THE BEST OF ASIA: SUNG JI HYUN
Sung Ji Hyun is a South Korean player, and is currently ranked #15 in BWF’s World Ranking for Women’s Singles. With 383 career wins so far, Sung Ji Hyun is one of Korea’s most prominent badminton players, and one of the BEST IN ASIA.
Born in Seoul, it seemed that she was destined to play the sport. Her parents, Sung Han-kook and Kim Yun-ja were both badminton players who competed internationally in the 1980s. Passing on the family gift, she decided to follow in their footsteps and become one too. She said, "In elementary school, 3rd grade (10 years old), I wanted to play the sport as I like it and found it interesting to learn. And the more I learn about the sport, the more I like it.”
She then became professional more than 10 years ago in 2009. Just a year after she made her debut, she had already found some success. She was a part of the women’s team that won gold at the Uber Cup and bronze at the Asian Games. Individually, she also won silver at the Korean Open.
She was already off to an incredible start and over the last few years, the more and more podiums she stood on and the more medals she won. In 2013, she won Gold at the Korea Open, and Chinese Taipei Open (which she also won in 2011 and 2014) as well. At the Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia that year she won double gold for women’s singles and mixed team.
Her success continued the next year as she helped the women’s team win silver at the Asian Games and won gold at the Asian Championships, beating Chinese player Wang Shixian. Other highlights in her career also saw her win gold at the German and Thailand Open in 2015 and multiple gold medals in 2016 as she won the Syed Modi International, New Zealand Open and Korea Masters. She also clinched gold at the Sudirman Cup in 2017.
Even though she’s been playing for more than 10 years, Sung Ji Hyun is still going strong. Just last month, she competed at the Thailand Open held in Bangkok. We’re excited to watch her play and compete some more!
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