Of the 64 athletes participating at the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2022 in Bangkok next week, 21 are first-timers at a BWF year-end event.

Men’s singles

• Prannoy H. S., India, 30
• Kodai Naraoka, Japan, 21
• Lu Guang Zu, China, 26
• Loh Kean Yew, Singapore, 25

Fun fact: At 30 years old, India’s Thomas Cup hero Prannoy is the oldest newcomer at this edition. Despite not winning a World Tour title, only Viktor Axelsen and Chou Tien Chen finished above the world No.12 on the Race to Bangkok standings.

Women’s singles

• Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Indonesia, 23

Fun fact: The 2017 world junior champion is the first ever women’s singles shuttler from Indonesia to make a BWF SuperSeries/World Tour Finals.

Men’s doubles

• Fajar Alfian, Indonesia, 27
• Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Indonesia, 26
• Ou Xuan Yi, China, 28
• Kim Won Ho, Korea, 23

Fun fact: Nine years after his international bow, Ou is finally through to a Finals via the help of Liu Yu Chen, himself a veteran of two editions with old partner Li Jun Hui. Ou’s highest World Tour ranking in men’s doubles prior to this year was No.20 with Ren Xiang Yu in 2018.

Women’s doubles

• Jeong Na Eun, Korea, 22
• Kim Hye Jeong, Korea, 24
• Zhang Shu Xian, China, 22
• Zheng Yu, China, 26
• Benyapa Aimsaard, Thailand, 20
• Nuntakarn Aimsaard, Thailand, 23
• Lim Chiew Sien, Malaysia, 28
• Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Indonesia, 22

Fun fact: Women’s doubles have five pairs debuting. Lim partners Vivian Hoo, who played in 2020 while Ramadhanti’s senior Apriyani Rahayu featured in four editions alongside Greysia Polii.

Mixed doubles

• Rinov Rivaldy, Indonesia, 23
• Pitha Haningtyas Mentari, Indonesia, 23
• Supak Jomkoh, Thailand, 26
• Supissara Paewsampran, Thailand, 23

Fun fact: Both pairs came agonisingly close to qualifying last year – they were the ninth and 10th eligible to make the cut.