Zhang Ning

Zhang Ning (; born 19 May 1975) is a Chinese badminton player. She won the Olympic gold medal twice for women's singles in both 2004 and 2008. She has played badminton on the world scene since the mid-1990s and has been particularly successful since 2002 while in her late twenties and early thirties, relatively late for singles at the highest level, and especially for top players in the Chinese system who are developed very early. She is known for her consistency of shot, deception and constant pressure, dictating the pace of rallies and working her opponents in all four corners of the court. She is the only female player to win consecutive Olympic singles gold medals. She also became World champion in 2003 and has a total of five medals of all colours in the competition.

Zhang first represented China in the Uber Cup (women's world team championship) competition in 1994 and last represented it in 2006. Though she was not always chosen to play in each of the biennial editions of this tournament, the span of her Uber Cup service is the longest of any Chinese player.

Career

2003 Although she had previously won a number of international open titles dating from the mid-1990s, Zhang's breakthrough as a dominant player on the world circuit came in the 2003 IBF World Championships, where she stormed into the final. There, 28-year-old Zhang Ning defeated compatriot Gong Ruina easily 11-6, 11-3.

2004 The following year, Zhang played badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics for China. In women's singles, she defeated Marina Andrievskaya of Sweden and Kelly Morgan of Great Britain in the first two rounds. In the quarterfinals, Zhang beat Wang Chen of Hong Kong 9-11, 11-6, 11-7 to advance to the semifinals. There, she defeated countrywoman Zhou Mi 11-6, 11-4. Zhang defeated Netherlands's Mia Audina 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 in the final to win the [gold medal. It was sweet revenge for the 29-year-old, who had lost to Audina 10 years earlier in the decisive match of the Uber Cup. With her Olympic win, she became one of three singles players in the world to win the World Championship and the Olympic Games (in either order) in successive years, the others being Susi Susanti and Taufik Hidayat.

2005 Zhang also claimed many titles after her breakthrough wins. She bested Xie Xingfang in the 2005 China Open 3-11, 11-4, 11-8, but in the 2005 World Championships final Zhang fell to Xie Xingfang, 8-11, 11-9, 3-11.

2006 In 2006, Zhang reached the finals of the World Championships yet again, but she was still unable to defeat Xingfang. This time, she lost 16-21, 14-21. However, Zhang claimed revenge in the Japan Open, defeating Xingfang 21-11, 16-21, 30-29. This was the 19th time they had met in an international tournament, with the head-to-head tied at 9-9.

During this year the well known Dutch documentary filmmaker Roel van Dalen made the documentary film Olympic Journey - The Road to Beijing on the life of Zhang Ning, which was broadcast on television worldwide.

2007 In 2007, Zhang won her fifth Singapore Open title in six times, beating Xingfang 21-18, 19-21, 21-3. In the World Championships, Xingfang was defeated in the third round by Malaysian Wong Mew Choo, making Zhang a favourite for the title. However, she was stopped in the semi-finals by Wang Chen. This was the second time Wang Chen had beaten her in 2007, after the Indonesian Open. Zhang's compatriot Zhu Lin went on to beat Wang in the final 21-8, 21-12. In the Beijing Good Luck Invitational tournament, Zhang reached the semi-finals to face Zhu Lin but pulled out due to injury.

In the Danish Open, she reached the final, but lost 17-21, 14-21 to compatriot Lu Lan due to a thigh injury. Zhang also reached the semi-finals of the French Open, but was upset by local hope Pi Hongyan.

In the China Open, Zhang lost in straight sets to Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo in the semi-finals. Zhang cited injury and fatigue as the main reasons for her loss.

2008 Zhang's 2008 season started with a first round loss in the Malaysian Open. She was seen coaching her younger teammates in the tournament as well. In the Korean Open, she lost to her former compatriot, Zhou Mi, in the quarter-final. Zhou now plays for Hong Kong. In the All England, Zhang and Xie, the top 2 seeds, lost in the first round. However they both bounced back strongly in the Swiss Open to reach the final, for their 22nd international meeting. To be in the final was a relief for Zhang, who had failed to get past the quarter-finals in three previous tournaments. Still, Xie beat Zhang 21-18, 21-17, bringing their head-to-head stands to 11:11.

Later, at the Beijing Olympic Games, Zhang progressed to the quarter-final after overcoming South Korean Jun Jae Youn in the third round. She then subdued fifth-seeded Pi Hongyan of France and Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti 21-15, 21-15 to reach the final. There she faced compatriot and world number 1 Xie Xingfang and won in a tough three-setter, 21-12, 10-21, 21-18, to extend her gold medal reign. Zhang became the first badminton player to ever defend an Olympic singles title even though many questioned her ability to do so at the age of 33. She was additionally chosen to represent China as the flag bearer for the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

Retirement Having previously announced her plans to retire after the 2008 Olympic Games, a retirement ceremony for Zhang and other retiring members of the Chinese national team was held at the 2008 China Open Badminton Championships in Shanghai in November 2008. She was in tears receiving an award during the ceremony to mark her retirement with five other teammates from the Chinese national badminton team on the sidelines of the China Open badminton event in Shanghai, November 23, 2008. After her retirement, Zhang Ning immediately began working with the Chinese national team in coaching and developing the up-and-coming women's singles players. In 2018 however she was replaced by Luo Yigang as the coach of China's women's badminton team following the below par performance of team at the Uber Cup.

Achievements

Olympic Games Women's singles

World Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2001 Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain Zhou Mi 5–11, 9–11 Bronze Bronze 2003 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Gong Ruina 11–6, 11–3 Gold Gold 2005 Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, United States Xie Xingfang 8–11, 11–9, 3–11 Silver Silver 2006 Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid, Spain Xie Xingfang 16–21, 14–21 Silver Silver 2007 Putra Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wang Chen 11–21, 15–21 Bronze Bronze

World Cup Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2005 Olympic Park, Yiyang, China Xie Xingfang 19–21, 16–21 Silver Silver 2006 Olympic Park, Yiyang, China Wang Yihan 19–21, 18–21 Bronze Bronze

Asian Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1999 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Ye Zhaoying 8–11, 5–11 Silver Silver 2001 PhilSports Arena, Manila, Philippines Wang Chen 11–1, 11–3 Gold Gold 2002 Nimibutr Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Zhou Mi 11–6, 3–11, 8–11 Silver Silver

Asian Cup Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1996 Olympic Gymnasium No. 2, Seoul, South Korea Zeng Yaqiong 5–11, 11–2, 11–4 Gold Gold

East Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1993 Shanghai, China Shen Lianfeng 8–11, 8–11 Bronze Bronze

Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1993 Shanghai, China Qin Yiyuan Kim Shin-young Shon Hye-joo 12–15, 11–15 Silver Silver

BWF Superseries The BWF Superseries, launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries has two levels, the Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, introduced in 2011, with successful players invited to the BWF Superseries Finals held at the year's end.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 2007 Swiss Open Lu Lan 21–16, 21–18 Winner 2007 Singapore Open Xie Xingfang 21–18, 19–21, 21–3 Winner 2007 China Masters Xie Xingfang 11–21, 21–8, 21–23 Runner-up 2007 Denmark Open Lu Lan 17–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2008 Swiss Open Xie Xingfang 18–21, 17–21 Runner-up Superseries tournament Superseries Premier tournament Superseries Finals tournament

IBF World Grand Prix The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1994 French Open Liu Yuhong 7–11, 11–7, 11–7 Winner 1994 Brunei Open Hu Ning 11–3, 6–11, 11–6 Winner 1996 Swedish Open Ra Kyung-min 6–11, 11–2, 11–4 Winner 1996 Malaysia Open Wang Chen 11–7, 11–8 Winner 1996 China Open Wang Chen 11–6, 11–6 Winner 1998 All England Open Ye Zhaoying 5–11, 8–11 Runner-up 1998 Malaysia Open Dai Yun 11–1, 11–3 Winner 1998 World Grand Prix Finals Dai Yun 11–8, 11–7 Winner 2001 Singapore Open Dai Yun 7–1, 4–7, 7–2 Winner 2002 Korea Open Gong Ruina 7–0, 5–7, 7–1, 7–2 Winner 2002 Singapore Open Zhou Mi 6–11, 3–11 Runner-up 2002 Indonesia Open Gong Ruina 6–11, 7–11 Runner-up 2002 China Open Gong Ruina 5–11, 8–11 Runner-up 2003 Swiss Open Wang Chen Walkover Winner 2003 Singapore Open Zhou Mi 11–0, 11–8 Winner 2003 German Open Camilla Martin 11–7, 11–3 Winner 2003 Hong Kong Open Gong Ruina 11–5, 11–9 Winner 2004 Korea Open Jun Jae-youn 11–6, 11–5 Winner 2004 Malaysia Open Zhou Mi 9–11, 11–7, 11–8 Winner 2004 Singapore Open Zhou Mi 11–8, 11–1 Winner 2005 German Open Xie Xingfang 5–11, 4–11 Runner-up 2005 All England Open Xie Xingfang 3–11, 9–11 Runner-up 2005 Japan Open Xie Xingfang 11–7, 11–8 Winner 2005 Singapore Open Zhou Mi 11–5, 11–7 Winner 2005 Malaysia Open Zhu Lin 11–6, 11–2 Winner 2005 China Masters Zhou Mi 11–3, 5–11, 11–3 Winner 2005 Hong Kong Open Xie Xingfang 11–4, 1–11, 11–6 Winner 2005 China Open Xie Xingfang 3–11, 11–4, 11–8 Winner 2006 German Open Lu Lan 11–8, 11–3 Winner 2006 All England Open Xie Xingfang 6–11, 11–4, 2–11 Runner-up 2006 Chinese Taipei Open Xie Xingfang 21–15, 21–15 Winner 2006 Malaysia Open Tracey Hallam 21–12, 21–13 Winner 2006 Hong Kong Open Xie Xingfang Walkover Runner-up 2006 Japan Open Xie Xingfang 21–11, 16–21, 30–29 Winner 2006 China Open Yao Jie 21–14, 21–5 Winner

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1993 Dutch Open Joanne Goode Finarsih Lili Tampi 9–15, 3–15 Runner-up 1999 Korea Open Ge Fei Huang Nanyan Yang Wei 10–15, 1–15 Runner-up IBF Grand Prix tournament IBF Grand Prix Finals tournament

Record against selected opponents Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost / Huang Chia-chi 3 3 0 +3 Petya Nedelcheva 4 4 0 +4 Dai Yun 8 6 2 +4 Gong Ruina 9 4 5 –1 Gong Zhichao 4 2 2 0 Han Jingna 2 0 2 –2 Lu Lan 4 3 1 +2 Wang Lin 2 1 1 0 Wang Yihan 4 3 1 +2 Xie Xingfang 23 12 11 +1 Yao Yan 2 1 1 0 Ye Zhaoying 4 0 4 –4 Zhu Lin 3 3 0 +3 Cheng Shao-chieh 2 2 0 +2 Tine Baun 5 4 1 +3 Camilla Martin 15 9 6 +3 Mette Sørensen 2 2 0 +2

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost Tracey Hallam 6 6 0 +6 Pi Hongyan 17 14 3 +11 Petra Overzier 2 2 0 +2 Juliane Schenk 5 5 0 +5 Xu Huaiwen 3 3 0 +3 / Wang Chen 17 14 3 +11 Yip Pui Yin 5 4 1 +3 / Zhou Mi 20 8 12 –4 Saina Nehwal 1 1 0 +1 Susi Susanti 6 1 5 –4 Maria Kristin Yulianti 3 2 1 +1 Yasuko Mizui 3 3 0 +3 Wong Mew Choo 8 7 1 +6 / Mia Audina 13 7 6 +1 Bang Soo-hyun 4 0 4 –4 Kim Ji-hyun 2 0 2 –2 Lim Xiaoqing 5 0 5 –5

Performance timeline

National team Senior level Team events 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Uber Cup NH S NH S NH A NH A NH A NH G NH G NH Sudirman Cup A NH A NH A NH A NH A NH A NH G NH G Asian Games NH A NH G NH G NH G NH East Asian Games G NH A NH

Individual competitions Women's singles

Tournaments 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Olympic Games NH A NH A NH G NH G World Championships R64 NH QF NH QF NH QF NH B NH G NH S S B NH World Cup A NH S B NH Asian Games NH A NH A NH A NH QF NH Asian Championships 3R QF A S A G S A Asian Cup NH G NH East Asian Games B NH A NH