[Saba Sports News] Recently, Thai badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn revealed in an interview that his original motivation for taking up badminton was not to chase honors, but to make a living and improve his family’s financial situation. Since childhood, he has helped support his family with prize money from tournaments.
According to records, Kunlavut Vitidsarn was born into an ordinary family in Bangkok in 2001. He started learning badminton with his father at the age of seven, merely to keep fit. At eight, he won his first-ever tournament prize money, which made him realize that playing badminton could not only keep him healthy, but also ease his family’s financial burdens. He admitted that his family was not wealthy, yet his parents still lived frugally to fund his badminton training as he grew up.
During his formative years, his father adopted a gentle coaching style, while his mother was strict and highly competitive. It was this unyielding spirit that drove him to constantly push his limits. He gave up almost all forms of entertainment to focus on training. Blessed with natural talent and relentless hard work, Kunlavut claimed the World Junior Men’s Singles title for three consecutive times from 2017 to 2019, making him the first men’s singles three-peat champion in the tournament’s history. In 2025, he rose to the top of the men’s singles world rankings for the first time, becoming the first post-2000s player to achieve this milestone. In early 2026, he secured the title at the Malaysia Badminton Open. Even with numerous accolades to his name, Kunlavut remains humble. He stated that he will not rush for instant results, but focus on giving his best in every match. When asked about his plans after retirement, he revealed that he is highly likely to become a coach.
In my opinion, from a young boy who picked up a racket at the age of eight to support his family, to a world-class champion today, Kunlavut Vitidsarn has spent two decades perfectly interpreting the true meaning of “fighting for his family”.