TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Malaysian newspaper "The Star" on Monday (Dec. 25) called Tai Tzu-ying "one of the world's top players" following her recent victory at the World Tour Finals.
Taiwan's silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in badminton also has strong potential for competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the gold medal, according to the newspaper.
Tai's exceptional performance this year includes triumphs at the Badminton Asia Championships, the 2023 Taipei Open, and the World Tour Finals.
These accomplishments have secured her a US$200,000 prize (approximately NT$6.3 million) and an impressive 12,000 world ranking points, positioning her favorably for seeding at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
As she prepares for the Paris competition, Tai faces formidable opponents, including China's Chen Yufei, South Korea's An Se-young, Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, and Spain's Carolina Marin.
In a recent interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Tai emphasized her dedication to maintaining her health during pre-Olympic training.
She also confirmed that the Paris Games will mark her retirement, making her final Olympic appearance a pivotal one as she aims for the gold medal.