An Se Young’s conflicts with the Korean Badminton Association have intensified, raising speculations that she might follow the path of players like Lee Zii Jia and Viktor Axelsen in leaving the national team and forming her own coaching team.
Recently, due to knee and ankle injuries, An Se Young missed this week’s Korea Matsuyama Super 300 Masters event and has announced her withdrawal from the Japan Masters in Kumamoto on November 12. Additionally, she declined to participate in the national team’s intensive training on November 25, with medical documentation submitted to the BWF.
However, according to Yonhap News, An Se Young plans to compete in the China Shenzhen Masters from November 21 to 26 and is actively preparing for the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, starting December 11, with a prize pool of $2.5 million.
After winning the Olympic gold in Paris, An Se Young mentioned being bullied by senior players and expressed discontent with the Korean Badminton Association, even threatening to leave the national team. While the issue seemed to be resolved in her favor, tensions remained high.
At last week’s 2024 Denmark Open, An Se Young’s attitude appeared indifferent. During a match timeout, she ignored her coach, Sung Ji Hyun, even drinking water with her back turned. This behavior led to criticism from Korean Badminton Association President Kim Jae Kyu, who accused An Se Young of acting out. The situation escalated as Korea’s National Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Sports, and Tourism intervened, requesting Kim Jae Kyu to step down and issue a formal apology to An Se Young.
If you’re a fan of badminton, you know it’s not just the game that’s exciting—there are also some seriously charismatic players on the court! Here, you’ll discover five of the most handsome and skilled male badminton players who blend athleticism with a dash of star quality. Whether it’s their focused intensity during a match or their confident charm off the court, these players are bound to catch your eye!
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen is a true star, known for his powerful style and undeniable charisma. At 6’4” with an athletic build and intense blue eyes, Axelsen commands attention on the court. His dedication to the game has brought him countless victories, but it’s his composed demeanor and confidence that make fans around the world admire him even more.
Kento Momota from Japan brings elegance to the game like no other. His swift, calculated movements and sharp playing style show his mastery of badminton. With his sleek look and natural flair, Momota’s calm, understated charisma wins hearts both in Japan and internationally. You’ll find it hard not to root for him!
Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia has a playful smile and an electrifying style that make him an instant favorite. Known for his quick reflexes and strong smashes, he brings a certain energy to every match. His charming, down-to-earth personality off the court only adds to his appeal. If you’re looking for a player who combines athleticism with an approachable charm, Lee is your guy!
Anthony Ginting of Indonesia is not only incredibly talented but also has a warm, inviting smile that fans love. His agility and technique on the court make him a true powerhouse, while his friendly demeanor and easygoing style make him someone you can’t help but cheer for. Ginting’s balance of skill and charm make him a standout.
Last but certainly not least, Jonatan Christie from Indonesia has been a fan favorite for his powerful plays and charming looks. Known for his friendly personality, Jonatan’s cheerful energy lights up the court. He’s both fierce in his matches and effortlessly likable off the court, making him one of the most admired players today.
These five badminton stars bring not only their top-tier skills but also an undeniable presence that makes badminton even more exciting to watch. So, next time you tune in to a match, keep an eye out for these charismatic athletes—you might just find a new favorite player!
Men’s singles badminton player Lee Zii Jia (pictured) still has a chance to qualify for the prestigious World Tour Finals, scheduled from December 11 to 15 in Hangzhou, despite missing the Denmark Open due to an ankle injury.
Recently, Lee Zii Jia suffered a major blow when he injured his ankle during his quarterfinal loss to world No. 13 Koki Watanabe of Japan at the Arctic Open in Vantaa, Finland.
The 26-year-old player couldn’t shake off the injury and had to withdraw from the Denmark Open in Odense yesterday.
Team LZJ said in a statement, “After arriving in Odense on Sunday, we still hoped and planned for Lee Zii Jia to participate in the Denmark Open despite his ankle injury sustained in the Arctic Open quarterfinal.”
“Lee appeared on court today (yesterday), but discomfort in his ankle prevented him from performing at match-level intensity.
“After further consideration, I am deeply saddened to announce my withdrawal from the Denmark Open.”
This is a double setback for Lee Zii Jia, as he also dropped three places in the latest world rankings, from fourth to seventh. However, the independent player still has a chance to qualify for the World Tour Finals, as he moved up one spot to fifth in the Hangzhou circuit rankings.
To qualify, Lee Zii Jia must maintain a top-eight position and hopes to regain form while competing in the Japan Masters (November 12–17) and China Masters (November 19–24).
Meanwhile, Leong Jun Hao, currently ranked No. 2 in Malaysia, fell to world No. 30 after losing to Hong Kong’s world No. 15 Lee Cheuk Yiu in the first round of the Arctic Open.
Jun Hao faces a tough task today in the first round of the Denmark Open, where he will meet world No. 3 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.
With Lee Zii Jiaout, Jun Hao remains the sole Malaysian representative in the men’s singles at the Odense event.
Professional badminton player Lee Zii Jia has withdrawn from the Denmark Open, which starts on Tuesday, October 15.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced that Lee, ranked fifth in the world and a finalist last year, is absent from the tournament due to an ankle injury.
His condition worsened during last week’s quarterfinal match at the Arctic Open against Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Lee Zii Jia will face off against Koki Watanabe in the quarterfinals for a much-anticipated rematch. In today’s round of 16 at the Arctic Badminton Super 500 tournament, world No. 14 Koki Watanabe comfortably defeated China’s Lu Guangzu 21-11, 21-13, advancing to the quarterfinals where he will meet Lee Zii Jia. This win marked Watanabe’s first victory over Lu in their three encounters. Earlier, Malaysian men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia also cruised into the quarterfinals, defeating another Japanese player, Yushi Tanaka, in straight sets.
Last month, in the China Open (Super 1000), Lee Zii Jia suffered a crushing defeat to Watanabe 15-21, 2-21, marking his second consecutive loss to the Japanese star. Now, as they meet again, will Lee Zii Jia exact revenge or will Koki Watanabe secure another victory? All eyes are on this battle.
Lee Zii Jia is set to defend his Arctic Open title, but the men’s singles player faces a challenging path in the tournament starting today.
After winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Zii Jia finds himself in a tough section of the draw. His competition includes world No. 3 Anders Antonsen from Denmark, world No. 9 Anthony Ginting from Indonesia, and world No. 10 Chou Tien-chen from Taiwan.
In the opening round, Zii Jia will face world No. 27 Christo Popov from France. Although a tough opponent, Zii Jia has beaten him once before at the 2022 German Open, giving him a slight advantage.
If Zii Jia wins the first match, his likely second-round opponent will be China’s rising star, world No. 22 Lei Lanxi. He could then meet Anthony Ginting, Lu Guangzu, or Koki Watanabe in the quarterfinals.
Last year, Zii Jia won the Arctic Open by defeating fellow Malaysian Ng Tze Yong. Another Malaysian, Leong Jun Hao, will begin his campaign today against Hong Kong’sLee Cheuk Yiu. Jun Hao is hoping for a better outcome after a tight three-game loss to Cheuk Yiu in the Hong Kong Open last month, where he led in the deciding game but couldn’t seal the victory.
In men’s doubles, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik return after Wooi Yik recovered from a toe injury that kept them out since their bronze win in Paris. They will face China’s world No. 21 pair Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the first round.
Other Malaysian men’s doubles teams participating include Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, who recently won the Hong Kong Open, will be the only Malaysian representatives.
On the first day of the 2024 VICTOR China Open in Changzhou, the performances of Paris 2024 men’s singles silver and bronze medalists, Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Lee Zii Jia, were strikingly different.
After winning Thailand’s first-ever badminton medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Vitidsarn took a full month off and was unsure about his performance in his first HSBC BWF World Tour match.
“I didn’t come here with the intention to win. I’m here to learn and take it step by step. So, I’m pleased to have won my first match back,” he said.
Despite a slow start, which gave him time to adjust to the fast and unpredictable conditions, the defending world champion overcame Su Li Yang in a tough three-game match with scores of 20-22, 21-14, 21-15.
“I played well today because the shuttlecock was fast and difficult to control. The pressure from the Olympics was significant, but I aim to perform my best in every match, as qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals is very important to me,” he added.
On the other hand, Lee Zii Jia expressed his frustration, stating he is still struggling with some physical issues. He lost to Japanese player Koki Watanabe with scores of 15-21, 2-21.
Lee discussed the situation with coach Huang Da Ming.
“Post-Olympics, my body has been in a strange condition. I’ve had many injuries, but I don’t know why. I seem unable to fully recover, but things are improving,” Lee said.
“When I train with a certain intensity, I feel sore all over. My elbows and knees ache, and my back has become stiff.”
“I need to resolve these issues because I must be in top condition to qualify for the World Tour Finals.”
The Malaysian player made a comeback in August at the 2024 Daihatsu Japan Open, where he lost in the first round to eventual champion Alex Lanier. He announced his withdrawal from the Korea and Hong Kong tournaments to prioritize his health.
Now, he will take similar steps, returning to Kuala Lumpur to reassess his condition and prepare for the 2024 Yonex Royal Arctic Open in Finland next month.
“My condition is not yet optimal, and I need to keep working to reach my best form.”
After two days of matches, the round of 16 has been determined for all events at the 2024 China Badminton Open. Both the men’s and women’s singles saw several upsets, with two former world No. 1 players being eliminated in the first round, and six seeded players failing to advance. The doubles events faced an awkward situation with 12 byes and four withdrawals.
In men’s singles, the former world No. 1 eliminated was Viktor Axelsen, who lost after a tough 3-game match to Chinese youngster Lei Lanxi, 19-21, 21-17, 16-21. Besides second seed Axelsen’s early exit, fourth seed Li Shifeng of China lost 17-21, 18-21 to Taiwanese veteran Chou Tien Chen, failing to make it to the round of 16. Third seed Lee Zii Jia suffered his most humiliating defeat, losing 15-21, 2-21 to Japan’s Koki Watanabe, marking the lowest score in China Open history and Lee’s personal lowest in recent years.
In women’s singles, Tai Tzu Ying was the player eliminated. She battled Denmark’s Line Christophersen in a three-game thriller but ultimately lost 14-21, 21-7, 19-21. With this first-round exit, Tai’s hopes of reaching the World Tour Finals are now in serious jeopardy.
The mixed doubles category saw a significant number of withdrawals, leading to an unusual situation. After Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin won 21-19, 21-13 against Chiu Hsiang Chieh/Lin Zhi Yun, they automatically advanced to the quarterfinals due to a lack of opponents, having only played one match. The mixed doubles event saw four first-round byes and three withdrawals, while the women’s doubles had an astonishing eight byes and one withdrawal. It’s hard to believe this is happening in a top-tier BWF World Tour 1000 event. The reason behind this is the reorganization of women’s and mixed doubles pairs by many teams.
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen is set to make a highly anticipated return to the men’s singles competition at the Hong Kong Open, which kicks off today.
This will be Axelsen’s first tournament appearance since his triumph at the Paris Olympics, where he successfully defended his gold medal last month.
The world No. 2 has been sharing clips of his training in Hong Kong on social media.
“Finally here in Hong Kong! Feels good to be back,” posted Axelsen, who seemed full of energy while practicing his shots on court.
Axelsen aims to keep up his winning momentum, having already secured his first World Tour title of the year at the Malaysian Masters in May.
Despite a few challenging tournaments before the Olympics, Axelsen once again proved his championship mettle by dominating Thailand’s world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-11, 21-11 in the final to clinch his second Olympic gold.
On his way to the title, Axelsen also comfortably dispatched Singapore’s 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew and India’s 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Lakshya Sen.
The 30-year-old became the second men’s singles player to defend his Olympic title, following China’s Lin Dan, who accomplished this feat in 2008 and 2012.
Axelsen has not ruled out competing for a record-breaking third gold in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if he can maintain his fitness and form.
In Hong Kong, Axelsen finds himself in the lower half of the draw, with a tricky first-round match against local star Angus Ng Ka Long.
Other top 10 contenders in the same half include Taiwan’s world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen and Indonesia’s world No. 10 Anthony Ginting. A potential quarter-final against Tien-chen and a semi-final clash with Ginting could be in the cards for Axelsen.
With China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi withdrawing from the tournament, the top half of the draw is more open, giving Indonesia’s world No. 3 Jonatan Christie and Japan’s world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka a clearer path to the final.
In the absence of Malaysia’s world No. 4 Lee Zii Jia, world No. 29 Leong Jun Hao will carry his country’s hopes. Jun Hao begins his campaign against a qualifier, with a second-round match against China’s Lu Guangzu or Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu awaiting him.
Two other Malaysians, Justin Hoh and independent player Cheam June Wei, have also made it to the main draw from the qualifiers. Justin, making his Super 500 debut, will face Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in the opening round, while June Wei is set to meet Frenchman Christo Popov.
Justin Hoh, a men’s singles badminton player, received a timely boost ahead of his first-round match against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke at today’s Hong Kong Open, as he climbed 11 places in the latest world rankings to reach No. 57.
Justin’s jump in the rankings is well-deserved after reaching his first-ever World Tour Super 300 quarterfinals at the recent Taiwan Open.
The 20-year-old is now closer to his career-high ranking of No. 48, which he achieved last year before an Achilles injury severely hindered his progress.
Justin recovered from his injury last November after an 8-month break but struggled with foot and knee issues until March when he fully regained fitness.
The young player’s ranking had dropped to No. 233 after his injury, but his hard work and determination have helped him steadily climb back up to his current position.
In May, Justin won the Slovenia Open and then the Saipan International in July, finishing as runner-up at the Northern Mariana Open.
He also earned a bronze medal at the Thomas Cup Finals in Chengdu in May with his teammates, and a month later, he made it to the quarterfinals of the Super 100 Taiwan Masters.
Justin will make his debut at a Super 500 event in Hong Kong, facing a tough challenge against Denmark’s world No. 26, Rasmus Gemke.
Despite a valiant effort, Justin ultimately lost 13-21, 21-19, 13-21 to Gemke, whom he had previously faced in the Thomas Cup group stage.
Meanwhile, independent player Lee Zii Jia also saw a ranking boost, climbing one spot to world No. 3.
The Paris Olympics bronze medalist replaced Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie, who fell to No. 7.
The 26-year-old will miss the Hong Kong tournament but is expected to return for the China Open from September 17 to 22.
Leong Jun Hao remains at No. 29 and will make his Hong Kong debut today against local qualifier Chan Yin Chak, while independent player Ng Tze Yong jumped from No. 65 to No. 61 and will face France’s world No. 28, Christo Popov.
Following the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, the badminton world has now entered the Los Angeles cycle, with the Japan Open and Korea Open held successively. Although many of the stars who participated in the Paris Olympics were absent from these events, there were still many highlights. In this new cycle, young players have stepped onto the stage and begun showcasing their talents. The Chinese badminton team also used these two tournaments to experiment with new doubles pairings and provide young players with opportunities to gain experience.
At the Japan Open, the Chinese team won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles. In the Los Angeles cycle, China still boasts strong pairings in these two events. Olympic women’s doubles silver medalists, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, continued their strong form from Paris. As the second seeds, they advanced to the finals after defeating Malaysia’s top pair Chen Tang Jie and Thinaah Muralitharan, as well as Chinese teammates Jia Yifan and Li Wenmei in the quarterfinals. In the final, they faced top-seeded Korean duo Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee. The “Sheng-Tan” pair triumphed 21-18, 22-20, defeating their opponents again after a quarterfinal victory at the Olympics, securing their third title of the season. With their experience at the Olympics, the duo has become more mature and composed when facing difficult situations. Born in 2004 and 2003, respectively, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning have not only maintained their aggressive playing style but have also developed greater synergy. In the Los Angeles cycle, they are expected to become the leaders of Chinese women’s doubles.
In mixed doubles, the “post-2000s” pairing of Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, already ranked fifth in the world during the Paris cycle, missed out on the Paris Olympics due to the strong competition from Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong and Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping. However, in the Los Angeles cycle, they have naturally become the new hope for Chinese mixed doubles. At the Japan Open final, they comfortably defeated Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet 21-12, 21-12, securing their third World Tour title of the year. Notably, with this victory, their world ranking is set to rise to third, and the Chinese mixed doubles team now occupies the top three spots in the latest world rankings released this week.
In addition to Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning and Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin, many young players also made appearances in these two tournaments. In women’s doubles, Olympic champion Jia Yifan partnered with Li Wenmei at the Japan Open. Newly formed pairings, Kong Xianying/Zhang Shuxian, and Li Yijing/Luo Xumin, also competed at both the Japan and Korea Opens. In men’s doubles, post-2000s pairings such as Xie Haonan/Zeng Weihuan, Chen Boyang/Liu Yi, as well as newcomers Huang Di/Zhou Haodong, made their debut at the Korea Open. Besides Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin, young mixed doubles teams like Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi, Guo Xinwa/Li Xi, and Zhou Zhihong/Yang Jiayi also tested their skills through match play, with hopes of developing better chemistry and deepening the talent pool for Chinese mixed doubles in the new cycle.
In singles, the Chinese team has yet to see any standout newcomers in these two tournaments. However, the men’s singles scene in the global badminton world has witnessed a youth storm. 19-year-old French player Christo Popov Lanier emerged as the biggest dark horse at the Japan Open, defeating top players like sixth-seed Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia, Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, and China’s top player Shi Yuqi to reach the final. In the final, Lanier faced Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, winning 21-17, 22-20 to claim the title, making him the biggest surprise of the first tournament in the new cycle.
