Current world No.1 singles stars – Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying – are among the contenders for the Badminton World Federation’s Player of the Year awards to be presented at the Players’ Reception and Gala Dinner in Dubai next Monday night.
The prestigious prizes, announced on the eve of the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals, recognise the top-achieving player/pair in four categories: Male Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, Most Promising Player of the Year (Eddy Choong Award) and the Most Improved Player of the Year. Winners of the first three categories will be chosen by the BWF Awards Commission from a list of nominees while the Most Improved Player is special direct award from the Commission.
There are four contenders for Male Player of the Year – Zheng Siwei (China), Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), Kidambi Srikanth (India) and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia).
Six women are vying for Female Player of the Year: Chen Qingchen (China), Huang Yaqiong (China), Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Pusarla V Sindhu (India), Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) and Lee So Hee (Korea).
The Most Promising Player of the Year (Eddy Choong Award) will be decided from among five contenders: Chen Yufei (China), Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (India), Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia), Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Indonesia) and Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia).
Here are the nominees and the highlights of their season (listed alphabetically by member association):
MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ZHENG SIWEI (CHINA): Men’s Doubles (MD), Mixed Doubles (XD)
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (XD)
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Winner – 4 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (XD); Crown Group Australian Open (XD); Tahoe China Open (XD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (XD)
Runner-up – 5 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD); Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (MD); BCA Indonesia Open (XD); Danisa Denmark Open (XD), Yonex French Open (XD)
VIKTOR AXELSEN (DENMARK): Men’s Singles (MS)
Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open
Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Tahoe China Open
Bronze Medal: European Championships 2017
KIDAMBI SRIKANTH (INDIA): Men’s Singles (MS)
Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Winner – 4 Superseries: BCA Indonesia Open; Crown Group Australian Open; Danisa Denmark Open; Yonex French Open
Runner-up – 1 Superseries: OUE Singapore Open
MARCUS FERNALDI GIDEON/KEVIN SANJAYA SUKAMULJO (INDONESIA): Men’s Doubles (MD)
Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Winners – 6 Superseries: Yonex All England; Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open; Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open; Tahoe China Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open
Runners-up – 2 Superseries: Victor Korea Open; Danisa Denmark Open
*****
FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CHEN QINGCHEN (CHINA): Women’s Doubles (WD), Mixed Doubles (XD)
Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (WD)
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (XD)
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Winner – 5 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (XD); BCA Indonesia Open (WD); Crown Group Australian Open (XD); Tahoe China Open (WD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (WD)
Runner-up – 4 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD); BCA Indonesia Open (XD); Danisa Denmark Open (XD), Yonex French Open (XD)
HUANG YAQIONG (CHINA): Women’s Doubles (WD), Mixed Doubles (XD)
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Winner – 6 Superseries: Yonex All England (XD), Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD), OUE Singapore Open (XD); Victor Korea Open (WD); Tahoe China Open (XD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (XD)
Runner-up – 2 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (WD & XD)
Gold Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017 (XD)
TAI TZU YING (CHINESE TAIPEI): Women’s Singles
Winner – 5 Superseries: Yonex All England; Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open; OUE Singapore Open; Yonex French Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open
Gold Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017
PUSARLA V SINDHU (INDIA): Women’s Singles
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Victor Korea Open
Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open
AKANE YAMAGUCHI (JAPAN): Women’s Singles
Bronze Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Winner – 1 Superseries: Tahoe China Open
Runner-up – 3 Superseries: Crown Group Australian Open; Danisa Denmark Open; Yonex French Open
Silver Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017
LEE SO HEE (KOREA): Women’s Doubles
Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex All England; Danisa Denmark Open
Runner-up – 4 Superseries: BCA Indonesia Open; Victor Korea Open; Yonex French Open; Tahoe China Open
Bronze Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017
*****
MOST PROMISING PLAYER OF THE YEAR (EDDY CHOONG AWARD)
CHEN YUFEI (CHINA): Women’s Singles
Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Bronze Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017
Semi-Finals – 2 Superseries: Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open, Danisa Denmark Open
Quarter-Finals – 4 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open, Crown Group Australian Open; Yonex French Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open
Quarter-Finals: Badminton Asia Championships 2017
SATWIKSAIRAJ RANKIREDDY (INDIA): Men’s Doubles (MD), Mixed Doubles (XD)
Quarter-Finals – 2 Superseries: Yonex French Open (MD); Victor Korea Open (MD)
Semi-Finals – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Yonex Dutch Open (XD)
APRIYANI RAHAYU (INDONESIA): Women’s Doubles
Winner – 1 Superseries: Yonex French Open
Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open
Quarter-Finals – 1 Superseries: Victor Korea Open
Winner – 1 Grand Prix Gold: SCG Thailand Open
Semi-Finals – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Skycity New Zealand Open
GREGORIA MARISKA TUNJUNG (INDONESIA): Women’s Singles
Gold Medal: BWF World Junior Championships 2017
Runner-up – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Syed Modi International
LEE ZII JIA (MALAYSIA): Men’s Singles
Semi-Finals – 3 Grand Prix Golds: Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters; Yonex Open Chinese Taipei; Bitburger Badminton Open
Winner: Victor Polish International
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