Roy Díaz González

Roy Díaz González
Personal information
CountryMexico
Born1953 (age 71–72)
Men's singles & doubles
Highest ranking15 (MS, 1981)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Mexico
Pan Am Championships
1977 Moncton Men's singles
1980 San Diego Men's singles

Roy Díaz González (born 1953) is a former world-class badminton player from Mexico. Something of a child prodigy in the sport, González began touring internationally at fourteen, the age at which he captured the first of his many Mexican national singles titles.[1] He won the Belgian International men's doubles title at fifteen and the Swiss Open men's singles title at sixteen.[2][3][4]

By his late teens, in the early 1970s, González was competitive with the world's best players, but he never developed the penetrating power, or the deceptive wizardry, which might have allowed him to break through in badminton's biggest events. Nevertheless, he remained a respected and dangerous opponent on the world scene for over a decade, admired for his footwork, stamina, and touch. In 1977 he won men's singles at the first ever Pan-American Badminton Championships.[5]

González played in five Thomas Cup (men's international team) campaigns for Mexico, between 1970 and 1984, before finally losing a Thomas Cup singles match to another North American player. His advisor at the court was for a long time his father Dr. Jorge Díaz González.

Achievements

Pan Am Championships

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1977 Université de Moncton, Moncton, Canada Jamie McKee 17–14, 11–15, 15–9 Gold
1980 San Diego Badminton Club, San Diego, United States Gary Higgins 15–5, 15–10 Gold

International Open Tournaments (5 titles, 4 runners-up)

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1969 Belgian International Lee Kin Tat 3–15, 5–15 Runner-up
1970 Swiss Open Hermann Fröhlich 15–6, 15–5 Winner
1972 Mexican International Sture Johnsson 8–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1974 Swiss Open Edy Andrey 15–3, 15–4 Winner
1977 Mexican International Ricardo Jaramillo 15–5, 15–5 Winner

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1969 Belgian International Lee Kin Tat Ho Kim Kooi
Remy
15–8, 15–5 Winner
1970 Swiss Open Hermann Fröhlich Rupert Liebl
Erich Eikelkamp
15–5, 15–10 Winner
1972 Mexican International Victor Jaramillo Jorge Palazuelos
Francisco Sañudo
10–15, 14–17 Runner-up
1974 Swiss Open Claude Bovard Ricardo Jaramillo
Francisco Sañudo
9–15, 15–6, 12–15 Runner-up

References

  1. ^ Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 236.
  2. ^ Scheele, 123, 298.
  3. ^ "BADMINTON - A BEAULIEU: SUISSE-BELGIQUE et les "Internationaux" de Suisse - VICTOIRES AUX ETRANGERS". Le Confédéré. 1970-03-16. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-10-15 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  4. ^ "Badminton - Audrey überraschte". Die Tat. 1974-03-13. p. 11. Retrieved 2024-10-15 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  5. ^ "The first Pan-American Championships," World Badminton, July–August 1977, 11.