Tai Tzu-ying Quick Info | |
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Height | 5 ft 4 in |
Weight | 57 kg |
Date of Birth | June 20, 1994 |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Tai Tzu-ying is a Taiwanese professional badminton player who reached the world number 1 ranking in the official BWF (Badminton World Federation) singles rankings for the first time in December 2016, aged just 22. As of May 2022, she was ranked number 2 in the world. On the BWF World Tour, a series of elite badminton tournaments announced in March 2017 and implemented in 2018, as of July 2022, she had won 14 titles – the 2020 BWF World Tour Finals, the 2022 Indonesia Open (Super 1000), the 2020 All England Open (Super 1000), the 2018 All England Open (Super 1000), the 2018 Indonesia Open (Super 1000), the 2019 Malaysia Open (Super 750), the 2019 Denmark Open (Super 750), the 2018 Malaysia Open (Super 750), the 2018 Denmark Open (Super 750), the 2022 Thailand Open (Super 500), the 2019 Singapore Open (Super 500), the 2018 Indonesia Masters (Super 500), the 2022 Taipei Open (Super 300), and the 2018 Chinese Taipei Open (Super 300). She also finished as the runner-up at the 2019 BWF World Tour Finals, the 2019 All England Open (Super 1000), the 2020 Yonex Thailand Open (Super 1000), the 2020 Toyota Thailand Open (Super 1000), the 2019 China Open (Super 1000), the 2018 French Open (Super 750), the 2020 Malaysia Masters (Super 500), and the 2018 Malaysia Masters (Super 500).
Born Name
Tai Tzu-ying
Nick Name
Genius Girl, Xiao Dai
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Residence
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Badminton Player
Family
- Father – Tai Nan-kai (Firefighter, Director of Kaohsiung City’s Badminton Committee)
- Mother – Hu Jung
- Siblings – Tai Ching-Chieh (Older Sister) (Badminton Player)
Handedness
Right
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 4 in or 162.5 cm
Weight
57 kg or 125.5 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
Asian
She is of Taiwanese descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Toned physique
- Ever-changing hairstyle
- Charming smile
- Radiant face
Brand Endorsements
She has been sponsored by –
- Victor Rackets Industrial Corporation (Taiwanese manufacturer of sporting equipment)
- Red Bull (Austrian brand of energy drinks)
Tai Tzu-ying Facts
- Tai started playing badminton in the 4 or 5th grade of elementary school after getting inspired by her father who used to serve as the director of their hometown’s city badminton committee
- When she was in the 6th grade, she competed in the national ranking tournament and even won the title in the 2nd division. She, consequently and subsequently, became the youngest player to compete in the 1st division of the tournament.
- She first came into the spotlight in 2009 at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Asia Junior Championships where she won the ‘Silver’ medal in the girls’ singles event.
- At the 2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games, she clinched the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s team event and the ‘Bronze’ medal in the women’s singles event. At the 2013 edition (Tianjin) of the tournament, she secured the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s team event.
- At the 2012 Gwangju World University Championships, she won the ‘Gold’ medal in the women’s singles event and the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s doubles event.
- In September 2012, she became the then youngest player to have won a Superseries title when she clinched the Japan Open. As of July 2022, she was still the 3rd youngest player to have won a Superseries title in history – after Ratchanok Intanon who won the India Open in 2013, and Akane Yamaguchi who won the Japan Open in 2013.
- On the BWF Grand Prix Tour, a series of badminton tournaments held from 2007 to 2017, as of July 2022, she had won 3 titles – the 2016 Chinese Taipei Open, the 2012 Chinese Taipei Open, and the 2011 U.S. Open. She also finished as the runner-up at the 2013 Chinese Taipei Open and the 2009 Vietnam Open.
- In 2016, she reached the Superseries Finals in Dubai for the 2nd time. This made her just the second women’s singles player to do so (after Li Xuerui in 2012 and 2013). She also became the first women’s singles player to have reached the final match of the Superseries Finals three times (runner-up in 2013, winner in 2014, and winner in 2016).
- On the BWF Superseries Tour, a series of elite badminton tournaments launched in December 2006 and implemented in 2007, as of July 2022, she had won 12 titles – the 2016 Dubai World Superseries Finals, the 2014 Dubai World Superseries Finals, the 2017 All England Open, the 2017 Malaysia Open, the 2016 Indonesia Open, the 2017 Hong Kong Open, the 2017 French Open, the 2017 Singapore Open, the 2016 Hong Kong Open, the 2014 Hong Kong Open, the 2013 Malaysia Open, and the 2012 Japan Open. She also finished as the runner-up at the 2013 World Superseries Finals, the 2016 Denmark Open, the 2016 Malaysia Open, the 2015 Singapore Open, the 2014 Japan Open, and the 2010 Singapore Open.
- At the 2017 (Taipei) edition of the Summer Universiade (an international multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU)), Tai won the ‘Gold’ medal in both the women’s singles and the mixed team events. At the 2013 (Kazan) edition of the event, she won the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s singles competition and the ‘Bronze’ medal in the mixed team competition. In 2015 (Gwangju), she secured the ‘Bronze’ medal in the women’s singles event.
- At the Badminton Asia Championships, in the women’s singles event, she won the ‘Gold’ medal in 2017 (Wuhan) and 2018 (Wuhan) and the ‘Bronze’ medal in 2015 (Wuhan).
- At the 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Asian Games, she won the ‘Gold’ medal in the women’s singles event. She had previously won the ‘Bronze’ medal in the women’s singles competition in the 2014 (Incheon) edition of the tournament.
- During the 2018 BWF World Championships, she broke the record of the longest winning streak in women’s singles badminton matches by surpassing the mark of 30 wins set by Li Xuerui of China.
- In 2020, she reached the final of the All England Open for the 4th year in succession (2017-2020) and won the prestigious title for the 3rd time (winner in 2017, 2018, 2020) in her career. Tai became just the 2nd female player after Ye Zhaoying (1996–1999) to clinch 3 such titles by contesting 4 consecutive finals.
- At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in July and August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), she clinched the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s singles event.
- A few months later, in December 2021, at the Huelva BWF World Championships, she again won the ‘Silver’ medal in the women’s singles event. Both these medals were her first in both those competitions.
Featured Image by Tai Tzu-ying / Instagram