TAUFIK HIDAYAT (Indonesia)

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Arguably the most popular player in the sport, Taufik
Hidayat sat on top of the world ranking in 1998 but
has failed to stay for long as injuries and other
problems stood in his way. He has dropped to No. 11
but has remained a formidable force as shown by his
victory in the Asian Continental Championships last
April.

The defending Olympic champion and winner of the Asian
Games gold medal in Doha last year, the 26-year-old
Bandung, Jawa Barat native also a former world
champion, has won the Indonesian Open six times and is
raring to showcase his talent and skills before
Filipino fans in the $120,000 Bingo Bonanza Philippine
Open starting July 18 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig
City, Metro Manila.

Hidayat, also a gold medal winner in the 2002 Asiad,
is known for his relaxed playing style although he has
weaknesses in his reluctance to kill from high
forehand clears and his impatience with loud crowds,
which is expected to come aplenty come game time.

On top of this amazing player’s profile, he also has a
terrific record. He was the number 1 seed in the 2000
Sydney Olympics, at the age of 19. he also won his
first Indonesia Open title when he was just 18. He had
got the All England final when he was 17. But among
the countless things he has done,the most remarkable
is that of Asian Junior championship title. When
Taufik was 17, he became the best player in the world,
after retaining the world no.1 spot for several months
he won the Asian Junior championship title after.