The sport has also witnessed some of the greatest players who have etched their names in history. Let’s take a look at the top ten greatest men’s badminton players of all time.
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Badminton is recognized worldwide as an engaging racket sport and traces its origins back to the Badminton House – the country estate of the Beaufort dukes in Gloucestershire, England. It was there, around 1873, that the game first came to existence Interestingly, Badminton has its roots in a game called ‘poona,’ played by British army officers during their time in India in the 1860s. Since then, the game has become one of the most played sports in the world. The sport has seen some great players who have etched their names in history. Let’s look at top 10 greatest men’s Badminton players of all time.
Morten Frost Hansen is a notable figure in the world of badminton as he made a remarkable career as a player and later as a coach for Denmark. Among his accomplishments, his performances at the All England Open Badminton Championships stood out the most as he emerged victorious in 1982, 1984, 1986, and 1987, which makes him one of the greatest men’s badminton players of all time.
Hansen showcased his prowess at the European Championships and clinched the title in 1984 and 1986. A noteworthy milestone in his career was his success in every invitational Grand Prix tournament, at least once. This includes the Denmark Open, his home country’s event, where he was crowned champion consistently from 1980-1986 and again in 1989.
Following his impressive career as a player, Frost transitioned into a coaching role as he steered the Danish national team to numerous victories. During his coaching stint, the team bagged over 20 significant international titles. This includes an Olympic gold medal in 1996, numerous medals at the European Championships in the same year, men’s singles championships at the 1995 and 1996 All England Championships, and silver medals at the World Championships.
Kento Momota is a badminton player hailing from Japan, who reached the top of the sport with his World No. 1 ranking, a feat achieved on September 27, 2018. This includes two victories each in the World Championships and the Asian Championships, and a triumph at the All England Championship.
Momota’s exceptional performance in the 2019 season led him to make a mark in the Guinness Book of World Records. He attained the record for “The most badminton men’s singles titles in a season”, owing to his outstanding 11 title wins during that season. This achievement broke the previous record held by renowned badminton player Lee Chong Wei, who had clinched 10 titles in a single season.
Momota was awarded the Best Male Player of the Year by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) as a result of this. Moreover, he etched his name in the Japanese badminton history by becoming the first Japanese men’s singles player to secure the No. 1 spot in the BWF world ranking in 2018.
Tony Gunawan, originally from Indonesia but later representing the United States, is considered one of the greatest men’s badminton players of all time. His accomplishments include winning the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Partnering with Candra Wijaya, they triumphed over South Korea’s Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung in the men’s doubles, securing victory with scores of 15–10, 9–15, 15–7.
Furthermore, Gunawan captured two gold medals at the International Badminton Federation (IBF) World Championships. These victories came in the 2001 and 2005 editions of the event and strengthened his reputation as a formidable player. His contributions were not limited to individual success, as he was also a valuable asset to the Indonesian national team.
In 2000, as part of Indonesia’s Thomas Cup team, Gunawan was instrumental in securing the world championship title. During the final match against China, he played a crucial role, winning his match alongside another partner, Rexy Mainaky.
Chen Long is a former professional badminton player hailing from China, who made a mark in the sport as a one-time World Number 1. He attained the top rank in men’s singles for an unbroken period of 76 weeks between December 2014 and June 2016. He became the Asian Junior Champion and won the World Junior Championships, both in 2007. He etched his first professional victory at the 2009 Philippines Open Grand Prix Gold event and outplayed Hu Yun from Hong Kong in the final match.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Chen’s journey was halted in the semi-finals of the men’s singles competition by Malaysian player Lee Chong Wei. However, Chen rallied back, clinching the bronze by defeating Lee Hyun-il in the bronze medal match. The year 2014 saw Chen rise to the top, claiming the World No.1 spot from his long-time competitor, Lee Chong Wei. With this, he achieved the No.1 title on the BWF World Rankings, as the title had been held by Lee Chong Wei.
On August 20, 2016, Chen secured the Olympic gold medal by besting the Malaysian player Lee Chong Wei with straight-set scores of 21–18, 21–18. This was his first Olympic gold medal win. However, his attempt to defend his title at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as he succumbed to Viktor Axelsen in the final match.
Read More-Top achievements of Chen Long as he retires at ’34’
Hailing from Denmark, Viktor Axelsen has firmly established himself in badminton history. Although he is presently competing and not retired, he is till regarded as one of the greatest men’s badminton players. Presently, he holds the prestigious titles of World and Olympic Champion in Men’s Singles, after his victories at the 2022 World Championships and the 2020 Olympics.
His early career was highlighted by a historic victory at the 2010 World Junior Championships, where he defeated South Korea’s Kang Ji-wook in the finals. This win made Axelsen the first European singles player to clinch this title. He became the initial European badminton player to secure the men’s singles title at the BWF World Superseries Finals in 2016.
Axelsen has repeatedly demonstrated his prowess in European championships, taking home the title thrice in 2016, 2018, and 2022. His performance in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, was nothing short of stellar. He won the gold medal, overcoming the defending champion Chen Long in straight sets during the finals. Moreover, he didn’t lose a single game throughout the tournament.
Axelsen regained his position at the top of the world rankings in 2021, revisiting his peak as World No.1 in 2017 according to the BWF World rankings. His impressive performances also earned him the title of BWF Male Player of the Year for 2020/2021. He is a two-time world champion, having triumphed in 2017 and 2022, and added a bronze to his medal tally in 2014.
Peter Gade, a Danish badminton legend, etched his name in badminton history with his victory at the All England Open Badminton Championships in 1999 and his impressive five European Championships singles titles. From 1998 to 2001, Gade reigned supreme in the world rankings. His 22 Grand-Prix triumphs makes him one of the sport’s eminent figures. On June 22, 2006, Gade reclaimed his position as the world’s top player. Following his loss in the 2012 French Open quarter-finals, he bid farewell to international competition.
Hailing from Indonesia, Rudy Hartono Kurniawan is known for his record-breaking eight victories in men’s singles at the All-England Championship, with seven consecutive titles from 1968 to 1974. His only attempt at the World Championship in 1980 resulted in a victorious feat as he became the world champion in that edition. From his debut in 1967 until 1982, Hartono remained an active contender in the Thomas Cup, leading his country to an astounding four consecutive titles in 1970, 1973, 1976, and 1979.
Taufik Hidayat, another badminton superstar from Indonesia, boasts a decorated career that includes World, Olympic, two Asian Games, and three Asian Championships titles. The youngest player to attain the world number one ranking in men’s singles, Hidayat conquered the Indonesia Open on six occasions. He has earned his place among the badminton greats and is fondly known as “Mr. Backhand”. His ascension to the top ranking at the age of 19 came after victories at the Malaysia Open, Asian Championships, and Indonesia Open in 2000.
Malaysian player Lee Chong Wei has carved a name for himself in the world of badminton. As a singles player, he held the top spot globally for an astounding 349 weeks, with a continuous streak from August 2008 to June 2012. He’s the fifth Malaysian to achieve this rank since official rankings were introduced. A triple silver medalist at the Olympic Games, Lee is also the sixth Malaysian to win an Olympic medal. His first silver medal came in 2008 when he became the first Malaysian to reach the men’s singles finals, a feat he repeated in 2012 and 2016. This makes him the most accomplished Malaysian Olympian in history.
Lin Dan, a retired professional badminton player from China, is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time World champion, and six-time All England champion. Hailed as the greatest badminton player ever, Lin accomplished the Super Grand Slam by age 28. This title indicates his victories in nine major titles of the badminton world: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Super Series Masters Finals, All England Open, Asian Games, and Asian Championships. He is the first and only player to pull off this impressive achievement.
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