Zhao Yunlei

Zhao Yunlei
Zhao Yunlei at the 2009 East Asian Games.
Personal information
Country	China
Born	(1986-08-25) August 25, 1986 Yichang, China[1]
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Weight	61 kg (134 lb)[2]
Handedness	Right
Coach	Chen Qiqiu
Women's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking	1 (XD) 1 (WD) (February 02, 2011)
Current ranking	Retired
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  China Olympic Games 2012 London Mixed Doubles 2012 London Women's Doubles 2016 Rio de Janeiro Mixed Doubles World Championships 2011 London Mixed Doubles 2014 Copenhagen Women's Doubles 2014 Copenhagen Mixed Doubles 2015 Jakarta Women's Doubles 2015 Jakarta Mixed Doubles 2009 Hyderabad Women's Doubles 2011 London Women's Doubles 2010 Paris Women's Doubles 2013 Guangzhou Women's Doubles 2013 Guangzhou Mixed Doubles Sudirman Cup 2011 Qingdao Mixed Team 2013 Kuala Lumpur Mixed Team 2015 Donggguan Mixed Team Uber Cup 2012 Wuhan Women's Team 2014 New Delhi Women's Team 2016 Kunshan Women's Team Asian Games 2010 Guangzhou Women's Doubles 2010 Guangzhou Women's Team 2014 Incheon Mixed Doubles 2014 Incheon Women's Team 2010 Guangzhou Mixed Doubles 2014 Incheon Women's Doubles Asia Championships 2011 Chengdu Mixed Doubles 2012 Qingdao Mixed Doubles 2012 Qingdao Women's Doubles 2016 Wuhan Mixed Doubles 2007 Johor Bahru Women's Doubles 2011 Chengdu Women's Doubles 2013 Taipei Mixed Doubles Asia Team Championships 2016 Hyderabad Women's Team East Asian Games 2009 Hong Kong Women's Team 2013 Tianjin Women's Team 2009 Hong Kong Women's Doubles Asia Junior Championships 2004 Hwacheon Girls' Doubles 2004 Hwacheon Girls' Team Representing Hubei Province China National Games of the People's Republic of China 2013 Shenyang Women's Doubles 2009 Jinan Women's Doubles 2009 Jinan Mixed Doubles 2009 Jinan Women's Team
BWF profile

Zhao Yunlei (born August 25, 1986) is a mixed and women's doubles badminton athlete from China. She graduated with a BA from Huazhong University of Science and Technology . She is the first and only badminton player to have ever won two Gold medals in the same Olympic edition, winning in both the Mixed and Women's Doubles categories in 2012. Zhao joins the ranks with nine other players with two Olympic Gold Medals, the highest number of Gold Medals won by any badminton athlete. Through her performance at the 2014 and 2015 BWF World Championships, she became the first player to win two consecutive gold medals in two consecutive BWF World Championships.

As of the 2015 BWF World Championships, she has become the most successful player in World Championship medal count, with a total of ten medals, overtaking Gao Ling, who has a total of nine. In addition, by winning the 2015 BWF World Championships Mixed Doubles title, she and partner Zhang Nan have won three World Championship Mixed Doubles titles, the first pairing ever to have done so. By winning the Asian Games Mixed Doubles Gold Medal in 2014, Zhao completed the record of winning the Double "Grand Slam" – winning the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, Asia Championships, and All-England Championships in both the Mixed Doubles and Women's Doubles categories, as well as the World Mixed Team Championships (Sudirman Cup), World Women's Team Championships (Uber Cup), Asian Games Women's Team Gold Medal, and Asia Women's Team Championships.

She is regarded by many as one of the best female doubles players in the history of badminton alongside past greats, such as former teammate Gao Ling. Zhao has achieved massive overall success in both the Mixed and Women's Doubles categories, having won a total of 63 individual career titles (38 in Mixed, 25 in Women's). Among these 63 individual titles, 42 of them are Super Series titles (27 in Mixed, 15 in Women's), making her the third most successful player in terms of overall Super Series achievements, and the most-successful female player in this regard as well. After the 2016 Olympics, Zhao retired from international badminton competition.

Career

Zhao played with Tian Qing in the women's doubles and with Zhang Nan in the mixed doubles. She and Zhang Nan were the World Ranked Number One pairing in Mixed Doubles. In Women's Doubles, she and Tian Qing were World Number One's in Women's Doubles. She had been Cheng Shu's women's doubles partner before pairing with Tian Qing. She is the first and only badminton player to win two gold medals in the same Olympic edition.

2010

Zhao and Zhang won the 2010 All England Open Mixed Doubles title, being the first players and pairing to have ever won the title through beginning at the qualifying stage. Zhao and Tian won the 2010 Asian Games gold medal after vanquishing compatriots Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang 20–22, 21–15, and 21–12. Zhao also participated in China's women's team which gain a gold medal too.

2011

In January, Zhao and Zhang won the 2010 VICTOR-BWF World Super Series Finals (having held during January 2011) in Taiwan, in the Mixed Doubles category, after defeating Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thungthongkam of Thailand 21–17, 21–12 in the final. Zhao also reached the final in the Women's Doubles category with Cheng. Two weeks later, they triumphed at Seoul by winning the Korea Open Super Series Premier. In the final, they conquered compatriots Tao Jiaming and Tian Qing. Zhao and Tian reached the women's doubles final as well. In August, at the 2011 BWF World Championships in London, Zhao and Zhang won the Mixed Doubles title, with this being Zhao's first ever overall World Championship Gold Medal and first ever Mixed Doubles World Championship Gold Medal. She also won a silver medal in the Women's Doubles category with Tian as well. In October, Zhao Yunlei and Zhang Nan reached the Denmark Open Super Series Premier Mixed Doubles semi-final but they lost to Denmark's Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen 12–21, 21–14, and 20–22. However, Zhao and Zhao managed to reverse this, by winning against Nielsen and Pedersen in the Mixed Doubles finals at both the Hong Kong Open Super Series and China Open Super Series Premier. In December, Zhao and Zhang won the 2011 BWF World Super Series Finals Mixed Doubles title, successfully defending the title first won in January of the 2011 year.

2012

In July–August at the London Olympics, she won two gold medals for China: Mixed Doubles with Zhang Nan and Women's doubles with Tian Qing.

2013

In August at the 2013 BWF World Championships in Guangzhou, she won bronze in both the Mixed doubles with Zhang and the Women's doubles with Tian.

2014

In August at the 2014 BWF World Championships in Copenhagen, she won both the Mixed doubles with Zhang and the Women's doubles with Tian, with this being Zhao's first World Championship Women's Doubles Gold Medal. In September, Zhao and Zhang won the 2014 Asian Games Mixed Doubles title, avenging the loss from four years ago. In December, Zhao and Zhang won the 2014 BWF World Super Series Finals Mixed Doubles title. Zhao was also awarded the 2014 BWF Female Player of the Year Award.

2015

In August at the 2015 BWF World Championships in Jakarta, she successfully defended her titles in both the Mixed doubles with Zhang and the Women's doubles with Tian.

2016

In April–May, Zhao and Zhang won the 2016 Asian Championships Mixed Doubles title. In August, Zhao and Zhang won a bronze medal in Mixed Doubles at the 2016 Olympic Games. This is her third Olympic medal in addition to the two golds won four years ago.

Personal life

She was in a relationship with her mixed doubles partner, Zhang Nan. But just before the 2016 Olympic Games, she announced that they had parted ways. In 2018, she married Hong Wei, another former national teammate and men doubles' shuttler.

Achievements

Olympic Games

Women's Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2012	Wembley Arena, London, England	Tian Qing	Mizuki Fujii Reika Kakiiwa	21–10, 25–23	Gold

Mixed Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2016	Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–7, 21–11	Bronze
2012	Wembley Arena, London, England	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–11, 21–17	Gold

BWF World Championships

Women's Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2015	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Tian Qing	Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl	23–25, 21–8, 21–15	Gold
2014	Ballerup Super Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	21–19, 21–15	Gold
2013	Tianhe Sports Center, Guangzhou, China	Tian Qing	Eom Hye-won Chang Ye-na	16–21, 19–21	Bronze
2011	Wembley Arena, London, England	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	20–22, 11–21	Silver
2010	Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Paris, France	Cheng Shu	Ma Jin Wang Xiaoli	21–10, 10–21, 13–21	Bronze
2009	Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India	Cheng Shu	Zhang Yawen Zhao Tingting	21–17, 17–21, 16–21	Silver

Mixed Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2015	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Zhang Nan	Liu Cheng Bao Yixin	21–17, 21–11	Gold
2014	Ballerup Super Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–12, 21–23, 21–13	Gold
2013	Tianhe Sports Center, Guangzhou, China	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	21–15, 18–21, 13–21	Bronze
2011	Wembley Arena, London, England	Zhang Nan	Chris Adcock Imogen Bankier	21–15, 21–7	Gold

Asian Games

Women's Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2014	Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea	Tian Qing	Nitya Krishinda Maheswari Greysia Polii	17–21, 21–19, 17–21	Bronze
2010	Tianhe Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	20–22, 21–15, 21–12	Gold

Mixed Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2014	Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	21–16, 21–14	Gold
2010	Tianhe Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China	Zhang Nan	Shin Baek-cheol Lee Hyo-jung	19–21, 14–21	Silver

Asian Championships

Women's Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2012	Qingdao Sports Centre Conson Stadium, Qingdao, China	Tian Qing	Bao Yixin Zhong Qianxin	21–14, 21–15	Gold
2011	Sichuan Gymnasium, Chengdu, China	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	13–21, 10–21	Silver
2007	Bandaraya Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia	Cheng Shu	Yang Wei Zhao Tingting	10–21, 11–21	Silver

Mixed Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2016	Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	16–21, 21–9, 21–17	Gold
2013	Taipei Arena, Taipei, Chinese Taipei	Zhang Nan	Ko Sung-hyun Kim Ha-na	20–22, 17–21	Silver
2012	Qingdao Sports Centre Conson Stadium, Qingdao, China	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–13, 21–12	Gold
2011	Sichuan Gymnasium, Chengdu, China	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	15–21, 21–15, 25–23	Gold

Asian Junior Championships

Girls' Doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2004	Hwacheon Indoor Stadium, Hwacheon, South Korea	Ding Jiao	Feng Chen Pan Pan	5–15, 15–8, 15–12	Gold

BWF Superseries

The BWF Superseries has two level such as Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, which introduced since 2011, with successful players invited to the Superseries Finals held at the year end.

Women's Doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2015	Hong Kong Open	Tian Qing	Tang Yuanting Yu Yang	21–15, 21–12	Winner
2015	Denmark Open	Tian Qing	Jung Kyung-eun Shin Seung-chan	Walkover	Runner-up
2015	Japan Open	Zhong Qianxin	Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl	21–12, 21–16	Winner
2014	Dubai World Superseries Finals	Tian Qing	Misaki Matsutomo Ayaka Takahashi	17–21, 14–21	Runner-up
2014	Hong Kong Open	Tian Qing	Misaki Matsutomo Ayaka Takahashi	21–13, 21–13	Winner
2014	China Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	16–21, 21–19, 20–22	Runner-up
2014	Australian Open	Tian Qing	Misaki Matsutomo Ayaka Takahashi	21–15, 21–9	Winner
2014	Indonesia Open	Tian Qing	Ma Jin Tang Yuanting	Walkover	Winner
2013	French Open	Tian Qing	Bao Yixin Tang Jinhua	13–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2013	Singapore Open	Tian Qing	Misaki Matsutomo Ayaka Takahashi	21–19, 21–16	Winner
2013	All England Open	Cheng Shu	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	18–21, 10–21	Runner-up
2012	Hong Kong Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	22–20, 14–21, 21–17	Winner
2012	Indonesia Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	21–17, 9–21, 16–21	Runner-up
2012	All England Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	21–17, 21–12	Winner
2012	Korea Open	Tian Qing	Ha Jung-eun Kim Min-jung	21–18, 21–13	Winner
2011	Hong Kong Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	12–21, 2–14 Retired	Runner-up
2011	French Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	24–26, 15–21	Runner-up
2011	Denmark Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	20–22, 16–21	Runner-up
2011	Singapore Open	Tian Qing	Ha Jung-eun Kim Min-jung	21–13, 21–16	Winner
2011	Korea Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	18–21, 21–19, 4–21	Runner-up
2011	Malaysia Open	Tian Qing	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	21–12, 6–21, 21–17	Winner
2010	World Superseries Finals	Cheng Shu	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	7–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2010	China Open	Cheng Shu	Ma Jin Zhong Qianxin	Walkover	Winner
2010	Japan Open	Cheng Shu	Wang Xiaoli Yu Yang	17–21, 6–21	Runner-up
2010	All England Open	Cheng Shu	Du Jing Yu Yang	22–20, 16–21, 13–21	Runner-up
2010	Korea Open	Cheng Shu	Mizuki Fujii Reika Kakiiwa	21–16, 21–15	Winner
2009	French Open	Cheng Shu	Ma Jin Wang Xiaoli	13–21, 8–21	Runner-up
2009	China Masters	Cheng Shu	Du Jing Yu Yang	15–21, 15–21	Runner-up
2009	Indonesia Open	Cheng Shu	Chin Eei Hui Wong Pei Tty	16–21, 16–21	Runner-up
2009	All England Open	Cheng Shu	Zhang Yawen Zhao Tingting	13–21, 15–21	Runner-up
2008	Hong Kong Open	Cheng Shu	Zhang Yawen Zhao Tingting	14–21, 13–21	Runner-up
2008	China Masters	Cheng Shu	Zhang Dan Zhang Zhibo	21–14, 21–11	Winner
2008	Japan Open	Cheng Shu	Chin Eei Hui Wong Pei Tty	21–19, 5–21, 21–18	Winner

Mixed Doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2015	Hong Kong Open	Zhang Nan	Liu Cheng Bao Yixin	21–17, 17–21, 21–17	Winner
2015	China Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	21–19, 17–21, 21–19	Winner
2015	Korea Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	21–16, 21–15	Winner
2015	Japan Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	21–17, 18–21, 21–23	Runner-up
2015	Indonesia Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	17–21, 16–21	Runner-up
2015	Singapore Open	Zhang Nan	Lu Kai Huang Yaqiong	Walkover	Winner
2015	Malaysia Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–16, 21–14	Winner
2015	All England Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	21–10, 21–10	Winner
2014	Dubai World Superseries Finals	Zhang Nan	Liu Cheng Bao Yixin	21–15, 21–12	Winner
2014	Hong Kong Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–14, 21–19	Winner
2014	China Open	Zhang Nan	Yoo Yeon-seong Eom Hye-won	23–25, 21–14, 21–18	Winner
2014	Japan Open	Zhang Nan	Michael Fuchs Birgit Michels	21–12, 21–16	Winner
2014	All England Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	13–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2014	Korea Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–18, 21–18	Winner
2013	World Superseries Finals	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	21–12, 19–21, 10–21	Runner-up
2013	French Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	28–26, 21–18	Winner
2013	Denmark Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	21–11, 22–20	Winner
2013	Japan Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	Walkover	Winner
2013	China Masters	Zhang Nan	Yoo Yeon-seong Eom Hye-won	21–18, 21–12	Winner
2013	Indonesia Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	24–22, 20–22, 21–12	Winner
2013	All England Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	13–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2013	Korea Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	13–21, –16, 21–13	Winner
2012	World Superseries Finals	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	21–17, 12–21, 14–21	Runner-up
2012	Hong Kong Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–17, 21–17	Winner
2012	Malaysia Open	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–12, 21–9	Winner
2011	World Superseries Finals	Zhang Nan	Xu Chen Ma Jin	21–13, 21–15	Winner
2011	China Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	21–11, 21–14	Winner
2011	Hong Kong Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	15–21, 21–17, 21–17	Winner
2011	Indonesia Open	Zhang Nan	Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir	20–22, 21–14, 21–9	Winner
2011	Korea Open	Zhang Nan	Tao Jiaming Tian Qing	21–17, 13–21, 21–19	Winner
2010	World Superseries Finals	Zhang Nan	Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam	21–17, 21–12	Winner
2010	Hong Kong Open	Zhang Nan	Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen	20–22, 21–14, 20–22	Runner-up
2010	China Open	Zhang Nan	Tao Jiaming Tian Qing	18–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2010	Japan Open	Zhang Nan	Tao Jiaming Tian Qing	21–19, 22–20	Winner
2010	All England Open	Zhang Nan	Nova Widianto Lilyana Natsir	21–18, 23–25, 21–18	Winner
2008	China Open	Xu Chen	Lee Yong-dae Lee Hyo-jung	16–21, 15–21	Runner-up

     Superseries Finals Tournament

     Superseries Premier Tournament

     Superseries Tournament

BWF Grand Prix

The BWF Grand Prix has two levels, the Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix. It is a series of badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2007.

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2016	Thailand Masters	Tian Qing	Tang Yuanting Yu Yang	11–21, 21–12, 23–21	Winner
2011	Thailand Open	Tian Qing	Cheng Shu Bao Yixin	21–7, 21–8	Winner
2010	German Open	Cheng Shu	Ma Jin Wang Xiaoli	22–24, 15–21	Runner-up
2009	German Open	Cheng Shu	Pan Pan Tian Qing	18–21, 21–13, 21–16	Winner
2008	Macau Open	Cheng Shu	Ma Jin Wang Xiaoli	21–15, 21–18	Winner

Mixed Doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2010	Bitburger Open	Zhang Nan	Michael Fuchs Birgit Overzier	22–20, 21–9	Winner
2009	Malaysia Masters	Xu Chen	Zheng Bo Ma Jin	5–5 Retired	Runner-up
2009	German Open	Xu Chen	Zheng Bo Ma Jin	21–18, 23–21	Winner
2008	Macau Open	Xu Chen	Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama Chau Hoi Wah	21–15, 21–16	Winner

     Grand Prix Gold Tournament

     Grand Prix Tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series

Women's Doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
2007	Austrian International	Cheng Shu	Pan Pan Tian Qing	21–18, 21–13	Winner

     BWF International Challenge tournament

     BWF International Series tournament

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zhao Yunlei.

• Zhao Yunlei at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com
• 2010 Asian Games Badminton Biography