The greatest deceptive player in badminton history — ranked World No.1 for a record 224 consecutive weeks, Olympic silver medallist and the inventor of shots so deceptive that coaches and players have spent years trying to find answers to her game.
Tai Tzu-ying was born in Tainan, Taiwan in 1994. She held the World No.1 ranking for a record 224 consecutive weeks. She won the Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and the BWF World Tour Finals three times. Her game is built around deception — her ability to disguise the direction and pace of shots through identical preparation movements has been analysed extensively by coaches and described as the most technically sophisticated in women's badminton history. She was not a World Champion — the one major title she did not win — but her dominance of the ranking system and her match record against all opponents placed her among the greatest singles players the sport has produced.
Record-breaking BWF World No.1 reign and innovative playing style
How They Played
Deceptive shots, exceptional court coverage, creative shot-making
Lasting Impact
Longest-reigning World No.1 in badminton history, elevated Taiwan's badminton profile globally
Olympic Silver 2020
Career Honours
- Olympic Silver 2020
- BWF World No.1 for record 224 consecutive weeks
- BWF World Tour Finals winner x3