
Bangkok: With the conclusion of the 2022 BWF World Tour Finals, the 2022 badminton season is finally over. Coincidentally, four reigning world champions were also winners in their respective categories at the year-end event.
Viktor Axelsen who beat Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-5, 21-16 to win the 2022 men’s singles BWF World Championships title, and overcame Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 21-13, 21-14 at the Finals on Sunday, is undoubtedly the most dominant men’s singles player in the last 2 years. However, looking forward to the 2023 season, he could face tough challenges from Lee Zii Jia, Shi Yuqi, Kodai Naraoka, and Loh Kean Yew.
In women’s singles, Tai Tzu Ying, He Bingjiao, and Chen Yufei all earned their fair share in the category, but in terms of more complete overall performance and dominance in 2022, Akane Yamaguchi who won the All-England, Japan Open, World Championships, and BWF World Tour Finals is the only female who stood out in big tournaments of 2022.
The men’s doubles category is the only event in which the World Champions did not win the BWF World Tour Finals. Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik who defeated Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 21-19, 21-14 in the World Championships final on August 28, 2022, lost all their matches and finished last in the Group B of the 2022 BWF World Tour Finals. On the other hand, Liu Yuchen/Ou Xuanyi who are only playing together for their first season, saw off their idols Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 21-17, 19-21, 21-12 to capture their first Finals title. This also proved that competition in the men’s doubles category is wide open and there’s no clear dominant pair in the event.
In women’s doubles, World No. 1 Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan won their third World Championships in Tokyo this year and also finished the year with the BWF World Tour Finals title. As the Japanese women’s doubles are no longer as strong as they were a few years ago, and the Korean women’s doubles pairs are very inconsistent, in short term, it’s hard to see Chen/Jia being challenged by any women’s doubles pairs in the world unless they are playing under par themselves.
Although a lot of focus usually being given to the men’s singles and women’s singles categories, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong who won their 10th title of the year at the Finals last Sunday, should be considered the Most Valuable Badminton Players of 2022. They are unstoppable and are probably their own biggest opponents. If they could maintain their momentum, they are unquestionably the top favorites to win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.