TAUFIK HIDAYAT

Taufik Hidayat, one of the greats of modern badminton, has announced his retirement at the end of this year’s Indonesia Open in June. It’s a competition he’s won six times but what is fitting about this announcement is that his career will end where it began, in his home country.

Taufik was only 15 when he was selected for the Indonesian national team. He promptly went on to win his first title at the Brunei Open and in 1999 he made it to the final of All England Open at just 17. His subsequent career has seen him become the World No. 1 and – perhaps more importantly – to become one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors.

His crowning achievements were the astonishing 2004 Athens Olympics where the unseeded Taufik went on to win gold, defeating players ranked far higher than him. Then, in the following year, even that feat was equaled when he won the World Championships in Anaheim, in so doing becoming the first men’s singles player to have won both Olympic and World Championship titles.

In badminton-crazy Indonesia, where players are celebrated for their great flair and skill, Taufik stands out for his vibrancy and speed, leaving his opponents baffled. His trademark shot is his leaping backhand smash, the aggression of which belies his nickname ‘baby face’.

Taufik’s deserved legacy will be the TAUFIK HIDAYAT ARENA which opened its doors in December 2012 and is already welcoming the next generation of young players.