Current world No.1 singles stars – Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying (featured image) – are among the contenders for the Badminton World Federation’s Player of the Year awards to be presented at the Players’ Reception and Gala Dinner in Dubai next Monday night.

The prestigious prizes, announced on the eve of the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals, recognise the top-achieving player/pair in four categories: Male Player of the Year, Female Player of the Year, Most Promising Player of the Year (Eddy Choong Award) and the Most Improved Player of the Year. Winners of the first three categories will be chosen by the BWF Awards Commission from a list of nominees while the Most Improved Player is special direct award from the Commission.

There are four contenders for Male Player of the Year – Zheng Siwei (China), Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), Kidambi Srikanth (India) and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia).

Six women are vying for Female Player of the Year: Chen Qingchen (China), Huang Yaqiong (China), Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Pusarla V Sindhu (India), Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) and Lee So Hee (Korea).

The Most Promising Player of the Year (Eddy Choong Award) will be decided from among five contenders: Chen Yufei (China), Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (India), Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia), Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Indonesia) and Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia).

Here are the nominees and the highlights of their season (listed alphabetically by member association):

MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ZHENG SIWEI (CHINA): Men’s Doubles (MD), Mixed Doubles (XD)

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (XD)

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Winner – 4 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (XD); Crown Group Australian Open (XD); Tahoe China Open (XD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (XD)

Runner-up – 5 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD); Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (MD); BCA Indonesia Open (XD); Danisa Denmark Open (XD), Yonex French Open (XD)

 

VIKTOR AXELSEN (DENMARK): Men’s Singles (MS)

Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open

Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Tahoe China Open

Bronze Medal: European Championships 2017

 

KIDAMBI SRIKANTH (INDIA): Men’s Singles (MS)

Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Winner – 4 Superseries: BCA Indonesia Open; Crown Group Australian Open; Danisa Denmark Open; Yonex French Open

Runner-up – 1 Superseries: OUE Singapore Open

 

MARCUS FERNALDI GIDEON/KEVIN SANJAYA SUKAMULJO (INDONESIA): Men’s Doubles (MD)

Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Winners – 6 Superseries: Yonex All England; Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open; Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open; Tahoe China Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open

Runners-up – 2 Superseries: Victor Korea Open; Danisa Denmark Open

*****

FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHEN QINGCHEN (CHINA): Women’s Doubles (WD), Mixed Doubles (XD)

Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (WD)

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 (XD)

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Winner – 5 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (XD); BCA Indonesia Open (WD); Crown Group Australian Open (XD); Tahoe China Open (WD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (WD)

Runner-up – 4 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD); BCA Indonesia Open (XD); Danisa Denmark Open (XD), Yonex French Open (XD)

 

HUANG YAQIONG (CHINA): Women’s Doubles (WD), Mixed Doubles (XD)

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Winner – 6 Superseries: Yonex All England (XD), Yonex-Sunrise India Open (XD), OUE Singapore Open (XD); Victor Korea Open (WD); Tahoe China Open (XD); Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open (XD)

Runner-up – 2 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open (WD & XD)

Gold Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017 (XD)

TAI TZU YING (CHINESE TAIPEI): Women’s Singles

Winner – 5 Superseries: Yonex All England; Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open; OUE Singapore Open; Yonex French Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open

Gold Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017

 

PUSARLA V SINDHU (INDIA): Women’s Singles

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise India Open; Victor Korea Open

Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open

 

AKANE YAMAGUCHI (JAPAN): Women’s Singles

Bronze Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Winner – 1 Superseries: Tahoe China Open

Runner-up – 3 Superseries: Crown Group Australian Open; Danisa Denmark Open; Yonex French Open

Silver Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017

 

LEE SO HEE (KOREA): Women’s Doubles

Gold Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Quarter-Finals: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Winner – 2 Superseries: Yonex All England; Danisa Denmark Open

Runner-up – 4 Superseries: BCA Indonesia Open; Victor Korea Open; Yonex French Open; Tahoe China Open

Bronze Medal: Badminton Asia Championships 2017

*****

MOST PROMISING PLAYER OF THE YEAR (EDDY CHOONG AWARD)

CHEN YUFEI (CHINA): Women’s Singles

Silver Medal: TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup 2017

Bronze Medal: TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017

Semi-Finals – 2 Superseries: Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open, Danisa Denmark Open

Quarter-Finals – 4 Superseries: Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open, Crown Group Australian Open; Yonex French Open; Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open

Quarter-Finals: Badminton Asia Championships 2017

 

SATWIKSAIRAJ RANKIREDDY (INDIA): Men’s Doubles (MD), Mixed Doubles (XD)

Quarter-Finals – 2 Superseries: Yonex French Open (MD); Victor Korea Open (MD)

Semi-Finals – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Yonex Dutch Open (XD)

 

APRIYANI RAHAYU (INDONESIA): Women’s Doubles

Winner – 1 Superseries: Yonex French Open

Runner-up – 1 Superseries: Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open

Quarter-Finals – 1 Superseries: Victor Korea Open

Winner – 1 Grand Prix Gold: SCG Thailand Open

Semi-Finals – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Skycity New Zealand Open

 

GREGORIA MARISKA TUNJUNG (INDONESIA): Women’s Singles

Gold Medal: BWF World Junior Championships 2017

Runner-up – 1 Grand Prix Gold: Syed Modi International

 

LEE ZII JIA (MALAYSIA): Men’s Singles

Semi-Finals – 3 Grand Prix Golds: Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters; Yonex Open Chinese Taipei; Bitburger Badminton Open

Winner: Victor Polish International