Susi Susanti
Lucia Francisca "Susi" Susanti Haditono is a retired Indonesian badminton player. Relatively small of stature, she combined quick and graceful movement with elegant shotmaking technique, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest women's singles players of all time. She is the first Indonesian Olympic gold medalist and the only Indonesian woman until Lilyana Natsir won gold in 2016.
Career
She won the women's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States. She retired from the world badminton circuit not long after her marriage to Alan Budikusuma in February 1997.Susanti was the most dominant women's singles player in the first half of the 1990s, winning the All-England in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994, the World Badminton Grand Prix finale five times consecutively from 1990 to 1994 as well as in 1996, and the IBF World Championships in 1993. She is the only female player to hold the Olympic, World Championship, and All-England singles titles simultaneously. She won the Japan Open three times and the Indonesian Open five times. She also won numerous Badminton Grand Prix Series events and five Badminton World Cups. She led the Indonesian team to victory over perennial champion China in the 1994 and 1996 Uber Cup competitions. All of this came during a relatively strong period in women's international badminton. Her chief competitors early in her prime years were the Chinese players Tang Jiuhong and Huang Hua, and, later, China's Ye Zhaoying and the Korean Bang Soo-hyun.
Susanti was inducted into the International Badminton Federation Hall of Fame in May 2004, and received the Herbert Scheele Trophy in 2002.
Playing Style
Susanti was an extremely durable defensive player who liked to instigate long rallies to wear down her opponent’s stamina and invite errors. That style was in contrast to most of the top female players of her time such as Bang Soo Hyun, Tang Jiuhong, Huang Hua, and Ye Zhaoying, who employed a more aggressive style.Susanti’s matches against top-tier opponents were characteristically slow paced and long, especially in the era of 15 points system when a player could only earn a point when she or he held the serve. Susanti relied on deep clears to the back line, limiting the chance of a fast paced exchange, mixed with tight drop shots, forcing her opponent to cover the entire court. Susanti frequently covered her backhand side with overhead forehands, by relying on her quickness and back-arching suppleness. Relatively short, she often stretched her legs very wide to take low shots at the corners or away from her position. Developed from training, this leg-stretching, almost balletic maneuver became a signature pose which sometimes ended with a full leg split. In the later years of her career, Susanti incorporated more smashing into her repertoire, enough to put throw off opponents expecting only a game of attrition.
Personal life
She is married to Alan Budikusuma, a men's badminton Olympic gold medalist and one of the top men's players in the history of the sport, a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who excelled at the world level from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Together they have three children, Laurencia Averina, born 1999, Albertus Edward, born 2000, Sebastianus Fredrick, born 2003.Achievements
Olympic Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1992 | Pavelló de la Mar Bella, Barcelona, Spain |  Bang Soo-hyun | 5–11, 11–5, 11–3 | Gold |
| 1996 | GSU Sports Arena, Atlanta, United States | Kim Ji-hyun | 11–4, 11–1 | Bronze |
World Championships
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1991 | Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Tang Jiuhong | 4–11, 1–11 | Bronze |
| 1993 | National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England | Bang Soo-hyun | 7–11, 11–9, 11–3 | Gold |
| 1995 | Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland | Ye Zhaoying | 11–5, 8–11, 2–11 | Bronze |
World Cup
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1989 | Guangzhou Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China | Han Aiping | 11–5, 11–4 | Gold |
| 1990 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia |  Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 5–11, 11–1, 11–12 | Silver |
| 1991 | Macau Forum, Macau | Huang Hua | 3–11, 2–11 | Bronze |
| 1993 | Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, India |  Lim Xiaoqing | 11–7, 11–5 | Gold |
| 1994 | Phan Dinh Phung Indoor Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Bang Soo-hyun | 12–9, 11–6 | Gold |
| 1995 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Ye Zhaoying | 9–12, 11–2, 9–12 | Silver |
| 1996 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Wang Chen | 11–7, 11–4 | Gold |
| 1997 | Among Rogo Sports Hall, Yogyakarta, Indonesia | Ye Zhaoying | 11–8, 11–5 | Gold |
Asian Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Tang Jiuhong | 11–7, 1–11, 7–11 | Bronze |
| 1994 | Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan |  Hisako Mizui | 4–11, 5–11 | Bronze |
Asian Championships
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1988 | Bandar Lampung, Indonesia | Tang Jiuhong | Bronze |
Southeast Asian Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1987 | Kuningan Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia | Elizabeth Latief | 5–11, 9–11 | Silver |
| 1989 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 11–7, 11–6 | Gold |
| 1991 | Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, Philippines | Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 5–11, 11–8, 11–2 | Gold |
| 1995 | Gymnasium 3, 700th Anniversary Sport Complex, Chiang Mai, Thailand |  Somharuthai Jaroensiri | 11–4, 11–0 | Gold |
World Junior Championships
The Bimantara World Junior Championships was an international invitation badminton tournament for junior players. It was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 1987 to 1991.Girls' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1987 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Lee Jung-mi | 11–6, 8–11, 11–6 | Gold |
| 1988 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Huang Ying | 11–5, 11–2 | Gold |
Girls' doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1987 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Lilik Sudarwati | Lee Jung-mi Gil Young-ah | 9–15, 15–6, 15–5 | Gold |
| 1988 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Lilik Sudarwati | Shon Hye-joo Bang Soo-hyun | 14–18, 18–14, 15–4 | Gold |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1987 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Ardy Wiranata | Ricky Subagja Lilik Sudarwati | 7–15, 15–7, 15–9 | Gold |
IBF World Grand Prix
The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation since 1983.Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1998 | Singapore Open | Ye Zhaoying | 5–11, 6–11, 2–11 | Runner-up |
| 1997 | World Grand Prix Finals | Ye Zhaoying | 4–11, 4–11 | Runner-up |
| 1997 | Vietnam Open | Xu Huaiwen | 11–4, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1997 | Indonesia Open | Meiluawati | 11–4, 11–5 | Winner |
| 1997 | Malaysia Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–5, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1996 | World Grand Prix Finals | Ye Zhaoying | 11–4, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1996 | Chinese Taipei Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–5, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1996 | Indonesia Open | Wang Chen | 11–8, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1996 | Japan Open | Ye Zhaoying | 7–11, 8–11 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | Korea Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 3–11, 11–7, 11–9 | Winner |
| 1995 | Indonesia Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 11–1, 12–11 | Winner |
| 1995 | Malaysia Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 11–1, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1995 | Japan Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 11–7, 12–11 | Winner |
| 1994 | World Grand Prix Finals | Ye Zhaoying | 4–11, 12–10, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1994 | Indonesia Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 2–11, 11–0, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1994 | Thailand Open | Lim Xiaoqing | 11–5, 12–10 | Winner |
| 1994 | Malaysia Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–3, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1994 | Japan Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–6, 10–12, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1994 | All England Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–5, 11–9 | Winner |
| 1994 | Chinese Taipei Open | Kim Ji-hyun | 11–2, 11–5 | Winner |
| 1993 | World Grand Prix Finals | Ye Zhaoying | 11–3, 12–9 | Winner |
| 1993 | Dutch Open |  Camilla Martin | 11–7, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1993 | German Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–6, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1993 | Korea Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 9–12, 5–11 | Runner-up |
| 1993 | Thailand Open | Somharuthai Jaroensiri | 12–10, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1993 | Indonesia Open | Ye Zhaoying | 9–11, 11–12 | Runner-up |
| 1993 | Malaysia Open | Lim Xiaoqing | 11–6, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1993 | All England Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 4–11, 11–4, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1992 | World Grand Prix Finals | Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 9–11, 11–3, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1992 | Thailand Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 11–7, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1992 | Hong Kong Open | Bang Soo-hyun | 11–5, 6–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1992 | German Open | Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 11–7, 10–12, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1992 | Japan Open | Ye Zhaoying | 11–2, 11–0 | Winner |
| 1992 | Denmark Open | Lim Xiaoqing | 11–3, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1991 | World Grand Prix Finals | Lee Heung-soon | 9–11, 11–8, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1991 | Swedish Open | Pernille Nedergaard | 11–2, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1991 | Thailand Open | Lee Heung-soon | 11–7, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1991 | Denmark Open | Huang Hua | 11–5, 6–11, 11–8 | Winner |
| 1991 | Indonesia Open | Lee Heung-soon | 11–8, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1991 | All England Open | Sarwendah Kusumawardhani | 0–11, 11–2, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1991 | Japan Open | Huang Hua | 3–11, 6–11 | Runner-up |
| 1991 | Chinese Taipei Open | Somharuthai Jaroensiri | 11–1, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1990 | World Grand Prix Finals | Tang Jiuhong | 8–11, 11–5, 12–10 | Winner |
| 1990 | Indonesia Open | Lee Young-suk | 11–1, 8–11, 4–11 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | All England Open | Huang Hua | 12–11, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1989 | Indonesia Open | Huang Hua | 7–11, 0–11 | Runner-up |
| 1989 | Chinese Taipei Open | Christine Gandrup | 11–8, 3–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 1989 | All England Open | Li Lingwei | 8–11, 4–11 | Runner-up |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1987 | Indonesia Open | Verawaty Fadjrin | Rosiana Tendean Ivana Lie | 4–15, 16–17 | Runner-up |
International Series
Women's singles| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Australian Open |  Anna Lao | 11–1, 11–4 | Winner |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Australian Open | Lisa Campbell | Rhonda Cator Anna Lao | 8–15, 2–15 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Australian Open | Ardy Wiranata |  He Tim Anna Lao | 11–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |