Marc Zwiebler

Marc Zwiebler (, born 13 March 1984) is a German former professional badminton player. and the final of 2009 Denmark Open, one of premier tournament competition series BWF World Superseries, Zwiebler is considered as Germany's top badminton player of all time.

Badminton career Zwiebler started at the age of six years to play badminton. Soon, he was regarded as the biggest German talent. He was 19 times German youth and junior champion in 2003 he became European junior champion and won his first international title at the senior.

In 2005, he was plagued by pain in the back, he thought was ordinary sore muscles until the pain had worsened significantly and he could no longer play just before Christmas 2005. With the diagnosis of herniated disc, his career was in jeopardy and thus moved his dream of participating at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in further distance. After an operation in late 2006 and six months of rehabilitation and fitness training with a total of one and a half year absence, he started to chase after the Olympic qualification. After the enforced break, he was given no more in the world ranking, but within eight months he fought his way, including six European Badminton Circuit titles in 27th place in the world ranking and gave themselves enough to make participation in the Olympics.

At the 2008 Olympics, Zwiebler beat Ireland's Scott Evans in the first round and England's Andrew Smith in the second round, each in three sets. As the first German player ever he went there one last sixteen, but lost to South Korea's Lee Hyun-il 13–21, 23–25.

At 2009 World Championships in Hyderabad, he lost to Kenichi Tago in the second round 15–21, 10–21.

At 2009 Denmark Open, Zwiebler defeated the number four seeded Malaysia's Wong Choong Hann in the first round in three sets. It was followed by a victory over his unseeded compatriot Muhammad Hafiz Hashim in three sets before he won against the number eight seeded China's Chen Long in two sets. In the semifinals, he finally won over the reigning World Cup bronze medalist and runner-up of 2007 Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro in three sets. He became the first ever German to reach the final of a Super Series tournament in Denmark, but lost to Indonesia's Simon Santoso 14–21, 6–21.

At prestigious 2011 All England, Zwiebler beat the reigning world champion China's Chen Jin 21–18, 22–20 in the second round, but was defeated in the semifinals by the 2008 Olympic champion and four-time world champion, China's Lin Dan 9–21, 21–16, 11–21.

He also steered Germany into the semi-finals of the 2010 European Men's Team Championships, where they lost to eventual champions Denmark. Later that year, he gained a bronze medal at the European Championships after losing to Peter Gade in the semifinals in a thrilling match 21–18, 12–21, 17–21.

In July 2011, Zwiebler won the Canada Open and thus his first BWF Grand Prix title. In the final he beat the 2004 Olympic champion and 2005 world champion Taufik Hidayat 21–13, 25–23.

In April 2017, Zwiebler announced his retirement on his personal Facebook page. He stated that the European Championships, Sudirman Cup, Thailand Open, Indonesia Open, and 2017 BWF World Championships will be his last tournaments.

Results

Men's singles

Outcome Year Venue / Tournament Last opponent Score Olympic Games 9/16 2008 Beijing Lee Hyun-il 13–21, 11–21 9/16 2012 London Chen Jin 21–19, 12–21, 9–21 IBF/BWF World Championships 9/16 2010 Paris Peter Gade 14–21, 15–21 9/16 2013 Guangzhou Tommy Sugiarto 19–21, 14–21 17/32 2009 Hyderabad Kenichi Tago 15–21, 10–21 17/32 2011 London Pablo Abián 17–21, 21–7, 22–24 17/32 2014 Copenhagen Chen Long 11–21, 10–21 17/32 2015 Jakarta Lee Chong Wei 14–21, 21–17, 8–21 33/64 2005 Anaheim Nguyễn Tiến Minh 13–15, 16–17 EBU/BE European Championships Gold 2012 Karlskrona Henri Hurskainen 21–15, 21–13 Bronze 2010 Manchester Peter Gade 21–18, 12–21, 17–21 Bronze 2016 La Roche-sur-Yon Viktor Axelsen 10–21, 21–23 17/32 2008 Herning Dieter Domke 15–21, 13–21 17/32 2014 Kazan Vladimir Ivanov 14–21, 22–24 33/64 2004 Geneva Eric Pang 12–15, 3–15 German National Championships (DBV) Gold 2005 Bielefeld Björn Joppien 15–6, 10–15, 15–13 Gold 2008 Bielefeld Björn Joppien 21–19, 21–14 Gold 2009 Bielefeld Björn Joppien 22–20, 22–20 Gold 2010 Bielefeld Dieter Domke 21–11, 21–13 Gold 2011 Bielefeld Lukas Schmidt 21–18, 21–12 Gold 2012 Bielefeld Dieter Domke 21–12, 21–23, 21–15 Gold 2013 Bielefeld Lukas Schmidt 21–18, 21–12 Gold 2015 Bielefeld Fabian Roth 21–13, 23–21 Bronze 2003 Bielefeld International tournaments 1 2003 French Open Joachim Fischer Nielsen 15–3, 8–15, 15–12 3/4 2004 Dutch Open Kenneth Jonassen 9–15, 7–15 2 2004 Norwegian International Björn Joppien 4–15, 5–15 3/4 2004 Iceland International Bobby Milroy 13–15, 15–2, 11–15 3/4 2004 Le Volant d'Or de Toulouse Kasper Ødum 15–11, 2–15, 13–15 2 2004 Scottish International Arvind Bhat 8–15, 7–15 3/4 2005 Portuguese International Arif Rasidi 12–15, 0–15 3/4 2005 Bitburger Open Kasper Ødum 15–13, 3–15, 4–15 1 2007 Belgian International Wu Yunyong 21–16, 14–21, 21–19 3/4 2007 Bitburger Open Lee Tsuen Seng 10–21, 23–21, 15–21 1 2007 Norwegian International Kasper Ødum 21–15, 11–21, 23–21 1 2007 Welsh International Irwansyah 21–16, 21–13 2 2007 Irish International Peter Mikkelsen 19–21, 18–21 1 2007 Hellas International Raju Rai 21–14, 21–16 1 2008 Swedish International Stockholm Jan Ø. Jørgensen 21–13, 23–21 1 2008 Polish International Ville Lång 21–15, 21–13 1 2008 European Badminton Circuit Finals Ville Lång 21–14, 19–21, 21–19 2 2009 Finnish International Peter Mikkelsen 14–21, 21–16, 20–22 1 2009 Belgian International Christian Lind Thomsen 21–13, 16–21, 21–15 2 2009 Denmark Open Simon Santoso 14–21, 6–21 2 2009 Norwegian International Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 21–15, 18–21, 19–21 1 2009 Scottish International Peter Mikkelsen 21–15, 15–21, 21–16 1 2010 Belgian International Eric Pang 21–15, 21–17 3/4 2011 All England Open Lin Dan 9–21, 21–16, 11–21 3/4 2011 Morocco International Joachim Persson 12–21, 15–21 3/4 2011 U.S. Open Nguyễn Tiến Minh 22–20, 13–21, 18–21 1 2011 Canada Open Taufik Hidayat 21–13, 25–23 3/4 2011 Bitburger Open Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 21–17, 17–21, 16–21 2 2012 Bitburger Open Chou Tien-chen 19–21, 12–21 2 2013 Indonesia Open Lee Chong Wei 15–21, 14–21 2 2013 Bitburger Open Chou Tien-Chen 21–13, 18–21, 15–21 3/4 2014 German Open Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 16–21, 13–21 2 2014 Belgian International Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 8–11, 11–10, 9–11, 9–11 1 2014 Czech International Joachim Persson 21–13, 21–18 1 2014 Bulgarian International Scott Evans 21–15, 21–8 3/4 2014 China Open Srikanth Kidambi 11–21, 7–13 Retired 3/4 2015 Indonesia Open Jan Ø. Jørgensen 17–21, 5–11 Retired 3/4 2015 Canada Open Ng Ka Long Angus 17–21, 15–21 1 2015 Prague Open Zvonimir Đurkinjak 26–24, 21–11 3/4 2015 Bitburger Open Wong Wing Ki 21–18, 12–21, 11–21 2 2015 Italian International Brice Leverdez 17–21, 21–14, 24–26 1 2015 Turkey International Harsheel Dani 21–8, 15–21, 21–7 2 2016 Swiss Open Prannoy H. S. 18–21, 15–21

Legend BWF World Superseries Finals BWF World Superseries Premier BWF World Superseries BWF Grand Prix Gold BWF Grand Prix (until 2006 IBF World Grand Prix) BE Circuit Finals BE Circuit / International Challenge

BWF Super Series (Premier)

Germany national team Outcome Year Venue Last opponent Score Thomas Cup 5/8 2010 Kuala Lumpur (Kenichi Tago) 1–3 (21–15, 18–21, 18–21) 5/8 2012 Wuhan (Lee Hyun-il) 0–3 (16–21, 21–18, 14–21) 9/12 2008 Jakarta (Shōji Satō) 2–3 (21–19, 17–21, 5–21) 13/16 2014 New Delhi (Srikanth Kidambi) 2–3 (18–21, 21–18, 18–21) Sudirman Cup 5/8 2015 Dongguan (Lin Dan) 0–3 (12–21, 15–21) 9/12 2011 Qingdao (Kenichi Tago) 1–4 (11–21, 18–21) 13 2007 Glasgow (Eric Pang) 3–0 (21–18, 19–21, 21–17) 13 2009 Guangzhou (Eric Pang) 3–0 (21–19, 19–21, 21–14) European Mixed Team Championships (BE) Gold 2013 Ramenskoye (Hans-Kristian Vittinghus) 3–0 (21–17, 7–21, 21–8) Silver 2011 Amsterdam (Jan Ø. Jørgensen) 1–3 (18–21, 15–21) 5 2008 Herning (without participation) 3–2 5/8 2009 Liverpool (Vladimir Malkov) 2–3 (21–9, 21–13) European Men's Team Championships (BE) Silver 2012 Amsterdam (Jan Ø. Jørgensen) 0–3 (11–21, 14–21) Bronze 2008 Almere (Łukasz Moreń) 3–1 (21–12, 21–18) Bronze 2010 Warsaw (Dmytro Zavadsky) 3–1 (21–16, 27–25) Bronze 2014 Basel (Rajiv Ouseph) 1–3 (13–21, 21–17, 16–21)