Raul Must is not sad that the Olympics are postponed. Actually it “fits my plan nicely”.

He is without a doubt one of the best badminton players Estonia has ever had, but it is also no secret that Raul Must is on his way to retirement.

Talk of the town has been that Must would retire after the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, but with the postponement most people might have thought that the plans were changed.

Still motivated
But according to Must the plan has never been to retire in 2020. 

- At first, I had a plan to keep playing one more year after Olympics. Now Olympics are postponed for one year, and that kind of fits my plan nicely, Raul Must said.

- I am motivated to play and train every day and I am trying to use this time to really build my fitness. When international tournaments are starting again, I am ready to keep playing and fighting on court, he added.

Fourth Olympics?
In 2019 the men’s singles profile made history winning the first ever medal for Estonia at a European major event, but securing the medal is not enough for Must.

- It was obviously a big success for me, but now I have good possibilities to qualify for my fourth Olympics. I would be happy and proud if I can achieve that, he said.

At the Beijing Olympics in 2008 Raul Must lost in the first round to fellow European Przemyslaw Wacha before he got his first Olympic win beating Michael Lahnsteiner from Austria at the London Olympics in 2008. In Wembley Arena Must lost the group final against Indonesian Simon Santoso.

At the Rio de Janeiro Olympics the Estonian was drawn into an all-European group facing Danish Jan O Jorgensen and Brice Leverdez from France. Must finished three in the group losing both matches against the Danish and French favorites.

15 times champion
During his career Must has won titles in Bulgaria, Norway, Latvia and Finland and on paper the bronze medal from the European Games 2019 was the highlight, but for Must it is not the titles won abroad that is on the top of his list.

- My most important and best titles are Estonian national champion. I have won 15 times in a row now. Even though I do not have many strong contestants, it is still not easy to win it 15 times, Must said.

Raul Must is currently ranked 82 in the World and the Estonian is ranked 26 in Europe.