Zhou Mi

Zhou Mi (; born 18 February 1979) is a Chinese badminton player. During much of her career she represented the People's Republic of China, but since 2007 she has represented Hong Kong which has a sports program and teams independent from those of the mainland. In 2010, she received a 2-year ban, for failing a drugs test.

Career Since 1998 Zhou has won more than twenty international singles titles on the world circuit and has achieved number one world rankings at various times. She was a silver medalist behind compatriot Gong Ruina at the 2001 IBF World Championships and was a bronze medalist at the 2003 Championships. She won women's singles at the quadrennial Asian Games in 2002, defeating Gong Ruina in the final. Zhou is a three-time finalist at the prestigious All-England Championships where she captured the title in 2003. She played singles for world champion Chinese Uber Cup (women's international) teams in 2002 and 2004.

Olympic controversy At the 2004 Athens Olympics Zhou reached the semifinal round where she was eliminated from gold medal contention by fellow countrywoman Zhang Ning. She then defeated Gong Ruina in the playoff for the bronze medal. The circumstances behind Zhou's semifinal defeat are controversial, however, because China's national coach Li Yongbo later confirmed rumors that he had instructed Zhou not to fight hard after she had dropped the first game to Zhang. His rationale was that a fresh Zhang Ning would have a better chance to defeat a non-Chinese opponent, the Netherlands' Mia Audina, in the final.

"Retirement" and comeback Whether the Olympic episode or subsequent injury and poor performance was the primary cause, Zhou apparently retired from badminton during the 2005 season. She played no tournaments in 2006 but secured residence in Hong Kong through its Quality Migration program. Zhou then reemerged on the world badminton circuit during the 2007 season. From a weak start at the Singapore Open her results dramatically improved to the point where she had regained a number one world ranking as of the end of the year 2008. Since launching her comeback Zhou's titles have included the New Zealand and Philippines Opens in 2007, and the South Korea, India, Macau Opens, and China Masters in 2008. In December, Zhou ended the 2008 season by winning the BWF Super Series Masters Finals, the biggest prize money event in the sport.

Positive clenbuterol test and two years ban The BWF announced on 4 September 2010 that a BWF Doping Hearing conducted in Copenhagen on Monday 23 August has banned Zhou Mi for 2 years from participation in badminton, following an Adverse Analytical Finding. A sample taken from her in late June as part of the BWF's 'out-of-competition' testing programme. Zhou tested positive to clenbuterol, a Class 1 Anabolic Agent on the WADA Prohibited List of substances.

On 27 October 2011, more than one year after she was handed a two-year ban for testing positive for clenbuterol, former badminton world No. 1 Zhou Mi reiterated her innocence. "At the time of the test, I was not competing or preparing to compete. There was not even the slightest reason or incentive for me to take any performance-enhancing substance," said Zhou. Regardless of the incident, Zhou, now 32, added it was time for her to retire from the sport. Clenbuterol can be consumed from eating contaminated food.

Achievements

Olympic Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2004 Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, Greece Gong Ruina 11–2, 8–11, 11–6 Bronze Bronze

World Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2001 Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain Gong Ruina 9–11, 4–11 Silver Silver 2003 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Gong Ruina 2–11, 4–11 Bronze Bronze

Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2002 Gangseo Gymnasium, Busan, South Korea Gong Ruina 11–1, 11–1 Gold Gold

Asian Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2002 Nimibutr Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Zhang Ning 6–11, 11–3, 11–8 Gold Gold 2010 Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India Liu Xin 15–21, 18–21 Bronze Bronze

East Asian Games Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2009 Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong Yip Pui Yin 21–15, 13–21, 10–17 retired Silver Silver

World Junior Championships Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1996 Silkeborg Hallerne, Silkeborg, Denmark Zhu Feng Cheng Rui Gao Ling 8–15, 14–17 Bronze Bronze

Asian Junior Championships Girls' singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1997 Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines Gong Ruina 5–11, 5–11 Silver Silver

Girls' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1997 Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines Yu Hua Chor Hooi Yee Lim Pek Siah 10–15, 6–15 Bronze Bronze

BWF Superseries The BWF Superseries, which was 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 levels are Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consists of twelve tournaments around the world that have been introduced since 2011. Successful players are invited to the Superseries Finals, which are held at the end of each year.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 2008 Korea Open Lu Lan 21–18, 15–21, 21–15 Winner 2008 Singapore Open Tine Rasmussen 19–21, 17–21 Runner-up 2008 Japan Open Wang Yihan 19–21, 21–17, 15–21 Runner-up 2008 China Masters Wang Lin 21–19, 19–21, 21–16 Winner 2008 Denmark Open Wang Lin 18–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2008 World Superseries Masters Finals Wang Chen 21–14, 21–18 Winner 2009 Malaysia Open Tine Rasmussen 17–21, 21–15, 16–21 Runner-up 2009 Singapore Open Xie Xingfang 21–19, 18–21, 21–10 Winner BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) which was held from 2007 to 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1998 Brunei Open Gong Ruina 7–11, 4–11 Runner-up 1998 Dutch Open Yao Jie 10–13, 13–11, 11–4 Winner 1999 Korea Open Gong Ruina 11–6, 13–12 Winner 1999 Chinese Taipei Open Dai Yun 5–11, 8–11 Runner-up 1999 Denmark Open Camilla Martin 11–8, 3–11, 1–11 Runner-up 1999 China Open Gong Ruina 11–6, 11–5 Winner 2000 Thailand Open Ye Zhaoying 5–11, 0–11 Runner-up 2000 Dutch Open Gong Ruina 11–7, 9–11, 11–8 Winner 2000 Denmark Open Camilla Martin 1–11, 11–6, 11–7 Winner 2000 World Grand Prix Finals Gong Zhichao 7–5, 5–7, 7–1, 7–0 Winner 2001 All England Open Gong Zhichao 7–11, 3–11 Runner-up 2001 Japan Open Gong Ruina 11–8, 11–0 Winner 2001 Malaysia Open Gong Ruina 3–7, 2–7, 4–7 Runner-up 2001 China Open Gong Ruina 7–2, 7–0, 7–4 Winner 2002 Japan Open Dai Yun 7–1, 7–0, 7–1 Winner 2002 Singapore Open Zhang Ning 11–6, 11–3 Winner 2003 All England Open Xie Xingfang 11–6, 11–5 Winner 2003 Singapore Open Zhang Ning 0–11, 8–11 Runner-up 2003 Malaysia Open Camilla Martin 11–1, 7–11, 11–5 Winner 2003 Denmark Open Gong Ruina 11–4, 10–13, 3–11 Runner-up 2003 China Open Gong Ruina 13–10, 11–1 Winner 2004 All England Open Gong Ruina 7–11, 7–11 Runner-up 2004 Malaysia Open Zhang Ning 11–9, 7–11, 8–11 Runner-up 2004 Singapore Open Zhang Ning 8–11, 1–11 Runner-up 2005 Singapore Open Zhang Ning 5–11, 7–11 Runner-up 2005 China Masters Zhang Ning 3–11, 11–5, 3–11 Runner-up 2007 New Zealand Open Chie Umezu 21–13, 21–10 Winner 2007 Thailand Open Zhu Lin 22–20, 5–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2007 Philippines Open Zhu Jingjing 21–18, 21–12 Winner 2008 India Open Lu Lan 21–14, 21–14 Winner 2008 Macau Open Julia Wong Pei Xian 21–13, 21–19 Winner 2008 New Zealand Open Rachel Hindley 21–10, 21–15 Winner 2009 Philippines Open Wang Xin 10–21, 21–12, 21–23 Runner-up 2010 Malaysia Grand Prix Gold Yip Pui Yin 16–21, 21–14, 19–21 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1999 Dutch Open Tang Chunyu Chen Lin Jiang Xuelian 9–15, 4–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1996 Brunei Open Yang Ming Sandiarto Vera Octavia 13–18, 12–15 Runner-up BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1999 French International Aparna Popat 11–0, 11–2 Winner 2007 Miami Pan Am International Lucía Tavera 21–7, 21–6 Winner BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series tournament BWF Future Series 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 Petya Nedelcheva 4 4 0 +4 Dai Yun 6 3 3 0 Gong Ruina 24 12 12 0 Gong Zhichao 3 2 1 +1 Han Jingna 1 1 0 +1 Li Xuerui 1 0 1 –1 Lu Lan 7 6 1 +5 Wang Lin 4 3 1 +2 Wang Shixian 1 0 1 –1 Wang Xin 2 0 2 –2 Wang Yihan 4 0 4 –4 Xie Xingfang 12 9 3 +6 Ye Zhaoying 2 0 2 –2

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost Zhang Ning 20 12 8 +4 Zhu Lin 6 1 5 –4 Huang Chia-chi 1 1 0 +1 Tai Tzu-ying 1 1 0 +1 Tine Baun 12 8 4 +4 Camilla Martin 8 4 4 0 Mette Sørensen 1 1 0 +1 Tracey Hallam 4 4 0 +4 Pi Hongyan 7 4 3 +1 Juliane Schenk 4 3 1 +2 Xu Huaiwen 7 4 3 +1 / Wang Chen 11 7 4 +3 Yip Pui Yin 3 2 1 +1

Players Matches Results Difference Won Lost Saina Nehwal 4 3 1 +2 Lindaweni Fanetri 1 1 0 +1 Maria Kristin Yulianti 3 2 1 +1 Yasuko Mizui 2 1 1 0 Wong Mew Choo 3 3 0 +3 / Mia Audina 11 6 5 +1 Bae Yeon-ju 2 0 2 –2 Kim Ji-hyun 2 1 1 0 Sung Ji-hyun 2 1 1 0 Porntip Buranaprasertsuk 2 2 0 +2 Ratchanok Intanon 1 1 0 +1 Somharuthai Jaroensiri 1 0 1 –1