Liliyana Natsir
Liliyana Natsir is an Indonesian former badminton player who specialized in doubles. With one gold and silver from the Olympic Games, and four gold medals at the BWF World Championships, she is regarded as one of the greatest mixed doubles players of all-time. Natsir was the second Indonesian woman Olympic gold medalist, after Susi Susanti won gold in 1992. She gained huge success by partnering with two different players which reached the world number 1 rangking in each their time as a pair. Her last partner was Tontowi Ahmad after being separated from her previous partner, Nova Widianto. She also won three titles in a row from 2012–2014 at All England Badminton Championships, one of the most prestigious and oldest tournament in the sport. Her tactical awareness, game vision, and dominance at the front court are considered as one of the best in the tour. In 2016, she and Tontowi Ahmad became the first Indonesian mixed doubles pair to win gold medal at the Olympic Games after beating Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia. As of 2019, she holds the highest number of BWF World Championship titles for mixed doubles.
Early life
Natsir had dreamed of being a badminton athlete since childhood. She started playing badminton at the age of nine at her local badminton club in Manado. Three years later, she decided to move to Jakarta and entered her youth club, Tangkas Alfamart. She joined the national badminton team of Indonesia in 2002 together with Natalia Poluakan, her longtime friend from Manado. When she and Poluakan won the women's doubles title in Pekan Olahraga Nasional, Richard Mainaky noticed her game and invited her to play in mixed doubles with Nova Widianto.Career
In 2006, Natsir and Widianto won the Asian Championships in mixed doubles and four World Grand Prix titles. They won the BWF World Championships in both 2005 and 2007, as well as runner up in 2009 Hyderabad. While Natsir had previously focused on mixed doubles with partner Nova Widianto, in 2007 she began playing women's doubles with Vita Marissa. In the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, Natsir and Marissa won the gold medal in women's doubles, defeating their Indonesian teammates Jo Novita and Greysia Polii in straight sets. They also helped the Indonesian women's team win the team gold medal at the games. Natsir and Widianto entered Olympic Games 2008 Beijing | Mixed doubles as number one seed, but got silver medal after having a shocking loss to the world number 10 Lee Yong-dae and Lee Hyo-jung. They have also been runner up at the All England Championships twice. In the beginning of 2009 Marissa resigned from national team. When this decision came out, Marissa and Natsir had to split up and each focus on their own career. One year later, in September 2010, the badminton world was surprised by the sudden split of world number #1 mixed-doubles pair Widianto and Natsir. In total, Nova and Liliyana had clinched two World Championship gold medals and 14 titles all together, and were still at world #1 when the decision was announced..Since then Lilyana has paired with the younger player Tontowi Ahmad in mixed doubles which whom they achieved the world no. 1 in may 2018, and had won numerous prestigious big events such as gold medal in Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Mixed doubles, the BWF World Championships in 2013 Guangzhou after beat the current no.1- world ranked Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei in semifinal and the top sead Xu Chen and Ma Jin in the final, then in 2017 Glasgow again defeated the current world no.1 from China Zheng Siwei Chen Qingchen, three titles in a row from 2012–2014 at All England Badminton Championships, gold medal in Asia Championships 2015 Wuhan, and other 25 tittles as a pair, as well as silver medal in Asian Games 2014 Incheon | Mixed doubles
Awards
- Indonesia Sports Awards 2018 for Favorite Mixed Pair
- iNews Maker Awards 2017
- Golden Award SIWO PWI 2017
- Golden Shuttle Awards 2016
- Indonesia Kids Choice Awards 2014
- Anugerah Seputar Indonesia 2014
- People of the Year 2013 by Sindo newspaper
Achievements
Olympic Games
She has made three Olympics appearances, in which she won a gold medal in 2016 Rio Olympic Games, was stopped in the semifinals of the 2012 London Olympics and reached the final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics for Mixed Doubles. She also played for 2008 Beijing Olympics for Women Doubles, but lost in the first round.Natsir competed in badminton at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles with partner Tontowi Ahmad and won the gold medal in the end.
Natsir competed in badminton at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Mixed doubles with partner Tontowi Ahmad and finished fourth at the end.
- 2008 Summer Olympics at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, Beijing, China
She also competed in the women's doubles event with Vita Marissa but lost to Zhang Jiewen and Yang Wei of China in the first round.
BWF World Championships
- 2017 BWF World Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland
- 2015 BWF World Championships at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia
- 2013 BWF World Championships at the Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou, China
- 2011 BWF World Championships at the Wembley Arena in London, England
- 2009 BWF World Championships at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, India
- 2007 BWF World Championships at the Putra Indoor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2005 BWF World Championships at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, United States
World Cup
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2006 | Olympic Park, Yiyang, China |  Nova Widianto |  Xie Zhongbo Zhang Yawen | 21–16, 21–18 | Gold |
| 2005 | Olympic Park, Yiyang, China | Nova Widianto | Xie Zhongbo Zhang Yawen | 19–21, 10–21 | Silver |
Asian Games
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2018 | Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tontowi Ahmad | Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong | 13–21, 18–21 | Bronze |
| 2014 | Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 16–21, 14–21 | Silver |
Asian Championships
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2018 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Tontowi Ahmad | Wang Yilü Huang Dongping | 17–21, 17–21 | Silver |
| 2016 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 21–16, 9–21, 17–21 | Silver |
| 2015 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Tontowi Ahmad |  Lee Chun Hei Chau Hoi Wah | 21–16, 21–15 | Gold |
| 2010 | Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India | Devin Lahardi Fitriawan |  Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying | 21–12, 19–21, 15–21 | Bronze |
| 2008 | Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia | Nova Widianto | Flandy Limpele Vita Marissa | 17–21, 17–21 | Silver |
| 2006 | Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia | Nova Widianto |  Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam | 21–16, 21–23, 21–14 | Gold |
Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2008 | Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia | Vita Marissa | Zhang Jiewen Yang Wei | 10–21, 10–21 | Bronze |
Southeast Asian Games
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2011 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Tontowi Ahmad | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thoungthongkam | 21–7, 21–14 | Gold |
| 2009 | National Sports Complex, Vientiane, Laos | Nova Widianto | Songphon Anugritayawon Kunchala Voravichitchaikul | 21–10, 20–22, 21–9 | Gold |
| 2007 | Wongchawalitkul University, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand | Nova Widianto | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam | 21–13, 22–24, 16–21 | Bronze |
| 2005 | PhilSports Arena, Pasig City, Philippines | Nova Widianto | Anggun Nugroho Yunita Tetty | 15–6, 15–2 | Gold |
Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2007 | Wongchawalitkul University, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand | Vita Marissa | Jo Novita Greysia Polii | 21–15, 21–14 | Gold |
| 2003 | Tan Binh Sport Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Eny Erlangga | Jo Novita Lita Nurlita | 13–15, 15–11, 7–15 | Silver |
World Junior Championships
Girls' doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2002 | Pretoria Showgrounds, Pretoria, South Africa | Devi Sukma Wijaya | Du Jing Rong Lu | 4–11, 5–11 | Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2002 | Pretoria Showgrounds, Pretoria, South Africa | Markis Kido | Cao Chen Rong Lu | 4–11, 1–11 | Bronze |
Asian Junior Championships
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2002 | Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Markis Kido | Cao Chen Rong Lu | 11–4, 11–3 | Gold |
BWF World Tour (1 title, 3 runners-up)
The BWF World Tour, announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation. The BWF World Tour are divided into six levels, namely World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2019 | Indonesia Masters | Super 500 | Tontowi Ahmad | Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong | 21–19, 19–21, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Singapore Open | Super 500 | Tontowi Ahmad | Goh Soon Huat Shevon Jemie Lai | 19–21, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | Tontowi Ahmad | Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying | 21–17, 21–8 | Champion |
| 2018 | Indonesia Masters | Super 500 | Tontowi Ahmad | Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong | 14–21, 11–21 | Runner-up |
BWF Superseries (23 titles, 19 runners-up)
The BWF Superseries, launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation. BWF Superseries has two levels: Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, which introduced since 2011, with successful players invited to the Superseries Finals held at the year end.Liliyana has got many superseries titles with some partners such as Nova Widianto, Vita Marissa, and Tontowi Ahmad.
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2017 | French Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zheng Siwei Chen Qingchen | 22–20, 21–15 | Champion |
| 2017 | Indonesia Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zheng Siwei Chen Qingchen | 22–20, 21–15 | Champion |
| 2016 | Hong Kong Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Praveen Jordan Debby Susanto | 21–19, 21–17 | Champion |
| 2016 | China Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Li Yinhui | 21–13, 22–24, 21–16 | Champion |
| 2016 | Malaysia Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying | 23–21, 13–21, 21–16 | Champion |
| 2015 | Denmark Open | Tontowi Ahmad |  Ko Sung-hyun Kim Ha-na | 22–20, 18–21, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Korea Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 16–21, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | All England Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 10–21, 10–21 | Runner-up |
| 2014 | French Open | Tontowi Ahmad |  Chris Adcock Gabrielle Adcock | 21–9, 21–16 | Champion |
| 2014 | Denmark Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Xu Chen Ma Jin | 20–22, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2014 | Singapore Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Riky Widianto Puspita Richi Dili | 21–15, 22–20 | Champion |
| 2014 | All England Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 21–13, 21–17 | Champion |
| 2013 | China Open | Tontowi Ahmad |  Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen | 21–10, 5–21, 21–17 | Champion |
| 2013 | Denmark Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 11–21, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Singapore Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Yoo Yeon-seong Eom Hye-won | 21–12, 21–12 | Champion |
| 2013 | India Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Ko Sung-hyun Kim Ha-na | 21–16, 21–13 | Champion |
| 2013 | All England Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 21–13, 21–17 | Champion |
| 2012 | Denmark Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Xu Chen Ma Jin | 21–23, 26–24, 11–21 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | Japan Open | Muhammad Rijal | Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying | 12–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | Indonesia Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thoungthongkam | 17–21, 21–17, 13–21 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | India Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thoungthongkam | 21–16, 12–21, 21–14 | Champion |
| 2012 | All England Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Thomas Laybourn Kamilla Rytter Juhl | 21–17, 21–19 | Champion |
| 2011 | Indonesia Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 22–20, 14–21, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2011 | Singapore Open | Tontowi Ahmad |  Chen Hung-ling Cheng Wen-hsing | 21–14, 27–25 | Champion |
| 2011 | India Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Fran Kurniawan Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth | 21–18, 23–21 | Champion |
| 2010 | Singapore Open | Nova Widianto | Thomas Laybourn Kamilla Rytter Juhl | 12–21, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2010 | All England Open | Nova Widianto | Zhang Nan Zhao Yunlei | 18–16, 25–23, 18–21 | Runner-Up |
| 2009 | Hong Kong Open | Nova Widianto |  Robert Mateusiak Nadiezda Kostiuczyk | 20–22, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | French Open | Nova Widianto | Hendra Aprida Gunawan Vita Marissa | 21–7, 21–7 | Champion |
| 2009 | Malaysia Open | Nova Widianto | Lee Yong-dae Lee Hyo-jung | 21–14, 21–19 | Champion |
| 2008 | BWF Superseries Finals | Nova Widianto | Thomas Laybourn Kamilla Rytter Juhl | 19–21, 21–18, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | China Masters | Nova Widianto | Xie Zhongbo Zhang Yawen | 17–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Japan Open | Nova Widianto | Muhammad Rizal Vita Marissa | 21–14, 15–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Singapore Open | Nova Widianto | Anthony Clark Donna Kellogg | 17–21, 21–14, 21–9 | Champion |
| 2008 | All England Open | Nova Widianto | Zheng Bo Gao Ling | 21–18, 14–21, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2007 | Hong Kong Open | Nova Widianto | Zheng Bo Gao Ling | 21–23, 21–18, 21–19 | Champion |
| 2007 | China Open | Nova Widianto | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam | 15–21, 21–18, 21–11 | Champion |
| 2007 | Japan Open | Nova Widianto | Zheng Bo Gao Ling | 19–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2007 | Indonesia Open | Nova Widianto | Zheng Bo Gao Ling | 16–21, 11–21 | Runner-up |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2008 | BWF Superseries Finals | Vita Marissa | Wong Pei Tty Chin Eei Hui | 15–21, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Indonesia Open | Vita Marissa |  Miyuki Maeda Satoko Suetsuna | 21–15, 21–14 | Champion |
| 2007 | China Masters | Vita Marissa | Zhao Tingting Yang Wei | 12–21, 21–15, 21–16 | Champion |
BWF Grand Prix (10 titles, 4 runners-up)
The BWF Grand Prix has two level such as BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It is a series of badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation since 2007.Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2015 | Indonesian Masters | Tontowi Ahmad | Praveen Jordan Debby Susanto | 21–18, 21–13 | Champion |
| 2013 | Indonesian Masters | Tontowi Ahmad | Praveen Jordan Vita Marissa | 20–22, 21–9, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | Macau Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Muhammad Rijal Debby Susanto | 21–16, 14–21, 21–16 | Champion |
| 2012 | Indonesian Masters | Tontowi Ahmad | Muhammad Rijal Debby Susanto | 21–19, 21–14 | Champion |
| 2012 | Swiss Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thoungthongkam | 21–16, 21–14 | Champion |
| 2011 | Macau Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Chen Hung-ling Cheng Wen-hsing | Walkover | Champion |
| 2011 | Chinese Taipei Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Ko Sung-hyun Eom Hye-won | 22–24, 21–16, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2011 | Malaysia Masters | Tontowi Ahmad | Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying | 18–21, 21–15, 21–19 | Champion |
| 2010 | Indonesian Masters | Tontowi Ahmad | Markis Kido Lita Nurlita | 21–11, 21–13 | Champion |
| 2011 | Chinese Taipei Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Hendra Aprida Gunawan Vita Marissa | 20–22, 21–14, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2010 | Macau Open | Tontowi Ahmad | Hendra Aprida Gunawan Vita Marissa | 21–14, 21–18 | Champion |
| 2010 | Malaysia Masters | Devin Lahardi Fitriawan | Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam | 13–21, 21–16, 21–17 | Champion |
| 2007 | Philippines Open | Nova Widianto | Han Sang-hoon Hwang Yu-mi | 21–17, 21–13 | Champion |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2007 | Chinese Taipei Open | Vita Marissa | Chien Yu-chin Cheng Wen-hsing | 15–21, 21–17, 18–21 | Runner-up |
IBF World Grand Prix (5 Titles and 4 Runners-up)
The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation since 1983.Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2006 | Japan Open | Nova Widianto | Flandy Limpele Vita Marissa | 21–11, 18–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2006 | Hong Kong Open | Nova Widianto | Zheng Bo Zhao Tingting | 20–22, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2006 | Korea Open | Nova Widianto | Jens Eriksen Mette Schjoldager | 23–21, 21–18 | Champion |
| 2006 | Chinese Taipei Open | Nova Widianto | Lee Jae-jin Lee Hyo-jung | 17–21, 23–21, 21–13 | Champion |
| 2006 | Singapore Open | Nova Widianto | Nathan Robertson Gail Emms | 21–16, 20–22, 23–21 | Champion |
| 2006 | Indonesia Open | Nova Widianto | Xie Zhongbo Zhang Yawen | 19–21, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Indonesia Open | Nova Widianto | Anggun Nugroho Yunita Tetty | 15–13, 15–1 | Champion |
| 2005 | Swiss Open | Nova Widianto | Nathan Robertson Gail Emms | 14–17, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Singapore Open | Nova Widianto | Koo Kien Keat Wong Pei Tty | 15–1, 15–4 | Champion |
Participation on Indonesian Team
- 5 times at Sudirman Cup
- 3 times at Uber Cup
Performance timeline
Indonesian team
- Junior level
| Team Events | 2002 |
| BWF World Junior Championships | Bronze |
- Senior level
| Team Events | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 |
| Southeast Asian Games | Bronze | Bronze | Gold | Silver | Silver |
| Team Events | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 |
| Asian Games | Bronze | QF | Bronze |
| Team Events | 2008 | 2010 |
| Uber Cup | Silver | Bronze |
| Team Events | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 |
| Sudirman Cup | Silver | Bronze | Bronze | QF | Bronze |
Individual competitions
- Junior level
| Event | 2002 |
| Asia Junior Championships | Gold |
| Event | 2002 |
| World Junior Championships | Bronze Bronze |
- Senior level
| Event | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 |
| Southeast Asian Games | Silver | Gold | Gold Bronze | Gold | Gold |
| Event | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 |
| Badminton Asia Championships | Gold | Bronze Silver | Bronze | Gold | Silver | Silver |
| Event | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 |
| Asian Games | QF | R16 | Silver | Bronze |
| Event | 2005 | 2006 |
| Badminton World Cup | Silver | Gold |
| Event | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 |
| BWF World Championships | Gold | R3 | Gold | Silver | QF | Bronze | Gold | A | Bronze | Gold |
| Event | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 |
| Olympics | R1 Silver | 4th | Gold |