Top 6 Best Mixed Doubles Badminton Partners of All Time
A lot of the time, in the sport of badminton, people focus on the singles matches and the one vs. one games. While these matches are certainly entertaining, there is another form of badminton that is great to watch as well in the doubles matches. There are men’s doubles matches, women’s doubles matches, and mixed doubles matches. Here are six of the greatest mixed doubles badminton pairs of all time.
Who Are the Best Mixed Doubles Badminton Partners in the World?
- Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong
- Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai
- Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping
- Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino
- Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti
- Seo Seung-Jae and Chae Yoo-Jung
1. Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong
- 146 victories together in 161 matches
- 2018/19 World Champions
- 15 total championships won on tour
While there have been a lot of great mixed doubles pairings in badminton over the years, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China deserve the title of the greatest pairing of all time. Since they came together in November of 2017, they have won 146 of their 161 matches together, a winning percentage of over 90 percent. They were crowned overall world champions following the 2018-19 season. In total, they have won 15 championships together on the BWF World Tour and BWF Super Series, as well as one BWF title in the Grand Prix. Both players play an extremely aggressive, all-around style, and it has contributed to their success. Currently, they are number one in the world badminton rankings.
2. Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai
- 176 victories in 245 matches together
- Seven Tour titles
- 2017 South Asian Games champions
Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand are another extremely successful mixed doubles badminton pair. In their 245 matches played, they have won an impressive 176 of them, good for a winning percentage of around 72 percent. In 2017, the two won the South Asian Games, and they also took home the silver medal at the 2019 BWF Worlds two years later. In total, they have taken home six titles on the World Tour and one on the Grand Prix in their career together. Certainly, they are the greatest pairing that Thailand has ever had in mixed doubles badminton.
3. Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping
- 151 victories in 190 matches together
- 2018 BWF World Tour champions
- 2019 Asian Games champions
The second pairing from China to make this list, Wang Yilu and Huang Dongping have had a great career together as well. In the 190 matches they have played together, they have come out on top in 151 of them, meaning they have won 79 percent of them. Their major championship victories together include the 2018 BWF World Tour title and the 2019 Asian Games championship. In all, they have eight total tour titles won. Of those eight titles, six of them were on the World Tour, one was on the Super Series, and one was on the Grand Prix.
4. Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino
- 119 victories in 169 matches played together
- Three-time England Open champions
- Five World Tour titles together
The first and only pairing from Japan, Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino kick off the second half of this list. The two have come out on top 119 times in their 169 career matches together, good enough for a winning percentage of 70 percent. The two have become masters of the England Open, winning the event three times in 2018, 2021, and 2022. In all, they have won five World Tour titles during their time together. Additionally, they have one International Challenge title together. Watanabe’s technique and creativity, combined with Higashino’s jump smash hit, make this pairing tough to beat.
5. Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti
- 78 victories in 123 matches together
- 2019 South East Asian Games champions
- 2020 England Open champions
Hailing from Indonesia, Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti are the penultimate mixed doubles badminton pairing on this list. The two have won 63 percent of their matches together, coming away victorious 78 times in 123 matches played. They were the South East Asian Games champions in 2019 as well as winning the title at the England Open in 2020. Moreover, they have taken home three World Tour titles during their time together. Currently, they hold the number-four spot in the BWF Mixed Doubles rankings and are the number-one ranked pairing in their home country of Indonesia.
6. Seo Seung-Jae and Chae Yoo-Jung
- 73 victories in 104 matches together
- Super 300 Australian champions in 2018
- Three World titles together
The final pairing on this list and the first from South Korea, Sea Seung-Jae and Chae Yoo-Jung have had a fine career together. In their 104 matches together, they have come out on top 73 times, which comes out to a winning percentage of around 70 percent. In 2018, they took home the Super 300 Australian championship for one of their most notable victories together, and it also happened to be their first victory together. In 2020, they were the runners-up at the World Tour Finals. In total, they have won three world titles together in the five years since their first title.
Honorable Mentions
- Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue
- Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms
- Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo-Jung
- Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl
- Koo Sung Yun and Kim Ha Na
- Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir
- Joachim Fischer-Nielsen and Christina Pedersen
- Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith
- Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja
- Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying
FAQ
Who are the best mixed doubles badminton pairs in the world right now?
The number-one ranked pair in the world in mixed doubles badminton is the Chinese duo of Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong. The two have a running total of 112,400 points in the world ranking system. Just behind them is the Japanese pair of Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino, who have a running total of 93,965 points, and another Chinese pair, Wang Yi Lyu and Huang Dong Ping are in third with 85,050 points.
When did the first mixed doubles badminton event take place?
The first known and official mixed doubles badminton event took place in 1899 at the All England Open. Plenty of other major badminton events have included mixed doubles for years, including the Commonwealth Games (since 1966) the European Mixed Team Badminton Championships (since 1972), the World Badminton Championships (since 1977), and the Sudirman Cup (since 1989). Additionally, the Summer Olympics introduced a mixed doubles badminton event at the 1996 United States games in Atlanta, Georgia.