In a season defined by growth, Putri Kusuma Wardani finds herself in the elite circle of the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals for the very first time – an achievement she speaks of with unmistakable pride.

“I’m very happy, I’m very proud of myself,” she said. “Only the best over a season play there and I’m happy I’m one of them.”

Her place among the season’s best eight is no accident. Wardani pieced together a splendid year, finishing runner-up at two Super 500 events – the HYLO and Australian Opens – and rising to a career-high world No.7 in September. More telling than her podium finishes though has been her consistency: 18 tournaments, only six exits before the quarterfinals.

Her growth became especially clear during the Sudirman Cup Finals in May. With Indonesia missing their top player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Wardani found herself carrying the weight of the women’s singles campaign. Instead of shrinking under pressure, she shone – winning three of her four matches and helping guide Indonesia to the semifinals.

Then came the moment that defined her season – a historic run at the World Championships. Playing with freedom – “nothing to lose” as she put it – Wardani toppled rising Japanese talent Tomoka Miyazaki, then seasoned superstar Pusarla V. Sindhu to reach the final four. There, she pushed eventual champion Akane Yamaguchi to three games before bowing out. Her bronze made her Indonesia’s first women’s singles World Championships medallist in a decade.

“That was my highlight of the season,” she reflected. “There were so many experienced players, I just played with nothing to lose. In the quarters I met Sindhu, getting that experience was great.”

Now, as she prepares for her Finals debut, Wardani knows the challenge ahead is steep but it’s exactly where she wants to be.

“At the elite level, the players are world class and in women’s singles, competition is strong right now,” she said. “I hope I will grow to the same level as these players.”

That ambition fuels her preparations. For Wardani, success starts from within.

“I always maintain focus and my mindset,” she explained. “If my mindset is good, I tend to play well. I will work towards not only participating but also winning.”

Whether that happens or not next week in Hangzhou, for the 23-year-old once expected to play second fiddle to Tunjung, 2025 feels a lot like arrival.