Players
Players to watch
Viktor AXELSEN (Denmark)
Born in Odense in 1994, Denmark's Viktor Axelsen shone from an early age, winning the 2010 World Junior Championships in singles. To this day, this is a unique performance for a non-Asian badminton player. Four years later, he won his first world medal at senior level, with a bronze, before finally reaching the top step of the podium in 2017 and then 2022. European champion in 2016, 2018 and 2022, the lanky Scandinavian has also distinguished himself in the most prestigious of competitions: the Olympic Games. Bronze medallist in 2016 against Chinese legend Lin Dan, Viktor Axelsen has been unbeaten ever since, masterfully winning the editions in Tokyo in 2021 and Paris in 2024... in the hall that will host the world championships in August 2025.
AN Se Young (Korea)
Born in 2002, Korean nugget An Se Young was revealed to the general public at just 17 years of age, when she won the 2019 Yonex Internationaux de France de Badminton against Carolina Marin. It was a major title that saw her join the world's top ten players just a few weeks later. The rising star then confirmed all the hopes placed in her, first winning bronze at the 2022 World Championships, before an exceptional 2023 vintage. Eight titles on the BWF World Tour, gold medallist at the Asian Games and also world champion, the Gwangju native dominated the discipline and took the number one ranking in the world. An Se Young then assumed her favourite status at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, winning gold in the City of Light.
LIANG Wei Keng/WANG Chang (China)
Born in the early 2000s, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang began their association on the international scene in 2022. Finalists in Indonesia (Super 500) and then winners of the Japan Open (Super 750), the Chinese pair established themselves in the world's top 25 in just six months. An encouraging start was confirmed by a remarkable 2023. Semi-finalists on their first appearance at the World Championships, Liang/Wang won the first Super 1000 of their career two weeks later on home soil, in front of their home fans. Number one in the world and fresh from winning the Asian title, the Chinese colossuses went into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as favourites. In the end, they had to settle for silver, beaten by reigning champions Lee/Wang.
LIU Sheng Shu/TAN Ning (China)
Aged 18 and 19 respectively, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning teamed up on the international circuit in November 2022. Their first international outing together was crowned with success, heralding a radiant future for the young pair. The year 2023 was a flamboyant one for Liu/Tan, who won five titles on the BWF World Tour, including the Yonex IFB, held exceptionally in Rennes. A member of the world's top 10 in just over a year, the Chinese pair confirmed their status by climbing to third place in the rankings in February 2024, fresh from their first Super 1000 stage win. Only beaten by their compatriots Chen/Jia in the final, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning ended the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a silver medal around their necks.
ZHENG Si Wei/HUANG Ya Qiong (China)
Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong teamed up in 2017 and quickly made their mark on the international circuit, winning their first three contested competitions. Their world titles in 2018 and 2019 put the Chinese pair on top of the world. Silver medallists at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, in a competition where gold was just around the corner, the Chinese duo went on to have a banner year in 2022, winning ten World Tour titles and another World Championship title. Their (almost) unchallenged domination propelled the pair to the top step of the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the end of a perfectly controlled competition that added the only missing line to their record of achievements.
