9th Lagos International Badminton Classics: All Eyes on Zilberman

Posted : 28 August 2026

For Israeli badminton veteran Misha Zilberman, Lagos is more than just another stop on the international badminton calendar.

It is a place where memories, milestones, surprises and triumphs have become woven into a career that has spanned more than a decade.

Now, at 37, the veteran shuttler is back at the Lagos International Badminton Classics, and once again, the spotlight has found him.

The difference this time is that Zilberman is no longer the young player who arrived in Lagos in 2014, hungry to make his mark.

He is now a seasoned campaigner, a four-time Olympian, a European medallist and one of the most recognisable international players to have repeatedly graced the Lagos tournament.

Yet, despite his age and the emergence of a new generation of increasingly powerful players, Zilberman insists he is not coming to Lagos merely to add another tournament appearance to his long résumé.

He wants to win, but he also wants to enjoy the journey.

“I’m not coming here just to participate, but it will be tough, which I think is natural now that I am getting older. It’s harder to fight with the younger players because they are becoming stronger,” he said in an interview in Lagos.

“Each generation becomes stronger and stronger. I’m here and I will do my best. Hopefully, I can play my best game.”

That balance between ambition and acceptance perhaps best explains Zilberman’s approach to the ninth edition of the Lagos International Badminton Classics.

The tournament is familiar territory, but the challenge is different.

A Tournament That Became Part of His Story

Zilberman's association with Lagos dates back to the inaugural edition in 2014, when he arrived as one of the tournament's leading contenders and left as champion.

He defeated Austria's Luka Wraber 2-0, winning 21-15, 21-12, to claim the men's singles title. At the time, Zilberman was ranked 49th in the world.

It was the beginning of what would become a remarkable Lagos connection.

A year later, the defending champion returned expecting another deep run but suffered one of the tournament's most memorable upsets.

Nigerian player Ifraimu Janikam, ranked 511th at the time, stunned the 49th-ranked Zilberman 2-1 in the round of 32.

Janikam won the opening game 22-20, Zilberman responded with a 21-12 victory in the second, but the Nigerian held his nerve to take the decider 21-18 before an ecstatic home crowd.

For Zilberman, it was a reminder that reputation counts for little once the shuttle is in the air.

Lagos, however, had not finished writing his story.

Mother and Son Make History

In 2017, Zilberman returned and this time competed alongside his mother, Svetlana Zilberman, in the mixed doubles.

The partnership produced another memorable chapter.

The mother-and-son combination defeated Portugal's Duarte Anjo and Sofia Setim 20-22, 21-16, 21-7 to claim the mixed doubles crown.

The victory was significant not only because it added another Lagos title to Zilberman's collection, but because badminton had become a family affair at the highest level.

Svetlana, who also coached her son, has been a constant presence throughout his career. Their partnership has since become one of the more unusual stories in international badminton. Zilberman and his mother also won mixed doubles titles elsewhere, including at the Suriname International in 2016 and Ethiopia International in 2017.

Then came 2018.

Zilberman returned to the Lagos International and reclaimed the men's singles crown, defeating Malaysia's Misbun Ramdan Mohmed Misbun 2-1 in the final.

That made it three Lagos titles for the Israeli: two in men's singles and one in mixed doubles.

His dominance was part of a tournament that had grown substantially. The 2018 edition attracted players from 24 countries, underlining the international character the Lagos Classics had developed.

From Lagos Champion to Global Veteran

Much has changed since Zilberman's first Lagos appearance.

He has competed at four Olympic Games: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and has established himself as Israel's most experienced badminton campaigner.

His Olympic journey includes a landmark victory at the 2016 Games, when he recorded Israel's first Olympic badminton win.

His résumé also includes bronze medals at the 2019 and 2023 European Games and a bronze at the 2022 European Badminton Championships in Madrid.

The Madrid medal was particularly significant because Zilberman became the first Israeli player to win a medal at the European Badminton Championships.

His career-high world ranking of 33, achieved in 2023, underlines the level at which he has operated during his peak years. By 2026, he remains a formidable international competitor, even as his ranking has slipped from those heights.

Age, therefore, is not something he ignores.

Instead, he embraces it as part of the next phase of his career.

Experience Versus Youth

That is perhaps the most intriguing subplot of Zilberman's latest Lagos appearance.

Modern badminton is increasingly dominated by younger athletes whose speed, athleticism and physical recovery can make life difficult for veterans.

Zilberman knows this better than most.

“Every time I come here, I know that I’m getting older and it’s harder to fight with the young players,” he said.

“But still, I come here and I really enjoy playing in this tournament.”

There is no bitterness in his assessment.

Instead, there is an acknowledgement that the sport has evolved and that every generation raises the standard for the next.

His response has been to adapt.

The younger Zilberman relied more heavily on physicality. The experienced version has increasingly emphasised tactical play, efficiency and reading the game. He previously explained that with age he had become more tactical, using fewer shots while creating greater pressure on opponents.

That evolution could prove crucial in Lagos.

Why Lagos Still Matters

Despite the years and the miles travelled around the world, Zilberman says Lagos continues to offer something special.

He speaks fondly of the Nigerian environment and the reception he receives whenever he returns.

“Coming back to Nigeria gives me good memories. I like it here,” he said.

He also praised the venue and organisation of this year's tournament, noting the larger playing area and the conditions available to the athletes.

“The space is very big and I think that’s very good for the players.

“The weather is good here, not so hot, and the quality of the badminton. I enjoy it.”

For an athlete who has competed in major badminton arenas across four continents, such praise is significant.

But Zilberman's affection for Lagos is not based simply on comfort.

The tournament has been an important part of his competitive history.

It has given him a title, taken one away from him unexpectedly, reunited him with his mother on court and provided some of the memories that have followed him throughout his career.

No Pressure, Just the Desire to Win

That history could easily create pressure.

Three titles. A reputation. A number-one seeding in the 2026 edition. The expectation that the veteran champion should once again be among the last players standing.

Zilberman, however, rejects that narrative.

“I am not under any pressure. The younger ones should be under pressure,” he said with a smile.

“I’m just enjoying it here. Everything around here is very good and I’m just enjoying it.”

Yet there is a competitive edge beneath the relaxed approach.

“My main goal and intention is to win and if I eventually do, I will be happy.

“If not, I’m also happy that someone played better than me and beat me.”

That may sound like the words of an athlete preparing for the twilight of his career.

But the results suggest otherwise.

As recently as 2024, Zilberman was still winning international titles, while in 2026 he has remained active on the international circuit, including appearances at the US Open, Canada Open and World Championships.

He is therefore not in Lagos to stage a farewell.

He is here to compete.

Another Chapter Awaits

On Friday, Zilberman will step onto the court at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Institute of Sports (NIS), National Stadium, Surulere, for his quarter-final.

It will be another match in a career that has already taken him to Olympic Games, European championships, world championships and international tournaments around the globe.

But Lagos remains different.

Here, he is not simply another experienced international player.

He is a former champion returning to a place where his career has intersected with Nigerian badminton in unforgettable ways.

The Nigerian fans have seen him win.

They have seen him lose.

They have seen him partner his mother to victory.

And now, almost a decade after his last men's singles triumph in Lagos, they will see whether the veteran's experience can once again prevail over the energy of a younger generation.

Zilberman insists there is no pressure.

But as the quarter-finals approach, all eyes will nonetheless be on the Israeli.

And perhaps that is exactly how he wants it.

9th Lagos International Badminton Classics: All Eyes on Zilberman

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