Why they rank here
Blessed with the most beautiful backhand the sport has seen, Taufik Hidayat completed the singles set that eluded even some legends: Olympic gold at Athens 2004 and the World Championship in 2005, won at home in Jakarta before a delirious crowd. He captured the Indonesia Open a record six times and won Asian Games gold in 2006. His signature backhand smash and around-the-head attacking play were matched by a mercurial temperament that made him box-office. At his best — the 2004 to 2005 peak — he combined artistry with ruthlessness, dismantling opponents with angles and disguise rather than brute force. Though injuries and inconsistency meant he never held prolonged No. 1 dominance, at his height Taufik was the most watchable and technically gifted player of his generation, and his backhand remains a reference point for coaches and players the world over.
Career profile
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Head-to-head
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