Cai Yun

Cai Yun (born 19 January 1980) is a former professional badminton player representing China. He is the 2012 London Olympic gold medallist and a four-time World Champion in men's doubles. He is regarded as one of the greatest men's doubles players of all time.

Sport career Combining Cai Yun's speed with his regular partner Fu Haifeng's power, Cai and Fu have been one of the world's leading men's doubles teams since 2004. They have won numerous top tier events on the world circuit including the All England Open Championships in 2005 and 2009. They have won the BWF World Championships 4 times in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011, becoming the first Men's Doubles pair to achieve this triumph. Cai and Fu have helped China win five consecutive Thomas Cup (Men's Team World Badminton Championships) (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012) and six consecutive Sudirman Cup (World Team Championships) (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015). Cai and Fu also competed together in the Olympic Games 3 times, including the 2004, the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2012 Olympic Games. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2004, and in 2008 in Beijing were silver medalists, losing a final to Indonesia's Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan.

At the 2010 BWF World Championships, they, being the fifth-seed, beat the third-seed Danish pair Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen 21–11, 21–18 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they defeated the second-seed Indonesian Olympic Champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan 21–16, 21–13. In the finals, they overcame the first-seed and Malaysian world no. 1 Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–18, 21–14 to win the world title for the 3rd time. They are the first Men's Doubles pair to achieve this feat.

Cai and Fu went on to win the Li-Ning China Masters Super Series. Being the fifth-seed, they first defeated their second-seed compatriots Xu Chen and Guo Zhendong 21–11, 21–16 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they made a great comeback against the third-seed South Korean rival Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung 20–22, 21–13, 21–17. Cai and Fu then clinched their second China Masters title by defeating the fourth-seed South Korean pair Yoo Yeon-seong and Ko Sung-hyun in 2 sets 21–14, 21–19. Cai and Fu won their third title in a row by winning the Yonex Japan Open Super Series. They, being the fifth-seed, beat the young Korean pair Cho Gun-woo and Kwon Yi-goo 21–14, 16–21, 21–12 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they defeated their promising compatriots Zhang Nan and Chai Biao 21–17, 21–16. In the finals, they made a great comeback again against the first-seed and Malaysian world no. 1 Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–14, 21–12 to win their first Japan Open title.

In the 2012 Summer Olympics, they defeated Denmark's Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen in the final to win the gold medal.

Cai and Fu have won an Olympic gold medal and four World Championship titles, among other titles, and have been described as one of the most successful men's doubles pairs in badminton history. They have expressed intent to continue their career together after the London Olympics.

Achievements

Olympic Games Men's doubles

BWF World Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2003 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom Fu Haifeng Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya 15–6, 10–15, 9–15 Bronze Bronze 2006 Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid, Spain Fu Haifeng Robert Blair Anthony Clark 21–9, 21–13 Gold Gold 2009 Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 21–18, 16–21, 28–26 Gold Gold 2010 Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Paris, France Fu Haifeng Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–18, 21–14 Gold Gold 2011 Wembley Arena, London, England Fu Haifeng Ko Sung-hyun Yoo Yeon-seong 24–22, 21–16 Gold Gold 2013 Tianhe Sports Center, Guangzhou, China Fu Haifeng Mohammad Ahsan Hendra Setiawan 19–21, 17–21 Bronze Bronze

World Cup Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2005 Olympic Park, Yiyang, China Fu Haifeng Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya 21–11, 21–18 Gold Gold 2006 Olympic Park, Yiyang, China Fu Haifeng Lin Woon Fui Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari 15–21, 21–13, 17–21 Bronze Bronze

Asian Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Sichuan Gymnasium, Chengdu, China Fu Haifeng Hirokatsu Hashimoto Noriyasu Hirata 21–12, 21–15 Gold Gold 2015 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China Lu Kai Mohammad Ahsan Hendra Setiawan 12–21, 21–18, 16–21 Bronze Bronze

World Junior Championships Boys' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Sports and Aquatic Centre, Melbourne, Australia Jiang Shan Chan Chong Ming Teo Kok Seng 7–15, 3–15 Silver Silver

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Sports and Aquatic Centre, Melbourne, Australia Xie Xingfang Chan Chong Ming Joanne Quay 4–15, 3–15 Bronze Bronze

Asian Junior Championships Boys' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1997 Ninoy Aquino Stadium,Manila, Philippines Zhang Yi Chan Chong Ming Jeremy Gan 6–15, 3–15 Silver Silver

BWF Superseries (15 titles, 9 runners-up) The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2007 All England Open Fu Haifeng Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 15–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2007 Singapore Open Fu Haifeng Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah 16–21, 24–22, 21–18 Winner 2007 Indonesia Open Fu Haifeng Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari 21–17, 22–20 Winner 2007 China Masters Fu Haifeng Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 21–15, 21–16 Winner 2007 French Open Fu Haifeng Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah 21–14, 21–19 Winner 2008 Korea Open Fu Haifeng Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto 21–7, 20–22 ,21–17 Winner 2008 French Open Xu Chen Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 18–21, 19–21 Runner-up 2009 All England Open Fu Haifeng Han Sang-hoon Hwang Ji-man 21–17, 21–15 Winner 2009 Indonesia Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 15–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2009 China Masters Fu Haifeng Guo Zhendong Xu Chen Walkover Runner-up 2010 Korea Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 11–21, 21–14, 18–21 Runner-up 2010 China Masters Fu Haifeng Ko Sung-hyun Yoo Yeon-seong 21–14, 21–19 Winner 2010 Japan Open Fu Haifeng Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–14, 21–12 Winner 2011 Singapore Open Fu Haifeng Hendra Aprida Gunawan Alvent Yulianto 21–17, 21–13 Winner 2011 Indonesia Open Fu Haifeng Chai Biao Guo Zhendong 21–13, 21–12 Winner 2011 China Masters Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 17–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2011 Japan Open Fu Haifeng Mohammad Ahsan Bona Septano 21–13, 23–21 Winner 2011 Denmark Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 16–21, 17–21 Runner-up 2011 French Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 21–14, 15–21, 11–21 Runner-up 2011 Hong Kong Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 14–21, 24–22, 21–19 Winner 2012 Korea Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 18–21, 21–17, 21–19 Winner 2012 All England Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 23–21, 9–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2012 Hong Kong Open Fu Haifeng Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 21–16, 21–17 Winner 2014 Singapore Open Lu Kai Lee Sheng-mu Tsai Chia-hsin 21–19, 21–14 Winner BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries Premier tournament BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (8 titles, 7 runners-up) The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2003 Malaysia Open Fu Haifeng Kim Dong-moon Lee Dong-soo 15–17, 11–15 Runner-up 2003 German Open Fu Haifeng Eng Hian Flandy Limpele 15–9, 8–15, 4–15 Runner-up 2004 Swiss Open Fu Haifeng Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto 15–9, 17–14 Winner 2004 Japan Open Fu Haifeng Ha Tae-kwon Kim Dong-moon 7–15, 15–6, 6–15 Runner-up 2004 Indonesia Open Fu Haifeng Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto 8–15, 11–15 Runner-up 2005 German Open Fu Haifeng Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen 6–15, 15–3, 15–10 Winner 2005 All England Open Fu Haifeng Lars Paaske Jonas Rasmussen 15–10, 15–6 Winner 2005 Malaysia Open Fu Haifeng Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya 11–15, 14–17 Runner-up 2005 Hong Kong Open Fu Haifeng Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen 15–13, 15–9 Winner 2006 China Masters Fu Haifeng Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen 17–21, 17–21 Runner-up 2006 Chinese Taipei Open Fu Haifeng Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 21–14, 21–18 Winner 2006 Macau Open Fu Haifeng Guo Zhendong Zheng Bo 21–12, 9–21, 21–19 Winner 2006 China Open Fu Haifeng Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 16–21, 16–21 Runner-up2008 Thailand Open Fu Haifeng Guo Zhendong Xie Zhongbo 21–17, retired Winner 2015 Swiss Open Lu Kai Goh V Shem Tan Wee Kiong 21–19, 14–21, 21–17 Winner BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

Personal life Cai Yun married synchronised swimmer Wang Na in 2010. Wang Na gave birth to a daughter in 2012, and to a second child in probably late 2014. (Cai Yun's doubles partner-turned-coach Zhang Jun married Wang Na's teammate Hu Ni in 2006.)