Tony Gunawan (; born April 9, 1975) is an Indonesian-born American former badminton player. He gained several international achievements for Indonesia and later for the United States, including an Olympic gold medal and world champion title.
Career Gunawan is a former Olympic gold medalist and world champion for Indonesia, and later a world champion for the United States. He is regarded by many, including his peers, as one of the greatest doubles players in badminton history.latimes.com A superb all-court player with a particular facility in the forecourt, he won the 2000 Olympic gold medal, the 2001 IBF World Championships, and 2005 IBF World Championships with 3 different men's doubles partners.
He won the men's doubles gold medal in the 2005 World Championships from the 13th seeded position with his American partner Howard Bach. Gunawan partnered with Halim Haryanto to win the 2001 World Championships as well as the 2001 All-England Open, and with Candra Wijaya to win the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He was a member of the world champion 2000 Indonesia Thomas Cup team, winning his match in the final against China with yet another partner, Rexy Mainaky.
Gunawan and Bach won the 2005 IBF World Championships Men's Doubles gold over Gunawan's ex-partner Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto who were also finalists in the 2003 IBF World Championships in the same event. Tony played for Indonesia from 1992 to 2001 and won numerous international titles. He has coached and played for USA since 2001. Tony is currently studying in Orange County, California and coaches at Global Badminton Academy.
Awards +AwardYearCategoryResultUnited States Olympic Committee Award2005US Olympic Committee Team of The Year
Achievements
Olympic Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2000 The Dome, Sydney, Australia Candra Wijaya Lee Dong-soo Yoo Yong-sung 15–10, 9–15, 15–7 Gold
World Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref2001Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo,Seville, Spain Halim Haryanto Ha Tae-kwon Kim Dong-moon15–0, 15–13 Gold 2005 Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, United States Howard Bach Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya 15–11, 10–15, 15–11 Gold
World Cup Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2005 Olympic Park, Yiyang, China Howard Bach Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya 18–21, 9–21 Bronze
World Masters Games
Men's doubles Year Age Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2017 35+ Auckland Badminton Centre,Auckland, New Zealand Tri Kusharjanto Jan Fröhlich Carsten Loesch 21–11, 21–17 Gold 2017 40+ Auckland Badminton Centre,Auckland, New Zealand Effendy Widjaja Tri Kusharjanto Hariyanto Arbi 20–22, 14–21 Silver
World Senior Championships Men's doubles Year Age Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2015 35+ Helsingborg Arena,Helsingborg, Sweden Flandy Limpele Naruenart Chuaymak Apichai Thiraratsakul 21–13, 21–9 Gold 2023 45+ Hwasan Indoor Stadium,Jeonju, South Korea Tri Kusharjanto Naruenart Chuaymak Thaweesak Koetsriphan 21–14, 21–13 Gold 2025 40+ Eastern National Sports Training Centre,Pattaya, Thailand Hendra Setiawan Boonsak Ponsana Jakrapan Thanathiratham 21–18, 21–16 Gold
Mixed doubles Year Age Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2025 45+ Eastern National Sports Training Centre,Pattaya, Thailand Rebecca Pantaney Hosemari Fujimoto Fumika Hashimoto 15–21, 18–21 Bronze
Pan American Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2011 Multipurpose Gymnasium,Guadalajara, Mexico Howard Bach Halim Haryanto Sattawat Pongnairat 21–10, 21–14 Gold
Asian Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2000 Istora Senayan,Jakarta, Indonesia Rexy Mainaky Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah 15–8, 15–9 Gold 2001 PhilSports Arena, Manila, Philippines Candra Wijaya Tri Kusharjanto Bambang Suprianto 15–8, 13–15, 13–15 Silver
Asian Cup Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 1996 Olympic Gymnasium No. 2,Seoul, South Korea Rudy Wijaya Kim Dong-moon Yoo Yong-sung 10–15, 8–15 Silver
SEA Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2001 Malawati Stadium,Selangor, Malaysia Bambang Suprianto Candra Wijaya Sigit Budiarto 4–15, 6–15 Silver
BWF Superseries (1 title, 4 runners-up) The BWF Superseries, which was launched on December 14, 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels are Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consists of twelve tournaments around the world that have been introduced since 2011. Successful players are invited to the Superseries Finals, which are held at the end of each year.
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2007 Malaysia Open Candra Wijaya Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 15–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2007 Japan Open Candra Wijaya Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto 21–18, 21–17 Winner 2007 Hong Kong Open Candra Wijaya Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 12–21, 21–18, 13–21 Runner-up 2008 Indonesia Open Candra Wijaya Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari 21–19, 18–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2010 Singapore Open Howard Bach Fang Chieh-min Lee Sheng-mu 14–21, 15–21 Runner-up BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries Premier tournament BWF Superseries tournament
IBF/BWF Grand Prix (29 titles, 8 runners-up) The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) which was held from 2007 to 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.
Men's doubles YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult 1995Russian Open Rudy Wijaya Thomas Lund Jon Holst-Christensen 8–15, 15–11, 14–17 Runner-up 1995Denmark Open Rudy Wijaya Thomas Lund Jon Holst-Christensen 17–16, 5–15, 6–15 Runner-up 1997 Polish Open Victo Wibowo Rudy Wijaya Seng Kok Keong 15–11, 15–6 Winner 1998 Swedish Open Candra Wijaya Yang Ming Zhang Jun 15–3, 15–6 Winner 1998 All England Open Candra Wijaya Lee Dong-soo Yoo Yong-sung 10–15, 10–15 Runner-up1998Malaysia Open Halim Haryanto Liu Yong Yu Jinhao6–15, 15–5, 15–11 Winner1998Brunei Open Halim Haryanto Michael Søgaard Denny Kantono15–2, 15–8 Winner 1998 Hong Kong Open Candra Wijaya Jens Eriksen Jesper Larsen 15–10, 15–9 Winner1998World Grand Prix Finals Halim Haryanto Antonius Ariantho Denny Kantono11–15, 15–5, 11–15 Runner-up 1999 All England Open Candra Wijaya Lee Dong-soo Yoo Yong-sung 15–7, 15–5 Winner 1999 Malaysia Open Candra Wijaya Eng Hian Flandy Limpele 15–6, 15–11 Winner 1999 Singapore Open Candra Wijaya Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah 7–15, 15–14, 12–15 Runner-up 1999 Indonesia Open Candra Wijaya Rexy Mainaky Ricky Subagja 12–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1999 World Grand Prix Finals Candra Wijaya Ha Tae-kwon Kim Dong-moon 15–7, 8–15, 15–11 Winner 2000 Chinese Taipei Open Candra Wijaya Cheah Soon Kit Yap Kim Hock 15–7, 15–7 Winner 2000 Japan Open Candra Wijaya Lee Dong-soo Yoo Yong-sung 15–6, 15–7 Winner 2000 Indonesia Open Candra Wijaya Eng Hian Flandy Limpele 14–17, 15–8, 15–8 Winner 2000 World Grand Prix Finals Candra Wijaya Sigit Budiarto Halim Haryanto 7–5, 8–6, 7–2 Winner2002 U.S. Open Khan Malaythong Howard Bach Kevin Han 11–15, 15–7, 15–7 Winner2002 Puerto Rico Open Khan Malaythong José Antonio Crespo Sergio Llopis 15–6, 15–3 Winner2003 U.S. Open Khan Malaythong Lee Sung-yuan Lin Wei-hsiang 6–15, 15–4, 15–5 Winner2004 U.S. Open Howard Bach Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen 15–5, 15–7 Winner2004 Dutch Open Howard Bach Thomas Laybourn Peter Steffensen 15–8, 15–7 Winner2005Bitburger Open Halim Haryanto Mike Beres William Milroy15–3, 15–6 Winner2005Chinese Taipei Open Halim Haryanto Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen15–13, 15–13 Winner 2006 Korea Open Candra Wijaya Hwang Ji-man Lee Jae-jin 21–18, 21–18 Winner 2006 Indonesia Open Candra Wijaya Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 21–11, 21–16 Winner2006U.S. Open Halim Haryanto Vitalij Durkin Aleksandr Nikolaenko21–10, 21–19 Winner 2006 Japan Open Candra Wijaya Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 21–15, 21–14 Winner 2008 Chinese Taipei Open Candra Wijaya Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen 14–21, 20–22 Runner-up2009 U.S. Open Howard Bach Jürgen Koch Peter Zauner 21–12, 21–9 Winner2011 U.S. Open Howard Bach Ko Sung-hyun Lee Yong-dae 9–21, 19–21 Runner-up
Mixed doubles YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult 2002 U.S. Open Etty Tantri Simon Archer Marina Andrievskaya 7–11, 11–4, 11–6 Winner2002Puerto Rico Open Mesinee Mangkalakiri Tjitte Weistra Doriana Rivera11–2, 11–3 Winner 2003 U.S. Open Etty Tantri Hwang Ji-man Lee Eun-woo 15–5, 15–9 Winner 2005 Chinese Taipei Open Cheng Wen-hsing Devin Lahardi Fitriawan Vita Marissa 17–15, 15–6 Winner 2012 U.S. Open Vita Marissa Kenichi Hayakawa Misaki Matsutomo 21–13, 21–10 Winner
IBF/BWF International Challenge/Series (8 titles, 2 runners-up)
Men's singles YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult2005U.S. International Hsieh Yu-hsing2–15, 2–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1997French International Victo Wibowo Davis Efraim Halim Haryanto15–10, 15–8 Winner 2002 Southern Pan Am Classic Khan Malaythong Philippe Bourret Alexandre Tremblay 15–4, 15–4 Winner 2005 SCBA International Howard Bach Raju Rai Khan Malaythong 1–0 Retired Winner2005 U.S. International Howard Bach Mike Beres William Milroy 15–1, 15–2 Winner 2011 Peru International Howard Bach Adrian Liu Derrick Ng 21–10, 21–9 Winner 2012 Peru International Howard Bach Adrian Liu Derrick Ng 13–21, 21–13, 21–9 Winner2017U.S. International Vinson Chiu Daniel Benz Andreas Heinz16–21, 21–14, 21–14 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref2002USA Southern Pan Am International Mesinee Mangkalakiri Philippe Bourret Denyse Julien11–3, 11–5 Winner 2016 Manhattan Beach International Mirabelle Huang David Yedija Pohan Jenna Gozali 15–21, 13–21 Runner-up
IBF International (1 runner-up) Boys' singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result Ref 1994 German Junior Jeffer Rosobin Runner-up
Invitational tournaments
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result Ref1997Copenhagen Masters Candra Wijaya Simon Archer Chris Hunt15–13, 15–8 Winner1999Ipoh Masters Candra Wijaya Flandy Limpele Eng Hian15–11, 15–9 Winner2000Copenhagen Masters Halim Haryanto Flandy Limpele Eng Hian7–8, 7–5, 4–7, 7–5, 5–7 Runner-up2005Copenhagen Masters Howard Bach Cai Yun Fu Haifeng15–12, 11–15, 15–4 Winner
Performance timeline Indonesian team Senior level Team Events 1998 Asian Games Gold Team Events 2000 Thomas Cup Gold
Individual competitions Senior level Event 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 BWF World ChampionshipsR3QF GoldA GoldAQFQFR1R1 Event 2000 2004 2008 2012 Olympics GoldAAGS
Notes
References
General
External links