It had to happen sometime. And yet, when two of the greatest-ever pairs of contemporary badminton retired, it left an unfamiliar feeling. Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan and Zheng Si Wei/Huang Ya Qiong will be sorely missed.
Of the two, the Daddies’ retirement was long anticipated, but with every season, they kept defying time. Well into their late 30s they were still fighting it out toe-to-toe with the very best. Literally and metaphorically, their badminton was ageless.
Ahsan and Setiawan bid goodbye at the Indonesia Masters 2025
But what was it about them that was so special? Quite apart from the numerous titles they won – and on that count they have few peers – the extraordinary thing about them was how effortless, how devoid of stress, it all seemed. There was almost a casualness in their approach that defied the norm; whatever the stage, their body language was almost laidback, they still had the ready smile; there were no long, tense conversations on court; no vigorous fist-pumps, no triumphant yells. From start to finish, it was about economy of effort and expression. Their courteous, friendly behaviour on and off court was a showcase of the best that the sport could offer.
Their style itself was pared to the basics – exceptional anticipation and control, particularly of the forecourt; mastery of the serve-return and third shot; an ability to set the terms rather than be drawn into them. In a discipline as physically draining as men’s doubles, Ahsan and Setiawan imposed their own unique style. Even boisterous opponents were at their mild-mannered best against the Daddies, for it was impossible for anyone to get salty against two of the best ambassadors of the sport.
And that brings us to the other great pair that retired recently – Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong.
Zheng and Huang sign off on a perfect note
Zheng and Huang were the model pair. Few players have the luxury of signing off on a successful career on their terms; Zheng and Huang are exemplars in this regard. In their final season they won the biggest title of all – the Olympic gold – and then chose the season-ending home event, the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2024, to draw the curtains on their career. Of course they had to win their final event, and they did.
An observer once remarked that the secret to Zheng and Huang’s success was that, in their case, two plus two was more than four. That is, the total was greater than the sum of its parts. Individually they were outstanding – Zheng, with his relentless power and dynamism, a tornado around the court, while Huang was almost his opposite – a picture of calm, opportunistic mastery; as a pair each was the perfect foil for the other. They say the eye of the storm is its calmest region – if Zheng was the storm, Huang was the eye, discerning fleeting opportunities, setting up openings for her partner, and providing the balance when Zheng was in doubt.
Their greatest moment — Paris 2024
In many ways, Zheng and Huang could not have been more different from the Daddies – Zheng often likened to a tornado for his dizzying level of energy – but in some ways, particularly in how well-liked they were among their peers, there were similarities. Midway through his career, Zheng embarked on learning English, and he was soon able to converse with clarity. That made him a spokesman of sorts, and he was aware of the responsibility he carried as a top badminton player. Despite the enormity of their accomplishments, Zheng and Huang were unfailingly polite as they handled their obligations off court.
Alongside all the titles both pairs won, Ahsan/Setiawan and Zheng/Huang will be remembered for elevating the sport, in setting high benchmarks as its ambassadors.
BWF Newsletter
