of badminton’s most recognisable stars, everything begins with desire for Pusarla.

“Badminton is my passion,” she said when asked about what the sport meant to her. “You need to play with passion and enjoyment, and automatically you will enjoy the sport.” It is a mindset that has carried her to remarkable heights.

An Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016 and bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020, she became world champion in 2019, adding to an impressive collection of World Championships medals that began with a breakthrough bronze in 2013.

“When I won my first World Championships medal, it gave me a lot of confidence,” she added. “That took me forward and helped me grow.”

She reached world No.2 in 2017 and claimed Commonwealth Games gold in 2022, cementing her place among the sport’s greats.

Today, the popular Indian shuttler continues to shape the sport beyond her playing career, as Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission and a member of the BWF Council. As a global ambassador, she represents not just excellence but also the values badminton stands for.

“Badminton gave me fame, friendships and the opportunity to travel to different countries,” she said. “I never expected that when I first started.”

Among those friendships is her bond with three-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin. Fierce rivals on court, the two share a deep mutual respect off it, showing how badminton can transform rivalry into lasting relationships.

For Pusarla, those human connections are among the sport’s greatest rewards.

“You stay healthy, you meet people around the world and you make friends,” she said. “The love and support from fans, whether I was at my lowest or at my best, is something I will always cherish.”

Pusarla speaking at the BWF AGM in her role as Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission.

That same spirit runs through the story of Chan. A former WH1 Para badminton player, Chan discovered the sport after a life‑changing accident and credits it with helping him rebuild his life.

“Badminton is like my faith,” he said. “It rebuilt my confidence, gave me purpose and allowed me to recreate my life with strength and dignity.”

His career reached its peak on the Paralympic stage, where he won bronze at Tokyo 2020 and silver at Paris 2024.

“The Paris final was especially meaningful because it was the last international match of my career,” he said. “From the first day I became an athlete, I dreamed of retiring at my peak.”

Like Pusarla, Chan values what badminton gave him beyond results.

“We may be opponents on court, but off court we support, admire and rely on one another,” he said. “I have friends in almost every country I have competed in.”

He also embraced leadership roles, serving as Chair of the BWF Para Athletes’ Commission and as a member of the BWF Council.

“These opportunities allowed me to represent my community and advocate for athletes’ rights,” he reflected.

Their stories capture what makes badminton so special. It is a sport that keeps people active, builds confidence, creates lifelong friendships and connects communities across borders and cultures.

On this World Badminton Day, the message is simple: raise a racket, play with passion and enjoy our wonderful sport.

Because, as Pusarla and Chan remind us, badminton is more than just a sport.