Chou Tien-chen (Chinese: 周天成; pinyin: Zhōu Tiānchéng; born 8 January 1990) is a Taiwanese badminton player.[1] He became the first local shuttler in 17 years to win the men's singles title of the Chinese Taipei Open in 2016 since Indonesian-born Fung Permadi won it in 1999.[2][3] He won his first BWF Super Series title at the 2014 French Open, beating Wang Zhengming of China 10–21, 25–23, 21–19 in the finals.[4] He is the record holder of three consecutive Hylo Open titles from 2012 till 2014.

Chou Tien-chen
周天成
Personal information
CountryTaiwan
Born (1990-01-08) 8 January 1990 (age 34)
Taipei, Taiwan
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
HandednessRight
Men's singles
Career record507 wins, 277 losses
Highest ranking2 (6 August 2019)
Current ranking9 (24 September 2024)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Chinese Taipei
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Tokyo Men's singles
Thomas Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Chengdu Men's team
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Incheon Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Men's team
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Wuhan Men's singles
East Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Tianjin Men's team
Summer Universiade
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Shenzhen Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Kazan Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Kazan Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Gwangju Men's singles
Asian Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles
BWF profile
Chou against Nguyễn Tiến Minh in the final of 2014 U.S. Open

Achievements

edit

BWF World Championships

edit

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2022 Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan   Viktor Axelsen 15–21, 17–21   Bronze

Asian Games

edit

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2018 Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia   Jonatan Christie 18–21, 22–20, 15–21   Silver

Asian Championships

edit

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2019 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China   Shi Yuqi 20–22, 18–21   Bronze

Summer Universiade

edit

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2013 Tennis Academy, Kazan, Russia   Gao Huan 9–21, 9–21   Bronze
2015 Hwasun Hanium Culture Sports Center, Hwasun, South Korea   Jeon Hyeok-jin 19–21, 19–21   Bronze

Asian Junior Championships

edit

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2008 Stadium Juara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia   Chiang Kai-hsin   Zhang Nan
  Lu Lu
19–21, 19–21   Bronze

BWF World Tour (10 titles, 13 runners-up)

edit

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[5] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[6]

Men's singles

Year Tournament Level Opponent Score Result
2018 India Open Super 500   Shi Yuqi 18–21, 14–21   Runner-up
2018 German Open Super 300   Ng Ka Long 21–19, 18–21, 21–18   Winner
2018 Singapore Open Super 500   Hsu Jen-hao 21–13, 21–13   Winner
2018 Korea Open Super 500   Tommy Sugiarto 21–13, 21–16   Winner
2018 Denmark Open Super 750   Kento Momota 20–22, 21–16, 15–21   Runner-up
2018 Fuzhou China Open Super 750   Kento Momota 13–21, 21–11, 16–21   Runner-up
2019 Indonesia Open Super 1000   Anders Antonsen 21–18, 24–26, 21–15   Winner
2019 Thailand Open Super 500   Ng Ka Long 21–14, 11–21, 23–21   Winner
2019 Chinese Taipei Open Super 300   Heo Kwang-hee 21–12, 21–13   Winner
2019 Korea Open Super 500   Kento Momota 19–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2019 Fuzhou China Open Super 750   Kento Momota 15–21, 21–17, 18–21   Runner-up
2020 All England Open Super 1000   Viktor Axelsen 13–21, 14–21   Runner-up
2021 French Open Super 750   Kanta Tsuneyama 21–15, 8–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2022 Indonesia Masters Super 500   Viktor Axelsen 10–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2022 Taipei Open Super 300   Kodai Naraoka 14–21, 21–10, 21–6   Winner
2022 Japan Open Super 750   Kenta Nishimoto 19–21, 23–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2022 Hylo Open Super 300   Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 21–18, 11–21, 22–24   Runner-up
2023 Swiss Open Super 300   Koki Watanabe 20–22, 21–18, 12–21   Runner-up
2023 Hylo Open Super 300   Lee Cheuk Yiu 21–23, 21–17, 21–10   Winner
2024 Thailand Masters Super 300   Loh Kean Yew 21–16, 6–21, 21–16   Winner
2024 Swiss Open Super 300   Lin Chun-yi 21–7, 20–22, 21–23   Runner-up
2024 Japan Open Super 750   Alex Lanier 17–21, 20–22   Runner-up
2024 Arctic Open Super 500   Jonatan Christie 21–18, 21–17   Winner

BWF Superseries (1 title, 2 runners-up)

edit

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[7] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011.[8] Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2014 French Open   Wang Zhengming 10–21, 25–23, 21–19   Winner
2015 French Open   Lee Chong Wei 13–21, 18–21   Runner-up
2017 India Open   Viktor Axelsen 13–21, 10–21   Runner-up
  BWF Superseries Finals tournament
  BWF Superseries Premier tournament
  BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (7 titles, 6 runners-up)

edit

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2011 Dutch Open   Hsueh Hsuan-yi 21–18, 15–21, 16–21   Runner-up
2012 Canada Open   Lin Yu-hsien 15–21, 21–16, 21–9   Winner
2012 Chinese Taipei Open   Nguyễn Tiến Minh 11–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2012 Bitburger Open   Marc Zwiebler 21–19, 21–12   Winner
2013 Bitburger Open   Marc Zwiebler 13–21, 21–18, 21–15   Winner
2014 U.S. Open   Nguyễn Tiến Minh 19–21, 21–14, 19–21   Runner-up
2014 Bitburger Open   Scott Evans 21–17, 21–10   Winner
2015 Chinese Taipei Open   Chen Long 21–15, 9–21, 6–21   Runner-up
2016 German Open   Lin Dan 21–15, 17–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2016 Chinese Taipei Open   Qiao Bin 21–18, 21–17   Winner
2016 Macau Open   Zhao Junpeng 11–21, 19–21   Runner-up
2017 German Open   Wang Tzu-wei 21–16, 21–14   Winner
2017 Chinese Taipei Open   Wang Tzu-wei 18–21, 21–19, 21–15   Winner
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (4 titles)

edit

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2012 Iceland International   Ha Young-woong 21–19, 23–21   Winner
2012 Norwegian International   Tan Chun Seang 21–17, 21–12   Winner
2012 Welsh International   Kuan Beng Hong 21–15, 21–13   Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2012 Iceland International   Chiang Mei-hui   Helgi Jóhannesson
  Elín Þóra Elíasdóttir
21–16, 21–9   Winner
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament

Record against selected opponents

edit

Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 6 August 2024.[9]

Personal life

edit

After winning the 2024 Thailand Masters,[10] Chou revealed that he had been diagnosed with early-stage colorectal cancer the previous year and underwent a colectomy.[11]

Chou was baptized as a Christian in 2012.[11]

References

edit
  1. ^ "周天成" (in Chinese). Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  2. ^ Hearn, Don (4 July 2016). "Chinese Taipei Open Finals – Chou Tien Chen ends 17-year wait". Badzine.
  3. ^ "Chou Tien Chen brought to tears after dream Yonex Chinese Taipei Open win". All England Open Badminton Championships. 4 July 2016. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Taiwan's Chou sets national bar with Superseries triumph". Taipei Times. Central News Agency. 28 October 2014.
  5. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  6. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. ^ "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
  8. ^ "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". IBadmintonstore. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  9. ^ "Chou Tien-chen Head to Head". BWF-Tournament Software. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  10. ^ Li, Chien-chung; Kao, Evelyn (4 February 2024). "Taiwan badminton ace Chou wins men's singles title at Thailand Masters". Central News Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b Li, Chien-chung; Chao, Yen-hsiang (5 February 2024). "BADMINTON/'I made it through': Chou Tien-chen conquers cancer on way to title". Central News Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2024. During a break at the beginning of 2023, Chou realized he had not had a full physical for two or three years, so he decided to have one done. To his surprise, he was diagnosed with early stage colorectal cancer after undergoing a colonoscopy, and soon had an operation to remove the cancerous part of his colon. "Actually, the other doctor I saw then thought the cancer was not bad and told me to have a follow-up appointment a year later. But that didn't make sense to me, so I decided to do the operation," Chou recalled. To prevent the cancer from spreading, the doctor cut more of Chou's large intestine than usual and had to use a clip that can be absorbed by human body to help the internal wound heal. "Perhaps it was because I did enough good deeds so I could witness the Lord's glory, or perhaps what I did was not enough so the Lord let me find it out earlier so as to live a bit longer and do more," said Chou, a pious Christian, of his cancer, able to joke about himself in hindsight. Chou was baptized in 2012 at Kao's suggestion after undergoing a slump, according to Christian Daily.
edit