How UAE is now producing world's best young badminton players

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Perhaps, the sports-loving residents have no inkling of the youth badminton revolution that is taking shape in the UAE. Since last year, four teenage shuttlers from the country have grabbed the top position in the world junior badminton rankings.

Last year, identical twins Dhiren and Dev Ayyappan became the world's number one pair in boys’ doubles on the back of their consistent performances in international events.

Then this year, Taabia Khan, who comes from a family of cricketers, scaled the peak in girls’ doubles before Bharath Latheesh became the world’s top-ranked junior player in singles.

Until taking a break for Grade 12 exams, Dev Vishnu, another teenage Dubai badminton sensation, broke into the top 10 of world junior rankings in mixed doubles.

These youngsters have not tasted success overnight. It’s the result of years of hard work from the players who have been backed by the UAE Badminton Federation’s groundbreaking initiatives and parents who never hesitate to go the extra mile to help their children chase their dreams.

Jaffer Ebrahim, a former Bahraini champion who is closely working with the UAE Badminton Federation as the BWF Dubai Badminton Development Manager, says the country has now developed an ecosystem to produce quality shuttlers.

“I think it’s the result of all the efforts taken by the federation and also the hard work from the players and the coaches. Over the years, a lot of tournaments have been organized in the country, which is giving great exposure to the players,” Ebrahim told the Khaleej Times.

“Also, the academies have played a big role, they have very good coaching programmes and the parents of these players have been very supportive.

“So we have a very good ecosystem for badminton in the UAE now. The Federation, the president (Noura Hassan Al Jasmi) and the board members have been tirelessly working to give these players the best opportunities.”

Boost for expats

The gamechanger, according to Ebrahim, who has been working in the UAE since 2014, was the federation’s decision to change the rules to allow the expats to represent the UAE in international events.

“The Federation also took a very big decision last year to allow the expats to play for the UAE in international competitions. That was a very big moment, and a lot of expats’ kids were encouraged to play badminton because they knew they could represent the UAE in international events if they played well,” he said.

“It was a gamechanger. Now you see more kids playing badminton. Previously, they didn’t know if they could play in international tournaments, but now they know that if they are good, they could play anywhere.”

The federation is not targeting the expat communities alone.

“We also now have Emirati players who play badminton,” Ebrahim said.

“In fact, we have now more than 200 active Emirati badminton players in the UAE. They have also made some good progress.”

Omer Khan, the father of Taabia, then revealed why these young UAE players have managed to compete with the best players from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and India, the powerhouses in badminton.

“The availability of courts, compared to countries like India, has made a big difference,” said Omer, whose younger daughter, Mysha Omer Khan, is also a promising shuttler.

“If you go to India, you struggle a lot with court availability. I have taken Taabia many times to India. To get the attention of coaches is a lot of struggle, each coach will have 25-30 players to train.

“But that’s not the problem over here. Of course, we don’t have as many players here as in India and that’s a great advantage actually.

“Coaches can give more time to each player. So if a player is doing good, and if the parents are also supporting the player, you get a lot of attention from coaches. And this has played a major role in the development of the young players in the UAE.”

Personal coach

Deeply invested in the badminton dreams of his son, Bharath Latheesh, Latheesh Kuttappan hired one of the best coaches in badminton history for personal coaching.

“Bharath first coach from the age of 9 is Budi Haryadi, the Indonesian coach, who has produced so many Olympic gold medalists and world champions,” Kuttappan said.

“My son started playing badminton when he was seven. I saw the talent in him because I was a badminton player myself in India. I know what you need to do if you want to become a good shuttler. You need undivided attention from coaches, that’s why I brought the best coach for him,” he said of Haryadi who had trained Indonesia’s World and Olympic gold medal-winning doubles pair Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan.

Olympic dream

Bharath, who is now training under Vicki Okvana, says his biggest goal is to follow in the footsteps of legendary players like Kido and Setiawan.

“My long-term goal is the Olympics. If I keep making good progress, I think I can target the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” he said.

Ebrahim said the UAE Badminton Federation has already set the wheels in motion for the Olympics.

“The Olympics is a goal. We are targeting the 2028 Olympics. We are taking all the steps so our players are prepared for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers,” the senior official said.

“Look, badminton has become a very popular sport now in the UAE. You now see thousands of kids playing badminton.

“And these players have reached the top in world (junior) rankings because of all the initiatives and tournaments that have been put in place, giving them an ideal platform to develop their game.”

But Omer Khan, who travels with his daughters for international tournaments, is hoping for support from sponsors.

“To get ranking points, you have to play all international tournaments. But to play these tournaments, you have to travel a lot. So money plays a major role,” he said. “That’s why it’s important to have support from sponsors. With UAE being a commercial hub, we are hoping to get support. If any support comes from corporate houses, that will be a great boost for us as parents.

“Players like Taabia, Bharath and others have proved that there is great potential in the country. The federation is doing a lot. But we also need corporate support. As parents, of course, we will do everything in our power to support our children.”