Perhaps it’s just the promise that all New Years bring, but as 2025 dawns, badminton will be poised for fresh beginnings.
While the tournament structure remains mostly unchanged and many of the protagonists of the recent past continue to occupy centre stage, the new season does offer a fresh takeoff point from last season which saw the end of some brilliant careers that have defined badminton over the last two Olympic cycles.
There is thus the sense of something new in the air, even as many of familiar figures are well entrenched in the landscape and unlikely to fade out soon.
And while the broad contours of the unfolding season can be anticipated, there is room for some questions to play out.
An Se Young
Among these questions are the evolution of powerhouses like Japan and Korea. Japan was the rising power a decade ago and did go on to accomplish many feats, such as winning the Thomas Cup and the Uber Cup, besides individual World Championships. Yet, with a number of their biggest stars – such as Kento Momota, Kenta Nishimoto, Wakana Nagahara and Aya Ohori – having retired, and the future of some others uncertain, Japan can be expected to be in a transitional phase in 2025, with a new emerging generation led by players like Tomoka Miyazaki. Yet, how quickly and how successfully can the transition happen? This will be one of the questions at the forefront of the new season.
Korea’s evolution too will be closely followed, particularly with all the attention in the aftermath of An Se Young’s history-making feat at Paris 2024. While the team is sturdy on some fronts – particularly doubles – it is noticeably weak in others, such as men’s singles. Even in women’s singles, there is some distance between An Se Young and the rest of Korea’s line-up. Korea’s top women’s doubles players have done stellar duty for long; will a new generation be pushed to take over?
Liu Sheng Shu (right) and Tan Ning
China’s seamless transitioning of young hopefuls into world-beaters shows how far ahead of the pack then powerhouses are. In nearly every department, China have had players taking on the mantle from their seniors, with the best examples being that of Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning, Jiang Zheng Bang/Wei Ya Xin and Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi. This season is likely to see them consolidating on their gains from last year.
Another intriguing question is the direction other powers, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Chinese Taipei and India will take, apart from emerging ones such as France, which had impressive gains in 2024.
Chinese Taipei made the most gains for an upcoming team in recent times, and with a first Thomas Cup bronze, showed they now have the depth to beat any other team. While they are relatively stronger overall in the men’s division than the women’s, Chinese Taipei’s growth into a powerhouse in multiple departments has been an inspiring story.
Chinese Taipei made history at the Thomas Cup last year with a first-ever medal
The big team test this year will be the TotalEnergies BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 in Xiamen. Hosts China will be well geared for their title defence; can a new power emerge?
Team strength apart, badminton will continue to ride on the prowess of individual ability. Many icons of the last decade are in the evening of their careers – how much longer can fans relish their skills on court? In women’s singles particularly, a golden generation is fast fading. Will fans be treated to more brilliant displays of their dazzling skills before they call it a day?
As 2025 unfolds, the answers to these questions could well define how the season is remembered.
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