Thai Star Ratchanok Intanon, 30, Still Chasing Mom's Dream

At 30 years old, when many athletes hang up their rackets, Thai badminton star Ratchanok Intanon is proving she's far from finished. The former World Champion just powered through to the India Open semifinals with three dominant straight-game victories, showing the young players that experience still counts.

But there's something deeper fueling her drives and smashes. After her mother Kamphan Suwannasara passed away in August 2021, Intanon made a promise she's determined to keep.

"I want to fulfill the dreams I promised to her, like getting a medal at the Asian Games or Olympics, when we were still together," Intanon shared after her quarterfinal win in New Delhi. She still sends messages to her mom's phone, sharing updates and photos as if they're still chatting every day.

On her mother's birthday, she wrote: "It's been long time I could not see you, but always thinking about you. I will do my best to achieve what we had talked before you goes. Please support me mom!"

When asked what keeps her competing, Intanon gave a refreshingly honest answer with her trademark laugh. "I think mother and also money," she said, before adding the most important reason: "I still enjoy playing. I love badminton."

The numbers back up her passion. Intanon became the youngest World Champion ever at just 18 years old in 2013. Now, more than a decade later, she's ranked eighth in the world and qualified for the 2025 World Tour Finals as one of the top eight shuttlers.

Her friend and rival PV Sindhu, who competed alongside Intanon in that golden generation of women's badminton, called her continuing success motivating. "It's really good that when you talk about playing a decade ago with the same set of players, and we are still competing," Sindhu said. "It definitely motivates you."

Why This Inspires

Intanon's story reminds us that our biggest motivations often come from the people who believed in us first. Her mother taught her character traits she carries today: never giving up easily, being kind, and making people happy even when facing tough situations. Those lessons are powering her through every match, every tournament, every promise yet to be fulfilled.

Heading into Saturday's semifinal against Korea's top-ranked An Se-Young, Intanon refuses to count herself out. "I have to be at my best first because I don't want to think like I'm lower than her and cannot win."

And what does it take for the 30-plus generation to keep pushing the younger players? Intanon smiles: "We have to show the young players that we are still here, and we don't want you to win against us easily."

Some promises are worth every drop of sweat, every grueling match, every year of dedication.