Susi Susanti

Lucia Francisca "Susi" Susanti Haditono (; born 11 February 1971) is an Indonesian retired badminton player. Relatively small of stature, she combined quick and graceful movement with elegant shotmaking technique, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest women's singles players of all time. She was the inaugural Olympic women's badminton champion and the first Indonesian Olympic gold medalist.

Career Susanti won the women's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States. She retired from the world badminton circuit not long after her marriage, in February 1997, to Alan Budikusuma, who had also won a badminton singles gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Susanti was the most dominant women's singles player in the first half of the 1990s, winning the All England Open in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994, the World Badminton Grand Prix Finals five consecutive times from 1990 to 1994 as well as in 1996, and the IBF World Championships in 1993. She is the only female player to hold the Olympic, World Championship, and All-England singles titles simultaneously. She won the Japan Open three times and the Indonesian Open six times. She also won numerous Badminton Grand Prix series events and five Badminton World Cups. She led the Indonesian team to victory over perennial champion China in the 1994 and 1996 Uber Cup (women's world team) competitions. All of this came during a relatively strong period in women's international badminton. Her chief competitors early in her prime years were the Chinese players Tang Jiuhong and Huang Hua, and, later, China's Ye Zhaoying and the Korean Bang Soo-hyun.

Susanti was inducted into the International Badminton Federation (IBF, currently BWF) Hall of Fame in May 2004, and received the Herbert Scheele Trophy in 2002. She lit the flame at the 2018 Asian Games opening ceremony.

Playing style Susanti was an extremely durable defensive player who liked to instigate long rallies to wear down her opponent's stamina and invite errors. That style was in contrast to most of the top female players of her time such as Bang Soo-hyun, Tang Jiuhong, Huang Hua, and Ye Zhaoying, who employed a more aggressive style.

Susanti's matches against top-tier opponents were characteristically slow-paced and long, especially in the era of 15 points system when a player could only earn a point when she or he held the serve. Susanti relied on deep clears to the back line, limiting the chance of a fast-paced exchange, mixed with tight drop shots, forcing her opponent to cover the entire court. Susanti frequently covered her backhand side with overhead forehands, by relying on her quickness and back-arching suppleness. Relatively short, she often stretched her legs very wide to take low shots at the corners or away from her position. Developed from training, this leg-stretching, almost balletic maneuver became a signature pose which sometimes ended with a full leg split. In the later years of her career, Susanti incorporated more smashing into her repertoire, enough to throw off opponents expecting only a game of attrition.

Personal life She is married to Alan Budikusuma , a men's badminton Olympic gold medalist (also in 1992) and one of the top men's players in the history of the sport, a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who excelled at the world level from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Together they have three children, Laurencia Averina, born 1999, Albertus Edward, born 2000, Sebastianus Fredrick, born 2003. When the eldest daughter was born, Indonesia was rocked by a series of civil outbreaks and violence. Susanti decided to name her daughter Laurencia Averina Wiratama, which means “peace”, hoping that she would bring about peace in the nation.

In popular culture A biopic in Indonesian based on Susanti's life story, entitled Susi Susanti: Love All directed by Sim F with Laura Basuki playing the titular role and Dion Wiyoko as Alan Budikusuma was released on 24 October 2019.

Awards and nominations

Achievements

Olympic Games Women's singles

World Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1991 Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark Tang Jiuhong 4–11, 1–11 Bronze Bronze 1993 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Bang Soo-hyun 7–11, 11–9, 11–3 Gold Gold 1995 Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland Ye Zhaoying 11–5, 8–11, 2–11 Bronze Bronze

World Cup Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1989 Guangzhou Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Han Aiping 11–5, 11–4 Gold Gold 1990 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 5–11, 11–1, 11–12 Silver Silver 1991 Macau Forum, Macau Huang Hua 3–11, 2–11 Bronze Bronze 1993 Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, India Lim Xiaoqing 11–7, 11–5 Gold Gold 1994 Phan Đình Phùng Indoor Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Bang Soo-hyun 12–9, 11–6 Gold Gold 1995 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Ye Zhaoying 9–12, 11–2, 9–12 Silver Silver 1996 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Wang Chen 11–7, 11–4 Gold Gold 1997 Among Rogo Sports Hall, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Ye Zhaoying 11–8, 11–5 Gold Gold

Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1990 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China Tang Jiuhong 11–7, 1–11, 7–11 Bronze Bronze 1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan Hisako Mizui 4–11, 5–11 Bronze Bronze

SEA Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1987 Kuningan Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia Elizabeth Latief 5–11, 9–11 Silver Silver 1989 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 11–7, 11–6 Gold Gold 1991 Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, Philippines Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 5–11, 11–8, 11–2 Gold Gold 1995 Gymnasium 3, 700th Anniversary Sport Complex, Chiang Mai, Thailand Somharuthai Jaroensiri 11–4, 11–0 Gold Gold

World Junior Championships The Bimantara World Junior Championships was an international invitation badminton tournament for junior players. It was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 1987 to 1991.

Girls' singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1987 Jakarta, Indonesia Lee Jung-mi 11–6, 8–11, 11–6 Gold Gold 1988 Jakarta, Indonesia Huang Ying 11–5, 11–2 Gold Gold

Girls' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1987 Jakarta, Indonesia Lilik Sudarwati Gil Young-ah Lee Jung-mi 9–15, 15–6, 15–5 Gold Gold 1988 Jakarta, Indonesia Lilik Sudarwati Bang Soo-hyun Shon Hye-joo 14–18, 18–14, 15–4 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1987 Jakarta, Indonesia Ardy Wiranata Ricky Subagja Lilik Sudarwati 7–15, 15–7, 15–9 Gold Gold

IBF World Grand Prix (39 titles, 13 runners-up) The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1989 All England Open Li Lingwei 8–11, 4–11 Runner-up 1989 Chinese Taipei Open Christine Gandrup 11–8, 3–11, 7–11 Runner-up 1989 Indonesia Open Huang Hua 11–7, 11–0 Winner 1990 All England Open Huang Hua 12–11, 11–1 Winner 1990 Indonesia Open Lee Young-suk 11–1, 8–11, 4–11 Runner-up 1990 Australian Open Anna Lao 11–1, 11–4 Winner 1990 World Grand Prix Finals Tang Jiuhong 8–11, 11–5, 12–10 Winner 1991 Chinese Taipei Open Somharuthai Jaroensiri 11–1, 11–2 Winner 1991 Japan Open Huang Hua 3–11, 6–11 Runner-up 1991 All England Open Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 0–11, 11–2, 11–6 Winner 1991 Indonesia Open Lee Heung-soon 11–8, 11–3 Winner 1991 Denmark Open Huang Hua 11–5, 6–11, 11–8 Winner 1991 Thailand Open Lee Heung-soon 11–7, 11–4 Winner 1991 Swedish Open Pernille Nedergaard 11–2, 11–3 Winner 1991 World Grand Prix Finals Lee Heung-soon 9–11, 11–8, 11–1 Winner 1992 Denmark Open Lim Xiaoqing 11–3, 11–3 Winner 1992 Japan Open Ye Zhaoying 11–2, 11–0 Winner 1992 German Open Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 11–7, 10–12, 11–8 Winner 1992 Hong Kong Open Bang Soo-hyun 11–5, 6–11, 7–11 Runner-up 1992 Thailand Open Bang Soo-hyun 11–7, 11–4 Winner 1992 World Grand Prix Finals Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 9–11, 11–3, 11–4 Winner 1993 All England Open Bang Soo-hyun 4–11, 11–4, 11–1 Winner 1993 Malaysia Open Lim Xiaoqing 11–6, 11–2 Winner 1993 Indonesia Open Ye Zhaoying 9–11, 11–12 Runner-up 1993 Thailand Open Somharuthai Jaroensiri 12–10, 11–2 Winner 1993 Korea Open Bang Soo-hyun 9–12, 5–11 Runner-up 1993 German Open Ye Zhaoying 11–6, 11–8 Winner 1993 Dutch Open Camilla Martin 11–7, 11–1 Winner 1993 World Grand Prix Finals Ye Zhaoying 11–3, 12–9 Winner 1994 Chinese Taipei Open Kim Ji-hyun 11–2, 11–5 Winner 1994 All England Open Ye Zhaoying 11–5, 11–9 Winner 1994 Japan Open Ye Zhaoying 11–6, 10–12, 11–8 Winner 1994 Malaysia Open Ye Zhaoying 11–3, 11–8 Winner 1994 Thailand Open Lim Xiaoqing 11–5, 12–10 Winner 1994 Indonesia Open Bang Soo-hyun 2–11, 11–0, 11–7 Winner 1994 World Grand Prix Finals Ye Zhaoying 4–11, 12–10, 11–4 Winner 1995 Japan Open Bang Soo-hyun 11–7, 12–11 Winner 1995 Malaysia Open Bang Soo-hyun 11–1, 11–6 Winner 1995 Indonesia Open Bang Soo-hyun 11–1, 12–11 Winner 1995 Korea Open Bang Soo-hyun 3–11, 11–7, 11–9 Winner 1996 Japan Open Ye Zhaoying 7–11, 8–11 Runner-up 1996 Indonesia Open Wang Chen 11–8, 11–8 Winner 1996 Chinese Taipei Open Ye Zhaoying 11–5, 11–2 Winner 1996 World Grand Prix Finals Ye Zhaoying 11–4, 11–1 Winner 1997 Malaysia Open Ye Zhaoying 11–5, 11–7 Winner 1997 Indonesia Open Meiluawati 11–4, 11–5 Winner 1997 Vietnam Open Xu Huaiwen 11–4, 11–1 Winner 1997 World Grand Prix Finals Ye Zhaoying 4–11, 4–11 Runner-up 1998 Singapore Open Ye Zhaoying 5–11, 6–11, 2–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1987 Indonesia Open Verawaty Fadjrin Rosiana Tendean Ivana Lie 4–15, 16–17 Runner-up 1990 Australian Open Lisa Campbell Rhonda Cator Anna Lao 8–15, 2–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1990 Australian Open Ardy Wiranata He Tim Anna Lao 11–15, 12–15 Runner-up IBF Grand Prix tournament IBF Grand Prix Finals tournament

IBF Junior International (2 titles)

Girls' singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result Ref 1987 Duinwijck Junior Lilik Sudarwati 11–2, 11–3 Winner

Girls' doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 1987 Duinwijck Junior Lilik Sudarwati Tina Antonsen Siw Hemmingsen 5–11, 15–11, 15–6 Winner

Invitational Tournament Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1988 Asian Invitational Championships Tang Jiuhong 1–11, 4–11 Bronze Bronze

Record against selected opponents Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost Anna Lao 1 1 0 +1 Dai Yun 3 3 0 +3 Gong Ruina 2 1 1 0 Gong Zhichao 7 3 4 -1 Han Aiping 3 2 1 +1 Han Jingna 5 5 0 +5 Huang Hua 13 9 4 +5 Li Lingwei 2 0 2 –2 Tang Jiuhong 13 7 6 +1 Wang Chen 4 3 1 +2 Xu Huaiwen 1 1 0 +1 Yao Yan 5 5 0 +5 Ye Zhaoying 34 23 11 +12 Zhang Ning 6 5 1 +4

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost Huang Chia-chi 1 1 0 +1 Camilla Martin 15 15 0 +15 Mette Sørensen 2 2 0 +2 Helen Troke 2 2 0 +2 Yasuko Mizui 1 1 0 +1 Mia Audina 1 1 0 +1 Sarwendah Kusumawardhani 6 5 1 +4 Bang Soo-hyun 25 19 6 +13 Kim Ji-hyun 8 7 1 +6 Lee Heung-soon 4 4 0 +4 Lee Young-suk 6 3 3 0 Lim Xiaoqing 9 8 1 +7 Somharuthai Jaroensiri 12 12 0 +12