Sony Dwi Kuncoro


Sony Dwi Kuncoro is a badminton singles player from Indonesia. He was the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, two-time World Championships medalist and three-time Asian Champion. He reached a career high as world number 3 in October 2003.

Personal life

He plays badminton after his father introduced him at 7 years old, and at 8 years old he joined the Suryanaga Surabaya Badminton Club. Currently, he joins the Tjakrindo Masters Badminton Club in Surabaya. His parents are Moch. Sumadji and Asmiati. His hobbies are fixing automobiles and hanging-out or travelling. Generally people call him Sony, which can also be spelled as Soni. On 24 July 2009, he married Gading Safitri, who became his coach and manager.

Career

2004 Summer Olympics

Kuncoro played badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics in men's singles, defeating M. Roslin Hashim of Malaysia and Jim Ronny Andersen of Norway in the first two rounds. In the quarterfinals, Kuncoro defeated Park Tae-sang of South Korea 15–13, 15–4. Kuncoro advanced to the semifinals, in which he lost to Shon Seung-mo of Korea 15–6, 9–15, 15–9. He defeated Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand by a score of 15–11, 17–16 in the bronze medal match.

2007 BWF World Championships

He became runner-up at the 2007 IBF World Championships after losing to Lin Dan in straight sets with a score of 11–21, 20–22 in Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia. During the tournament, he defeated Lee Chong Wei in the third round 21–9, 21–11 and Peter Gade in the quarter final, 22–20, 21–18. He also beat Chen Yu in the semifinal in 3 tough games.

2009 BWF World Championships

He was bronze medalist at the 2009 BWF World Championships, again losing to Lin Dan, but this time in 3 sets, 16–21, 21–14, 15–21. En route to the semi, he beat Lee Chong Wei in the quarter finals 21–16, 14–21, 21–12.

Other achievements

He was runner-up in the World Junior Championships in 2000, defeated by Bao Chunlai in the final. He had good results in the Asian Badminton Championships, winning three titles. On 23 September 2007, Kuncoro won the Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold after beating Taufik Hidayat in the final round 18–21, 21–6, 21–13. He won the men's singles gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in 2003 and 2005. At the SEA Games in 2007 and 2009, Sony helped the Indonesian team win gold in the men's team event.
In 2008, Kuncoro competed in Beijing Olympic Games but he was eliminated in the quarterfinal to the second seeded Lee Chong Wei in straight games. In June, he won the Indonesia Open Superseries beating Simon Santoso in the final 19–21, 21–14, 21–9 in Istora Senayan, Jakarta. In September, Kuncoro won the Japan Open Superseries beating Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia in straight sets 21–17, 21–11 in the final. Also in September, he captured the China Masters Superseries by beating China's Chen Jin 21–19, 21–18 in the final, thus becoming the first player to win the men's singles at three consecutive "superseries" tournaments.
In 2009, his best performance in Superseries was semifinalist in Indonesia Open, beaten by Taufik Hidayat, 17–21, 14–21 and in Denmark Open beaten by Marc Zwiebler of Germany in three tough games. In December, he again helped Indonesia win the Southeast Asian Games, beating Malaysia in the men teams final. He also finished second in the individual event, beaten by his teammate Simon Santoso.
In 2012, he won the men's singles title at the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold defeating China's Chen Yuekun in straight games, 21–17, 21–14. In the semi final, he beat the top seed from China, Lin Dan also in straight games, 21–17, 21–16.
In 2013, he started the year by becoming the semifinalist in 2013 Korea Open Superseries Premier, beaten by Du Pengyu, 12–21 17–21 and in 2013 Indonesian Masters Grand Prix Gold, giving walkover to Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka. He became the finalist in 2013 Malaysia Open Superseries, beaten by Lee Chong Wei, 7–21 8–21 and in 2013 Hong Kong Open Superseries, again beaten by Lee Chong Wei, 13–21 9–21.
In 2015, his best performance was being the champion at 2015 Chinese Taipei Masters Grand Prix after beating Wang Tzu-wei of Chinese Taipei with score 21–13, 21–15. He also won the 2015 Indonesia International Challenge after defeat the Korean young blood Jeon Hyeok-jin with straight games 22–20, 21–15.
In 2016, he advanced to the main round of the 2016 Singapore Open Superseries after winning the qualification rounds. He later won the event after beating China's Lin Dan in the semi-final with score 21–10, 17–21, 22–20, then South Korea's Son Wan-ho in the final with 21–16, 13–21, 21–14. This is his first Superseries title win in six years. He last tasted success at this level on the same stage at the 2010 Singapore Open. The victory is proof that he has still got it. It’s a reward for his hard work as an independent shuttler after kicked out of the national training camp in mid-2014 because of injuries to his back, waist and wrist over the years.

Achievements

Olympic Games

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2004Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, Greece Boonsak Ponsana15–11, 17–16 Bronze

BWF World Championships

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2009Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India Lin Dan14–21, 21–13, 15–21 Bronze
2007Putra Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Lin Dan11–21, 20–22 Silver

Asian Championships

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2008Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia Park Sung-hwan21–14, 16–21, 19–21 Bronze
2005Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India Kuan Beng Hong15–10, 15–5 Gold
2004Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Taufik Hidayat12–15, 15–7, 6–15 Silver
2003Tennis Indoor Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia Taufik Hidayat15–5, 7–15, 15–8 Gold
2002Bangkok, Thailand Taufik Hidayat15–12, 15–5 Gold

Southeast Asian Games

Men's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2009Gym Hall 1, National Sports Complex, Vientiane, Laos Simon Santoso16–21, 12–21 Silver
2005PhilSports Arena, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines Simon Santoso17–16, 15–3 Gold
2003Tan Binh Sport Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Wong Choong Hann15–8, 15–5 Gold

World Junior Championships

Boys' singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2002Tianhe Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Bao Chunlai1–7, 5–7, 7–1, 5–7 Silver

Asian Junior Championships

Boys' singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2001Taipei Gymnasium, Taipei, Taiwan Ardiansyah12–15, 12–15 Silver
2000Nishiyama Park Gymnasium, Kyoto, Japan Lin Dan12–15, 5–15 Silver

BWF Superseries (5 titles, 2 runners-up)

The BWF Superseries, launched on December 14, 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation. BWF Superseries has two level such as Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, which introduced since 2011, with successful players invited to the BWF Superseries Finals held at the year end.
Men's singles
YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2016Singapore Open Son Wan-ho21–16, 13–21, 21–14 Champion
2013Hong Kong Open Lee Chong Wei13–21, 9–21 Runner-up
2013Malaysia Open Lee Chong Wei7–21, 8–21 Runner-up
2010Singapore Open Boonsak Ponsana21–16, 21–16 Champion
2008China Masters Chen Jin21–19, 21–18 Champion
2008Japan Open Lee Chong Wei21–17, 21–11 Champion
2008Indonesia Open Simon Santoso19–21, 21–14, 21–9 Champion

BWF Grand Prix (4 titles, 3 runners-up)

The BWF Grand Prix has two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It is a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation since 2007. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation since 1983.
Men's singles
YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2016Thailand Open Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk15–21, 16–21 Runner-up
2015Chinese Taipei Masters Wang Tzu-wei21–13, 21–15 Champion
2012Indonesian Masters Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka21–11, 21–11 Champion
2012Thailand Open Chen Yuekun21–17, 21–14 Champion
2012Malaysia Masters Lee Chong Wei21–17, 8–21, 10–21 Runner-up
2007Chinese Taipei Open Taufik Hidayat18–21, 21–6, 21–13 Champion
2003Chinese Taipei Open Wong Choong Hann15–3, 7–15, 4–15 Runner-up

BWF International Challenge/Series (1 title, 3 runners-up)

Participation at Indonesian team

National team

Team events20002001
Asian Junior Championships Silver Bronze
World Junior Championships Bronze

Events20002001
Asian Junior Championships Silver Silver
World Junior Championships Silver

Head to head against BWF Superseries finalists, World Championships semifinalists, and Olympic quarterfinalists.