Rising Stars Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning Claim Top Spot in World Badminton Rankings
Leon To
Mon Nov 04 2024
In the realm of women's badminton doubles, the young Chinese pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning have surged to the pinnacle of the world rankings. With Liu at 20 years old and Tan at 21, this dynamic duo has shown remarkable prowess and determination, propelling themselves to the coveted number one position.
Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning's climb to the top spot has been nothing short of impressive. Their stellar performance in the 2024 season, culminating in 9350 points from securing the second place at the Denmark Open 2024, enabled them to surpass Olympic champions Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan. Meanwhile, the Korean pair of Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee holds the second spot after reaching the semifinals in Denmark.
Their rapid ascent began with Liu's victory at the World Junior Championships in 2022 alongside Wang Ting Ge. Subsequently, the duo captured titles at the Malaysia International Series 2022 and the Indonesia Masters 2023. Their debut on the World Tour yielded five championships, including the prestigious French Open 2023.
In 2024, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning continued their winning streak by clinching the Malaysia Open title. Since then, they have added three more titles, reaching the finals in six out of their appearances. Notably, they advanced to the finals in the Paris 2024 Olympics, followed by victories at the Japan Open and Arctic Open.
Reflecting on their new status as the top pair, Liu shared, "We aim to keep improving. We don't have time to dwell on being number one. As we play more, opponents may prepare against us, so we need to enhance our skills."
The Japanese duo Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi, who defeated Liu and Tan in the Denmark Open final, currently stand at the sixth position globally. The Denmark Open marked their fifth triumph of the year and their first Super 750 title.
The top ten women's doubles rankings feature four Chinese pairs, two Japanese pairs, three Korean pairs, and a Malaysian duo, showcasing the diverse talent in the badminton world.
On the singles front, South Korea's An Se Young reclaimed the top spot in women's singles, displacing Chen Yu Fei following her runner-up finish at the Denmark Open. In men's singles, China dominates with Shi Yu Qi leading the pack, while Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang head the men's doubles rankings. The Olympic champions Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong maintain their reign in the mixed doubles despite not competing since Paris 2024.
Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning's remarkable journey to the pinnacle of women's doubles badminton reaffirms their status as rising stars in the sport. With their relentless pursuit of excellence and a string of impressive victories, this young Chinese duo is poised to leave an indelible mark on the world badminton stage.