In the Spotlight
A record-breaking teen, ‘Indian Axelsen’ are men’s badminton players to watch
The Straits Times looks at the up-and-coming men’s singles talent who could shine at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, which kick off on Feb 3 in Qingdao, China.
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Indonesia's Zaki Ubaidillah in action during the 2025 SEA Games men's singles final against compatriot Alwi Farhan at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus on Dec 14, when Alwi clinched gold with a 13-21, 21-8, 21-12 win.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Zaki Ubaidillah (Indonesia), 18
World ranking: 44
The highest-ranked teenager in the world rankings at 44th, Zaki served notice of his ascent just days before the start of the Feb 3-8 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao, China.
In the last Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour event before the team tournament, the 18-year-old made his breakthrough by winning his first Super 300 competition at the Thailand Masters with a thrilling 21-19, 20-22, 21-19 triumph over home favourite Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul.
Said Zaki: “The opposing fans were quite loud today, but that only made me even more enthusiastic.”
That ability to deal with pressure was also apparent at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, where he upset top seed and world No. 10 Loh Kean Yew of Singapore before going on to win silver in the men’s singles. He also won a gold in the men’s team competition.
The success in Bangkok over the weekend made two-time world junior medallist Zaki the youngest-ever Super 300 champion. Beyond records, the East Java native’s smooth movement, anticipation and flowing strokes mark him as someone to watch.
And he is already aiming higher, proclaiming after his win that he hopes to “win a Super 500 title or higher”.
Fellow Indonesian rising star and SEA Games champion Alwi Farhan, 20, already made that Super 500 breakthrough at the Indonesia Masters in January.
In the world No. 14 and Zaki, Indonesian fans will be hoping to see the eventual successors to Jonatan Christie and Anthony Ginting.
Ayush Shetty (India), 20
World ranking: 28
India’s Ayush Shetty reacting after hitting a return during his 21-17, 21-16 win over Kodai Naraoka of Japan at the Australia Open badminton tournament in Sydney on Nov 20.
PHOTO: AFP
On the BWF World Tour, Shetty stands out. At 1.95m, it is quite hard for the Indian not to.
The 20-year-old is one of the tallest players on the circuit, taller than two-time reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen (1.94m), whose height has been cited as an advantage of his game.
Shetty has trained with the Dane, telling The Times of India: “We have a pretty similar game. We both like to attack... Really good to know that I’m called ‘Axelsen of India’, but I would like to chart my own path...
“Growing up, he was not really good at his defence. That is something I am facing right now, but I am working on that aspect of my game. For tall players, the test is often closer to the net. The front-court movement is really tough. You really have to be strong in your physicality and have strong legs.”
The 2023 world junior bronze medallist definitely seems to be making big strides with those long legs.
In 2025, he won his first Super 300 title at the US Open in June. He also reached the semi-finals of the Orleans Masters and Taipei Open, while making the last eight of the Hong Kong Open and Hylo Open in his first full season on the circuit.
The world No. 28’s target for 2026 is to crack the top 10, and already he has shown the ability to best elite players, having beaten sixth-ranked Taiwanese Chou Tien-chen as well as Loh and Japan’s Kodai Naraoka (world No. 9) twice.
With former world championship medallists Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy now in their 30s, India will hope the Karnataka-born Shetty stands tall in the international scene.
Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (Thailand), 21
World ranking: 36
Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul in action during the Indonesia Masters men’s singles final against Alwi Farhan of Indonesia in Jakarta on Jan 25, when the Indonesian won 21-5, 21-6.
PHOTO: EPA
In 2022, at the Thomas Cup on home soil, a 17-year-old Panitchaphon confidently said: “I wanted my fans to know a new generation is coming to replace the seniors.”
Now 21, he is showing that his nascent confidence is not misplaced.
Malaysia’s Eogene Ewe has described the Thai’s game as “naughty”, adding: “His hand skill is very nice, his smash is powerful. His double motion, net shots... his skills are beautiful. Every time I went one way, the shuttle would go another way.”
In 2026, he has reached the final of both tournaments he has competed in – the Indonesia and Thailand Masters. The loss to Zaki at home at the Nimibutr Stadium on Feb 1 was particularly painful, but there is still plenty of promise in Bangkok-born Panitchaphon.
The world No. 36 and 2022 world junior bronze medallist has in 2026 already beaten several higher-ranked opponents including Loh, former All England and Asian champion Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia and India’s former world championship medallist Lakshya Sen.
The son of former Thai player Anurak Teeraratsakul, Panitchaphon’s twin brother Pakkapon is a doubles player. Both of them were part of the Thailand team who won bronze at December’s SEA Games. The pair are equally prolific off the court, having acted in Thai drama Brothers and the movie Immortal Species.
