Sung Ji-hyun

Summary

Sung Ji-hyun (Korean성지현; Hanja成池鉉; born 29 July 1991) is a South Korean badminton player from Seoul. She is an Asian Championship gold medalist, a two-time Summer Universiade gold medalist, and a World Championship bronze medalist. She was also part of South Korean teams that won the 2010 Uber Cup, 2017 Sudirman Cup, as well the team event at the 2013 and 2015 Summer Universiade.[1][2] She competed at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, and at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.[3] Sung is married to compatriot men's singles player, Son Wan-ho.[4] She coaches An Se-young.[5]

Sung Ji-hyun
성지현
成池鉉
Personal information
CountrySouth Korea
Born (1991-07-29) 29 July 1991 (age 32)[1]
Seoul, South Korea
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Weight56 kg (123 lb; 8.8 st)[1]
Years activesince 2009
HandednessRight
Women's singles
Career record384 wins, 207 losses
Highest ranking2 (16 March 2017)
Current ranking100 (18 October 2022)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  South Korea
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Jakarta Women's singles
Sudirman Cup
Gold medal – first place 2017 Gold Coast Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Kuala Lumpur Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Qingdao Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Dongguan Mixed team
Uber Cup
Gold medal – first place 2010 Kuala Lumpur Women's team
Silver medal – second place 2012 Wuhan Women's team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Kunshan Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2014 New Delhi Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Bangkok Women's team
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Incheon Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Guangzhou Women's team
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Gimcheon Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Wuhan Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Wuhan Women's singles
Asia Mixed Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2017 Ho Chi Minh Mixed team
Asia Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2020 Manila Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Hyderabad Women's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Alor Setar Women's team
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2013 Kazan Women's singles
Gold medal – first place 2013 Kazan Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Gwangju Women's singles
Gold medal – first place 2015 Gwangju Mixed team
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2007 Waitakere City Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 2008 Pune Mixed team
Asian Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2008 Kuala Lumpur Mixed team
BWF profile
Sung Ji-hyun
Hangul
성지현
Hanja
成池鉉
Revised RomanizationSeong Jihyeon
McCune–ReischauerSŏng Chihyŏn

Early life and education edit

Sung went into badminton following the path of her parents Sung Han-kook and Kim Yun-ja who both competed internationally in the 1980s.[6]

Career edit

She won the Korea Grand Prix Gold title in 2011. Unlike most South Korean badminton players Sung has focused on singles and in December 2011 she received a career high ranking of number seven in the world in that discipline.[2]

In 2012, Sung's performances at Super Series event improved, and she reached semifinals in the Indonesia Open, Singapore Open and Japan Open. She was seeded 8th at the 2012 Olympics. However, she lost to Yip Pui Yin and did not make it past the group stage. She defended her Korea Grand Prix title at the end of the year.

Sung won her first Super Series Premier title early in 2013 at her hometown, at the Korea Open. This propelled her ranking up to world no.5, the highest of her career. Sung reached the semi-finals at the All England, losing to eventual winner Tine Baun in a match that lasted for 76 minutes, with a final score of 22–24, 21–19, 19–21. She later won the 2013 Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold against Tai Tzu-ying, 21–16, 21–9. Then, she reached the finals of 2013 Denmark Super Series Premier losing to Wang Yihan in 21–16, 18–21, 20–22. In 2013 Korea Open Grand Prix Gold, she went up against compatriot Bae Youn-joo and she was beaten in 3 sets, 21–19, 15–21, 21–9.

At the 2014 German Open Grand Prix Gold, she reached the final which Sayaka Takahashi won, 21–17, 8–21, 21–12. At the 2014 Badminton Asia Championships, she became the first South Korean in 10 years to win the title, beating 1st seeded Wang Shixian 21–19, 21–15. At the 2014 Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold, she won 21–13, 21–18 against Liu Xin. She qualified for the Dubai 2014 BWF Super Series Masters Finals and lost to Tai Tzu-ying in the final, 17–21, 12–21.

 
Sung at the 2015 BWF World Championships

She won the 2015 German Open Grand Prix Gold beating Carolina Marín 21–15, 14–21, 21–6. In 2017, she helped the South Korean national team to win the world team championships at the 2017 Sudirman Cup.[7]

She coaches An Se-young.[5]

 
Sung Ji-hyun against An Se-young in the semi-final of 2019 Chinese Taipei Open

Achievements edit

BWF World Championships edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2015 Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia   Carolina Marín 17–21, 21–15, 16–21   Bronze

Asian Championships edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2014 Gimcheon Indoor Stadium, Gimcheon, South Korea   Wang Shixian 21–19, 21–15   Gold
2016 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China   Li Xuerui 20–22, 11–21   Bronze
2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China   Chen Yufei 12–21, 13–21   Bronze

Summer Universiade edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2013 Tennis Academy, Kazan, Russia   Tai Tzu-ying 21–16, 29–27   Gold
2015 Hwasun Hanium Culture Sports Center, Hwasun, South Korea   Porntip Buranaprasertsuk 21–18, 21–19   Gold

BWF World Tour (1 title, 1 runner-up) edit

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[8] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tours are divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the BWF HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[9]

Women's singles

Year Tournament Level Opponent Score Result
2019 Chinese Taipei Open Super 300   Michelle Li 21–11, 21–9   Winner
2019 Korea Masters Super 300   An Se-young 13–21, 17–21   Runner-up

BWF Superseries (2 titles, 6 runners-up) edit

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[10] is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels are Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consists of twelve tournaments around the world that have been introduced since 2011.[11] Successful players are invited to the Superseries Finals, which are held at the end of each year.

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2010 Korea Open   Wang Shixian 10–21, 23–25   Runner-up
2013 Korea Open   Wang Shixian 21–12, 22–20   Winner
2013 Denmark Open   Wang Yihan 21–16, 18–21, 20–22   Runner-up
2014 Dubai World Superseries Finals   Tai Tzu-ying 17–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2015 Korea Open   Wang Yihan 21–14, 17–21, 21–18   Winner
2016 Korea Open   Akane Yamaguchi 22–20, 15–21, 18–21   Runner-up
2016 Dubai World Superseries Finals   Tai Tzu-ying 14–21, 13–21   Runner-up
2017 Indonesia Open   Sayaka Sato 13–21, 21–17, 14–21   Runner-up
  BWF Superseries Finals tournament
  BWF Superseries Premier tournament
  BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (10 titles, 3 runners-up) edit

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) which was held from 2007 to 2017.

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2011 Swiss Open   Saina Nehwal 13–21, 14–21   Runner-up
2011 Chinese Taipei Open   Ratchanok Intanon 22–20, 21–14   Winner
2011 Korea Grand Prix Gold   Han Li 21–18, 21–16   Winner
2012 Korea Grand Prix Gold   Aprilla Yuswandari 21–10, 21–10   Winner
2013 Chinese Taipei Open   Tai Tzu-ying 21–16, 21–9   Winner
2013 Korea Grand Prix Gold   Bae Yeon-ju 19–21, 21–15, 9–21   Runner-up
2014 German Open   Sayaka Takahashi 17–21, 21–8, 12–21   Runner-up
2014 Chinese Taipei Open   Liu Xin 21–13, 21–18   Winner
2015 German Open   Carolina Marín 21–15, 14–21, 21–6   Winner
2015 Thailand Open   Liang Xiaoyu 21–17, 22–24, 21–8   Winner
2016 Syed Modi International   Sayaka Sato 12–21, 21–18, 21–18   Winner
2016 New Zealand Open   Aya Ohori 21–15, 21–17   Winner
2016 Korea Masters   Lee Jang-mi 21–8, 21–10   Winner
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
  BWF Grand Prix tournament

Record against selected opponents edit

Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semifinalists, and Olympic quarterfinalists. Accurate as of 21 January 2021.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "SUNG Jihyun - Biography". 2009 Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b "SUNG Ji Hyun". tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  3. ^ "SUNG Jihyun". Incheon 2014 official website. Archived from the original on 2 October 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  4. ^ "손완호-성지현 12일 화촉…대를 이은 배드민턴 부부 최초 탄생". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b Agarwal, Madhav (17 January 2024). "Losing is important: Coach Sung Ji Hyun's message to An Se Young ahead of Olympics". Inside Sport India. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  6. ^ Hearn, Don. "SUNG JI HYUN – Carrying on a Family Tradition". Badzine.net. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Korea wins Sudirman Cup badminton final on Gold Coast". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  8. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  9. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  10. ^ "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
  11. ^ "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". www.ibadmintonstore.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Ji Hyun Sung Head to Head". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 20 February 2020.

External links edit

  • Sung Ji-hyun at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com
  • Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sung Ji-hyun". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.