World No.1 Tai Tzu Ying has struck it rich while reeling in the major titles this season. The Chinese Taipei star has pocketed over US$116,000 so far this year – the highest by any player in 2017.
The earnings include prize money only for BWF tournaments and not continental championships.
Tai has been on a tournament-winning spree – claiming the Yonex All England, Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open, OUE Singapore Open and the Badminton Asia Championships. Her earnings are over twice that of World and Olympic champion Carolina Marin’s despite the Spaniard having finished runner-up in three Superseries besides the quarter-finals of the All England.
Other big earners in Women’s Singles are: Pusarla V Sindhu (India, US$39,075); Ratchanok Intanon 
(Thailand, US$28,350); Akane Yamaguchi (Japan, US$28,112); Sung Ji Hyun (Korea, US$27,187); Saina Nehwal (India, US$14,550); Chen Yufei (China, US$ 13,225) and Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Thailand, US$11,520).
Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei leads the big earners in Men’s Singles with US$67,800 thanks to his All England victory and runner-up finish at the Malaysia Open, while second spot is occupied by his close rival Lin Dan (China; US$63,120), who beat him in Malaysia. Lin won the Yonex Swiss Open and the Malaysia Open, besides making the semi-finals of the All England and the China Masters.
Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen (US$32,150), runner-up at the India Open; India’s Sai Praneeth (US$31,947), winner of the Singapore Open; Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen (US$30,075), India Open winner, and China’s Shi Yuqi (US$29,460), All England runner-up, follow Lin on the list of top earners.
Indonesia’s Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon won three straight Superseries this season – the All England, India Open and Malaysia Open. Consequently, their earnings are the highest in the category at US$62,687 each, followed by China’s Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (US$22,725 each), Denmark’s Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (US$19,174 each) and China’s Zheng Siwei and Fu Haifeng.
Maiden Superseries winners Sayaka Hirota and Yuki Fukushima top the earnings in Women’s Doubles. The Japanese pair, who won their first Superseries in Malaysia, took home US$32,890 each. Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (US$32,140 each) and Korea’s Chang Ye Na/Lee So Hee (US$30,350 each) also enjoyed a profitable season.
Mixed Doubles pair Lu Kai/Huang Yaqiong have been on a roll this year, making the finals of all six tournaments, and winning four. Their performances have netted them US$64,042 each, while compatriots Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen, winners in Malaysia, saw their wallets swell by US$31,840 each. Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai (US$15,845 each); China’s Zhang Nan/Li Yinhui (US$15,645 each) and Malaysia’s Chang Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (US$14,110 each) too had reason to be happy.
Click here for the list of top earners
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