His playing career began aged 15 when he was selected for the Indonesian national team where he promptly went on to win his first title at the Brunei Open. In 1999 aged just 17 he finished as runner-up at the YONEX All England Open – a great feat for his age.
With 27 career titles including six Indonesian Open titles and three Asian Championship titles, Taufik has also been three times Asian Games Champion. His crowning achievement was winning gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where having entered the games unseeded he defeated players ranked far higher than himself. His successes continued to grow and in the following year he won the World Championships in Anaheim to become the first men’s singles player to have won both Olympic and World Championship titles.
Renowned for his unique and original style of play Taufik’s main qualities are his smooth footwork, deceiving net play and his fearsome backhand smash, which is revered for its awesome power.
Taufik remains one of the greats within the game, his vision is to globalize badminton by promoting it in nations where the sport not so well known. Already heavily involved in bringing his vision to life, Taufik’s badminton legacy continues after the establishment of the Taufik Hidayat Arena in December 2012.
A truly revered badminton player, Taufik Hidayat has become one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors and legends.
Through the Legends’ Vision, Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, Taufik Hidayat and Peter Gade have collaborated with YONEX to further enrich the world through sport, providing happier and healthier lifestyles in today’s aspiring badminton stars.