Zhang Ning

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This is a Chinese name; the family name is Zhang.
Zhang Ning
Personal information
Birth name 张宁
Date of birth May 19, 1975 (1975-05-19) (age 33)
Place of birth Shenyang,
Liaoning province
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 64 kg (140 lb/10.1 st)
Women's singles
Country Flag of the People's Republic of China China
Handedness Right
Highest Ranking 1
Current Ranking 2 (November 1, 2007)
BWF Profile

Zhang Ning (Simplified Chinese: 张宁, pinyin: Zhāng Níng) (born 19 May 1975 in Shenyang, Liaoning province) is a female badminton player from the People's Republic of China.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] 2003

Zhang's breakthrough was in the 2003 World Championships, where she stormed into the final. There, 28-year old Zhang Ning defeated compatriot Gong Ruina easily 11-6, 11-3.

[edit] 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 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 lost to Audina 10 years ago in the decisive match of the Uber Cup.

Olympic medal record
Women's badminton
Gold 2004 Athens Singles

[edit] 2005

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

[edit] 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've met in an international tournament, with the head-to-head tied at 9-9. Zhang also became the first women's singles player to win a game in international competition with a score of 30-29.[citation needed]

[edit] 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 was 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 reason for her loss.

[edit] 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 Xingfang, the top 2 seeds, lost in the first round. This is probably the first time that the top 2 seeds lost in the first round of the All England[citation needed]. However they both bounced back strongly in the Swiss Open to reach the final, for their 22nd international meeting. Xingfang beat Zhang 21-18, 21-17, and their current head to head stands at 11:11. It was a relief for Zhang who has failed to get past the quarter finals in three previous tournaments.

[edit] Achievement

Year Date Tournament Round
2007 06 May 2007 AVIVA OPEN SINGAPORE 2007 Winner
2006
22 Oct 2006 CHINA OPEN Winner
15 Oct 2006 YONEX JAPAN OPEN Winner
24 Sep 2006 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Runner-Up
02 Sep 2006 YONEX SUNRISE HONG KONG Runner-Up
23 Jul 2006 Macau Open Championship Quarter-Finalist
25 Jun 2006 CHINESE TAIPEI OPEN Winner
18 Jun 2006 PROTON MALAYSIA OPEN Winner
06 May 2006 UBER CUP Winner
12 Mar 2006 CHINA MASTERS 2006 Quarter-Finalist
22 Jan 2006 YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN 2006 Runner-Up
15 Jan 2006 YONEX GERMAN OPEN 2006 Winner
2005
13 Nov 2005 PICC CHINA OPEN 2005 Winner
06 Nov 2005 Yonex Sunrise Hong Kong Badminon Championship 2005 Winner
04 Sep 2005 CHINA MASTERS 2005 Winner
21 Aug 2005 XIV WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2005 Finalist
10 Jul 2005 PROTON MALAYSIA OPEN 2005 Winner
03 Jul 2005 SINGAPORE OPEN 2005 Winner
15 May 2005 SUDIRMAN CUP FINAL 2005 Team Event
10 Apr 2005 YONEX OPEN JAPAN 2005 Winner
13 Mar 2005 YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN 2005 Runner-Up
05 Mar 2005 YONEX GERMAN OPEN 2005 Runner-Up
2004
21 Nov 2004 AVIVA OPEN SINGAPORE 2004 Winner
14 Nov 2004 CHINA OPEN 2004 1/4
21 Aug 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES 2004 Winner
04 Jul 2004 Proton-Eon MALAYSIA OPEN 2004 Winner
16 May 2004 UBER CUP FINALS 2004 Team Event
11 Apr 2004 YONEX OPEN JAPAN 2004 Semi-Finalist
04 Apr 2004 NOONNOPPI KOREA OPEN 2004 Winner
14 Mar 2004 YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN 2004 Semi-Finalist
07 Mar 2004 SWISS OPEN 2004 Semi-Finalist
2003
16 Nov 2003 CHINA OPEN 2003 1/4
02 Nov 2003 HONG KONG OPEN 2003 Winner
05 Oct 2003 YONEX GERMAN OPEN 2003 Winner
28 Sep 2003 DENMARK OPEN 2003 Semi-Finalist
07 Sep 2003 PROTON EON MALAYSIA OPEN 2003 1/4
31 Aug 2003 SANYO INDONESIA OPEN 2003 1/4
24 Aug 2003 YONEX-SUNRISE SINGAPORE OPEN 2003 Winner
03 Aug 2003 World Championships 2003 Winner
06 Apr 2003 Yonex Open Japan 2003 1/4
23 Mar 2003 Sudirman Cup 2003 Team Event
23 Feb 2003 Swiss Open 2003 Winner
16 Feb 2003 Yonex All England Open 2003 Semi-Finalist
2002
22 Dec 2002 China Open 2002 Runner-Up
17 Nov 2002 JVC Asian Champs 2002 Runner-Up
01 Sep 2002 Sanyo Indonesia Open 2002 Runner-Up
25 Aug 2002 Yonex-Sunrise Singapore Open 2002 Runner-Up
19 May 2002 Uber Cup Finals (CHN) 2002 TF Team Event