Abstract
Background/Objectives: Top badminton players must carefully schedule tournaments to perform well and improve their rankings. This study examines how players plan their tournament participation and whether their scheduling strategies affect their rankings and performance, especially during Olympic and non-Olympic years. Methods: Data were extracted from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) ranking system for the top 50 men’s and women’s singles players from May 2014 to May 2019. A computer-based simulation model and cluster analysis were applied to analyze tournament participation patterns, recovery intervals, and performance trends. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify correlations between these variables and ranking outcomes. Results: Top-ranked players participated in more tournaments during Olympic years, with those competing in more than nine tournaments achieving better results. Players performing well in higher-graded tournaments tended to take longer recovery breaks, whereas lower-performing players entered more tournaments. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct performance groups, with the top 20 men’s and top 12 women’s singles players adopting different strategies compared to lower-ranked counterparts. Conclusions: Strategic scheduling of tournaments, including balancing participation frequency and recovery intervals, is vital for optimizing performance and achieving sustained ranking success. These findings emphasize the importance of high-graded tournament selection and tailored schedules for elite players.