Kusuma Wardani Heads to BWF World Tour Finals as a Debutant

Indonesian badminton ace Kusuma Wardani is set to make her BWF World Tour Finals debut in December, despite recent defeats, as she seeks to reaffirm her place among the sport’s elite.

Proving Her Mettle

“So for the WTF later, this is my event to prove that I did not give up easily and I can still compete with them and also win.”

– Kusuma Wardani

Wardani, who lost to An Se-young in the 2022 Australian Open final, will face a daunting challenge in Hangzhou, China, as she takes on an unblemished lineup consisting of Se-young, Wang Zhi Yi, Han Yue, and Akane Yamaguchi. Her most balanced head-to-head record is against Tomoka Miyazaki.

The Tournament Ahead

• The BWF World Tour Finals take place from December 17 to December 21 in Hangzhou.
• Wardani is one of five Indonesian representatives, with the other four being Fajar Alfian / Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, Sabar Karyaman Gutama / Mohamad Reza Pukvi Isfahani, Jonatan Christie, and Jafar Hidayatullah / Felisha Nath bebek Pasaribu.
• The women’s doubles category is the only sector without Indonesian representation.

The Road to Hangzhou

Wardani’s journey to the World Tour Finals comes after a rollercoaster season. Although she fell short in the Australian Open final, her resilience and determination remain unwavering.

“Yesterday, it’s grateful to be given the lead on the podium even though it was still a runner-up because his opponent in the final was also quite difficult, number one in the world, but yesterday I was quite happy to make An Se-yuong difficult.”

– Kusuma Wardani

With the BWF World Tour Finals on the horizon, Kusuma Wardani is eager to turn her fortunes around and showcase her skills on badminton’s grandest stage.