1. Viktor Axelsen (Yonex)
Racket: Astrox 100zz Kurenai
One of the tournament favourites, Viktor Axelsen's remarkable all-round game is a blend of on-court prowess, agility, and tactical acumen. The towering Dane, renowned for his powerful smashes and deft touch at the net, has displayed great consistency in major tournaments. Axelsen's triumph at the Tokyo Olympics illustrated his mastery over the game and mental resilience. As he heads into the World Championships, his relentless drive, superb form, and careful selection of Yonex equipment make him more than simply a contender - expect him to dictate the pace of competition. His fans and rivals alike will be watching keenly to see if he can replicate his recent success and further etch his name into badminton's pantheon of greats. The home favourite, back in his native Denmark, can he do it?
As the reigning Olympic, Japan Open, European Games, Indonesian Open, Malaysian Open, World Tour Finals, French Open and reigning 2022 World Championships champion, he certainly has the creds.
Shoes: Power Cushion 65z3
Strings: BG80
Racket: Astrox 88D Pro racket
Vitidsarn's selection of the Astrox 88D Pro racket combined with BG80 strings, provides a blend of power and precision. His chances are favourable, but he'll need to overcome strong competition. Vitidsarn has a 28-9 win/loss ratio in 2023 and is the current Thailand and India Open champion. Runner-up in last year’s World Championships.
Strings: BG80
3. Kodai Naraoka (Yonex)
Racket: Astrox 99 Pro
Naraoka's game focuses on control and precision. His chances are promising, and he may be a dark horse in this tournament. Four semi-finals, four quarter-finals and one final appearance this year doesn’t adequately reflect Kodai’s talent or match his sensational form of 2022, the man from Japan is still a force to be reckoned with.
Strings: Exbolt 65
4. Jonatan Christie (Li Ning)
Racket: Axforce 90 Tiger Max
Jonatan Christie's racket choice reflects his offensive style. His chances depend on his form and ability to harness the power of his equipment. Always a dangerous player, Christie has endured patchy form in 2023 having only won an Indonesian Masters so far this year.
Racket: Astrox 100zz Navy Blue
Li's equipment choices reflect his preference for balance and control. He has a decent chance of going well in this tournament, depending on how well he can execute his game plan. The current Yonex All England Champion, Li has sought to make his mark following in his hero Lin Dan’s footsteps. He has a few titles this year – US Open, a runner up in Canada and, of course, he’s won the big one in Birmingham - can he do it on the next big stage?
Strings: 66 Ultimax
6. Loh Kean Yew (Li Ning)
Racket: Li-Ning Axforce 90 Long Max
Loh always takes an attacking approach and definitely has the potential to surprise. The Singaporean is a former World Champion, and has made finals this year, so has the calibre to shock.
7. Shi Yu Qi (Yonex)
Racket: Astrox 100zz Navy Blue
Shi has a blend of power and agility and his chances are strong if he can maintain his form. A bit of an underachiever considering the skills he possesses, but long absences from competitions and living in the shadow of legends like Lin Dan and Chen Long haven’t helped. Shi Yu Qi has everything a player has ever needed to succeed, and will be a tricky opponent early in the tournament thanks to his low seeding. He has played in one final to date in 2023, but he seems to relish the underdog status.
Strings: BG80 Power
Racket: Nanoflare 1000z
Sen has a great all-around game, as reflected by his choice of racket and strings which look to benefit all sides of the game. His chances at the World Championships may appear slim, but his recent performances show growing promise. The Commonwealth champion has aggression and plenty of flair. Sen hates losing, but his form has been patchy this year. He remains a dangerous player and is armed with the fastest smash racket in the world, the Nanoflare 1000z!
Strings: BG80 Power
9. Anders Antonsen (Victor)
Racket: Auraspeed 90K racket
His racket and strings combination accentuates his versatile playing style. Antonsen has a solid chance and should certainly not be underestimated. It’s a home tournament, and although he’s had a rather patchy few years he has found some form in 2023 with a Korean Open win and a couple of final appearances.
Strings: VBS-63
Wild cards
Ng Tze Yong
Humble, skillful, fast and powerful, Ng Tze Yong has everything needed to be Malaysia's next badminton star. He will be roared on by the ever-present Malaysian travelling fans wherever he goes and has proven with wins against Axelsen, Chou Tien Chen, Loh Kean Yew and Christie this year. The Commonwealth Games silver medalist unfortunately has a 16-14 win/loss this year, which is sub-optimal, and he does have a tendency to succumb first round losses, but he has shown he can beat anyone on his day.
Lee Zii Jia
Where do we start? Possibly the most divisive player in badminton, maybe the badminton version of Nick Kyrgios. Now with a new coach Wong Tat Meng, can Lee Zii Jia finally find some consistent form?
