Top five players with most appearances in BWF World Tour Finals

Two pairs from Thailand lead the list.

The BWF World Tour Finals started from the first season of the then newly introduced BWF circuit in 2018. Top eight players/pairs from the annual circuit qualify for the tournament, competing for the top prize money. The top eight are decided based on points collected from the that particular BWF World Tour season.

The 2023 edition of the tournament is scheduled to be held from from 13 to 17 December in Huangzhou Olympic Sports Expo Centre, Hangzhou and has a prize pool of $2.5 million. Viktor Axelsen and Akane Yamaguchi are the defending champions in the singles category. Unfortunately, the latter had to withdraw due to an injury.

In this article let’s look at the players or pairs with the most appearances in the tournament’s short history.

5. Viktor Axelsen – 5 appearances

Viktor Axelsen has participated in all except for the inaugural edition of the tournament. The current world no.1 failed to qualify in 2018 albeit won it in 2021 and 2022. He is one of the favourite in 2023, the year which could see him three-peat at the BWF World Tour Finals.

The Dane comes into the 2023 edition on the back of wins in the Japan Open, China Open, Indonesia Open, Malaysia Open and Japan Masters.

4. Tai Tzu-ying – 5 appearances

Tai Tzu-ying has been the most consistent women’s singles badminton player in the BWF circuit, having qualified for the Tour Finals five times. In 2021, the COVID-struck season was the only time the longest-reigning world no. 1 in the BWF history failed to qualify for the tournament.

The Taiwanese won’t be a clear favourite this time as she faces stern challenges from the likes of Akane Yamaguchi and An Se-young. She has won the tournament only once in the BWF World Tour Finals era.

3. Anthony Sinisuka Ginting – 5 appearances

The final singles player on the list is the Indonesian heavyweight Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. Like Tai Tzu-ying, Anthony also didn’t qualify for the tournament only during the COVID-struck season in 2021. Despite reaching the finals twice, the Indonesian is yet to triumph. His best finishes have been runners-up in 2019 and 2022.

He comes in the 2023 edition of the BWF World Tour Finals on the back of the Singapore Open win, a finals appearance in the Indonesia Open and semi-final appearances in the Hong Kong and India Open.

2. Rawinda Prajongjai/Jongkolphan Kititharakul – 6 appearances

The Thai women’s doubles pair of Rawinda Prajongjai and Jongkolphan Kititharakul have been super consistent in the BWF circuit, having qualified for the BWF World Tour Finals in every edition since its inception. However, the Thai duo are yet to reach the finals of the tournament, having failed in all of their previous five attempts.

They come into the 2023 edition on the back of runners-up finishes in the Arctic Open and the French Open.

1. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taettaranachai – 6 appearances

Just like the other Thai pair on the list, the mixed doubles pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taettaranachai have qualified for the BWF World Tour finals in every edition since its inception. They, however, have been more successful than their compatriots, winning the title twice and finishing runners-up once. They won the 2020 and the 2021 editions, and they lost the final in the 2022 edition.

They come into the 2023 edition on the back of Malaysia Masters win, and runners-up finishes in the Thailand Open and the Japan Open.

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