Last weekend, badminton fans saw the end of an era as Selena Piek played her final tournament at a professional level at the 75th edition of the YONEX Dutch Open.
Surrounded by family, friends, and her home crowd, Piek took her last bow on home soil, where she first made her name and built on her doubles talent.
Over a decade of partnerships and success
Throughout her career, Piek has been known for her strength in doubles. She has teamed up with a series of successful partners, including Iris Tabeling, Eefje Muskens, and Cheryl Seinen in women’s doubles. In mixed doubles, her partnerships with Jacco Arends and Robin Tabeling – who shared the court with her during her last tournament – brought her big wins and a reputation as a strong competitor on the European and world stages.
Piek’s talent was noticeable from the beginning. In 2009, as a junior player, she won silver in girls’ doubles with Iris Tabeling and a gold in mixed doubles with Jacco Arends at the European Junior Championships. These early wins hinted at what was to come in her senior career, where she went on to win seven European Championship medals and two European Games golds, the most recent with Robin Tabeling just last year.
While Piek’s achievements are impressive, her impact goes beyond the medals. From 2016 to 2020, she also served on the Badminton Europe Athletes' Commission, working on behalf of players across our continent. She has also represented the Netherlands in three Olympic Games.
Reflecting on her retirement, Piek shared mixed emotions, acknowledging that stepping away from the game won’t be easy. “It is going to be strange,” she said, adding that while she’ll still be active playing for clubs in some national leagues, leaving the professional circuits is a big change. “It will be a huge transition; I have been into this since I was 15. So, I can see some challenges there for myself, but I am also going to enjoy not being a professional badminton player anymore.”
At 33, Selena Piek may be leaving professional badminton, but we will not forget big performances and emotional wins she has left on court.