Gronya Somerville

Summary

Gronya Somerville (born 10 May 1995) is an Australian badminton player specializing in doubles.[2] She has won nine Oceania Championships titles, six in the women's doubles and three in the mixed doubles.

Gronya Somerville
Personal information
CountryAustralia
Born (1995-05-10) 10 May 1995 (age 28)
Carlton, Melbourne, Australia
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
HandednessRight
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking18 (WD with Setyana Mapasa, 2 March 2017)
43 (XD with Kenneth Choo, 31 October 2023)
51 (XD with Simon Leung, 17 March 2020)
Current ranking56 (WD with Kaitlyn Ea)
44 (XD with Kenneth Choo) (16 April 2024)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  Australia
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Ballarat Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2015 North Harbour Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2017 Nouméa Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2018 Hamilton Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Melbourne Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Melbourne Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2020 Ballarat Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2020 Ballarat Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Melbourne Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2023 Auckland Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2024 Geelong Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 2016 Papeete Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2017 Nouméa Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 2022 Melbourne Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2024 Geelong Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Ballarat Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Ballarat Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 North Harbour Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Auckland Women's doubles
Oceania Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Ballarat Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2014 Ballarat Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Auckland Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Melbourne Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Auckland Mixed team
Oceania Women's Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Ballarat Women's team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Auckland Women's team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Hamilton Women's team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Ballarat Women's team
Gold medal – first place 2024 Geelong Women's team
BWF profile
Somerville partnered with Riky Widianto in Australian Embassy Jakarta in 2016

Personal life edit

Somerville, born to an Australian mother of Anglo-Celtic origin and a Chinese father, became famous when it was revealed that she is the descendant of a prominent Qing dynasty political reformer, Kang Youwei.[3] She is studying exercise science at Victoria University.[4][when?]

Career edit

Somerville's skills were discovered during a badminton talent identification program which she attended after receiving a flyer from her primary school PE teacher when she was about 12 or 13.[5][6] Born in Melbourne in 1995, Somerville first captured the media's attention as a young player in 2012 at the Uber Cup in central China's Hubei Province.[3]

She won gold medals at the 2014 Oceania Badminton Championships in women's doubles and mixed team events. Her current partners are Setyana Mapasa in women's doubles and Simon Leung in mixed doubles. She represented her country at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.[7] Together with Mapasa, they managed to win Australia's first ever Grand Prix title in 2016, after winning the Canada Open.[8] They also won the Dutch Open in the same year.[9] In 2017, she and Mapasa won the women's doubles title at the Oceania Championships, and a silver in the mixed doubles event partnered with Joel Findlay.[10]

She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the women's and mixed doubles but was eliminated in the group stage in both events.[11]

Achievements edit

Oceania Championships edit

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2014 Ken Kay Badminton Hall,
Ballarat, Australia
  Jacqueline Guan   Jacinta Joe
  Louisa Ma
21–14, 21–17   Gold
2015 X-TRM North Harbour Badminton Centre,
Auckland, New Zealand
  Leanne Choo   Talia Saunders
  Jennifer Tam
21–14, 21–11   Gold
2016 Punaauia University Hall,
Papeete, Tahiti
  Melinda Sun   Tiffany Ho
  Jennifer Tam
17–21, 21–19, 20–22   Silver
2017 Salle Anewy,
Nouméa, New Caledonia
  Setyana Mapasa   Tiffany Ho
  Joy Lai
16–21, 21–18, 21–14   Gold
2018 Eastlink Badminton Stadium,
Hamilton, New Zealand
  Setyana Mapasa   Leanne Choo
  Renuga Veeran
21–14, 22–20   Gold
2019 Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,
Melbourne, Australia
  Setyana Mapasa   Yingzi Jiang
  Louisa Ma
21–10, 21–9   Gold
2020 Ken Kay Badminton Stadium,
Ballarat, Australia
  Setyana Mapasa   Sally Fu
  Alyssa Tagle
21–9, 21–10   Gold
2022 Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,
Melbourne, Australia
  Kaitlyn Ea   Joyce Choong
  Sylvina Kurniawan
19–21, 15–21   Silver
2023 Auckland Badminton Stadium,
Auckland, New Zealand
  Joyce Choong   Sylvina Kurniawan
  Setyana Mapasa
19–21, 11–21   Bronze
2024 Leisuretime Sports Precinct,
Geelong, Australia
  Kaitlyn Ea   Setyana Mapasa
  Angela Yu
18–21, 11–21   Silver

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2012 Ken Kay Badminton Hall,
Ballarat, Australia
  Ross Smith   Glenn Warfe
  Leanne Choo
11–21, 17–21   Bronze
2014 Ken Kay Badminton Hall,
Ballarat, Australia
  Raymond Tam   Oliver Leydon-Davis
  Susannah Leydon-Davis
19–21, 19–21   Bronze
2015 X-TRM North Harbour Badminton Centre,
Auckland, New Zealand
  Matthew Chau   Oliver Leydon-Davis
  Danielle Tahuri
15–21, 21–19, 14–21   Bronze
2017 Salle Anewy,
Nouméa, New Caledonia
  Joel Findlay   Sawan Serasinghe
  Setyana Mapasa
19–21, 9–21   Silver
2019 Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,
Melbourne, Australia
  Simon Leung   Sawan Serasinghe
  Khoo Lee Yen
21–18, 21–15   Gold
2020 Ken Kay Badminton Stadium,
Ballarat, Australia
  Simon Leung   Pham Tran Hoang
  Sylvina Kurniawan
21–12, 21–8   Gold
2022 Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,
Melbourne, Australia
  Kenneth Choo   Oliver Leydon-Davis
  Anona Pak
21–18, 19–21, 21–12   Gold
2023 Auckland Badminton Stadium,
Auckland, New Zealand
  Kenneth Choo   Lim Ming Chuen
  Sylvina Kurniawan
21–12, 21–16   Gold
2024 Leisuretime Sports Precinct,
Geelong, Australia
  Kenneth Choo   Edward Lau
  Shaunna Li
21–11, 25–27, 21–14   Gold

BWF World Tour (1 title) edit

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[12] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[13]

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2019 Canada Open Super 100   Setyana Mapasa   Chang Ye-na
  Kim Hye-rin
21–16, 21–14   Winner

BWF Grand Prix (2 titles) edit

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2016 Canada Open   Setyana Mapasa   Heather Olver
  Lauren Smith
21–15, 21–16   Winner
2016 Dutch Open   Setyana Mapasa   Gabriela Stoeva
  Stefani Stoeva
17–21, 21–17, 21–16   Winner
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles, 14 runners-up) edit

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2014 Auckland International   Leanne Choo   Chang Ching-hui
  Chang Hsin-tien
11–6, 8–11, 10–11, 9–11   Runner-up
2015 Waikato International   Setyana Mapasa   Ruwindi Serasinghe
  Alice Wu
21–13, 21–10   Winner
2015 Auckland International   Setyana Mapasa   Pan Tzu-chin
  Tsai Hsin-yu
21–9, 21–5   Winner
2015 Maribyrnong International   Setyana Mapasa   Chen Hsuan-yu
  Shu Yu-lin
20–22, 17–21, 21–18   Winner
2015 Sydney International   Setyana Mapasa   Jongkolphan Kititharakul
  Rawinda Prajongjai
13–21, 5–21   Runner-up
2015 Norwegian International   Setyana Mapasa   Amanda Madsen
  Isabella Nielsen
21–5, 21–13   Winner
2015 Italian International   Setyana Mapasa   Gabriela Stoeva
  Stefani Stoeva
19–21, 21–18, 6–13 retired   Runner-up
2016 Brazil International   Setyana Mapasa   Chisato Hoshi
  Naru Shinoya
13–21, 19–21   Runner-up
2017 Nouméa International   Setyana Mapasa   Tiffany Ho
  Joy Lai
21–11, 21–8   Winner
2019 South Australia International   Setyana Mapasa   Rin Iwanaga
  Kie Nakanishi
15–21, 21–19, 9–21   Runner-up
2019 Nepal International   Setyana Mapasa   K. Maneesha
  Rutaparna Panda
21–10, 18–21, 21–11   Winner
2019 Yonex / K&D Graphics International   Setyana Mapasa   Rachel Honderich
  Kristen Tsai
14–21, 21–9, 21–18   Winner
2021 Irish Open   Chen Hsuan-yu   Debora Jille
  Cheryl Seinen
21–15, 14–21, 14–21   Runner-up
2022 North Harbour International   Chen Hsuan-yu   Sung Shuo-yun
  Yu Chien-hui
19–21, 17–21   Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2013 Auckland International   Raymond Tam   Ross Smith
  Renuga Veeran
16–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2015 Waikato International   Matthew Chau   Sawan Serasinghe
  Setyana Mapasa
13–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2015 Turkey International   Matthew Chau   Robert Mateusiak
  Nadieżda Zięba
12–21, 13–21   Runner-up
2019 Waikato International   Simon Leung   Hiroki Midorikawa
  Natsu Saito
15–21, 13–21   Runner-up
2023 Dutch International   Kenneth Choo   Brandon Yap
  Annie Lado
21–18, 23–21   Winner
2023 Mongolia International   Kenneth Choo   Tanakorn Meechai
  Fungfa Korpthammakit
22–20, 21–17   Winner
2023 Bendigo International   Kenneth Choo   Chen Sheng-fa
  Lin Jhih-yun
21–12, 14–21, 11–21   Runner-up
2023 Sydney International   Kenneth Choo   Chen Sheng-fa
  Lin Jhih-yun
18–21, 11–21   Runner-up
2024 Uganda International   Kenneth Choo   Sathish Kumar Karunakaran
  Aadya Variyath
20–22, 21–18, 19–21   Runner-up
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

References edit

  1. ^ "Player Info: Gronya Somerville". BadmintonLink. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Players: Gronya Somerville". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b Liu, Kiki, ed. (20 May 2015). "Gronya Somerville: Australian Following in Footsteps of Badminton Ace Lin Dan". Women of China. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016.
  4. ^ Rogers, Andrew (10 April 2016). "East Brunswick badminton player Gronya Somerville chasing her Olympic dream". Moreland Leader. Retrieved 25 March 2017 – via Herald Sun.
  5. ^ Levy, Megan (5 May 2016). "'Next badminton icon': Australia's Gronya Somerville to take on world's best". The North West Star. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Gronya Somerville: Courting success in sport and in life". Australia Plus. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Commonwealth Games Team Announced". Badminton Australia. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Canada Open 2016 Finals – 1 takes 3rd, 3 take 1st". Badzine. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  9. ^ "Mapasa and Somerville Win Second GP Title at Dutch Open". Badminton Australia. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  10. ^ "New Zealand, Australia Dominate Finals". Badminton Oceania. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Somerville Gronya". Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  12. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  13. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

External links edit