Zhang Ning

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Women's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
2008	Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, Beijing, China	Xie Xingfang	21–12, 10–21, 21–18	Gold
2004	Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, Greece	Mia Audina Tjiptawan	8–11, 11–6, 11–7	Gold

Women's singles

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

Women's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
2006	Olympic Park, Yiyang, China	Wang Yihan	19–21, 18–21	Bronze
2005[5]	Olympic Park, Yiyang, China	Xie Xingfang	19–21, 16–21	Silver

Women's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
2002	Bangkok, Thailand	Zhou Mi	11–6, 3–11, 8–11	Silver
2001	PhilSports Arena, Manila, Philippines	Wang Chen	11–1, 11–3	Gold
1999	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Ye Zhaoying	8–11, 5–11	Silver

Women's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
1993	Shanghai, China	Shen Lianfeng		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

Women's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
2006	All England Open	Xie Xingfang	6–11, 11–4, 2–11	Runner-up
2006	German Open	Lu Lan	11–8, 11–3	Winner
2005	China Open	Xie Xingfang	3–11, 11–4, 11–8	Winner
2005	Hongkong Open	Xie Xingfang	11–4, 1–11, 11–6	Winner
2005	China Masters	Zhou Mi	11–3, 5–11, 11–3	Winner
2005	Malaysia Open	Zhu Lin	11–6, 11–2	Winner
2005	Singapore Open	Zhou Mi	11–5, 11–7	Winner
2005	Japan Open	Xie Xingfang	11–7, 11–8	Winner
2005	All England Open	Xie Xingfang	3–11, 9–11	Runner-up
2005	German Open	Xie Xingfang	5–11, 4–11	Runner-up
2004	Singapore Open	Zhou Mi	11–8, 11–1	Winner
2004	Malaysia Open	Zhou Mi	9–11, 11–7, 11–8	Winner
2004	Korea Open	Jun Jae-youn	11–6, 11–5	Winner
2003	Hong Kong Open	Gong Ruina	11–5, 11–9	Winner
2003	German Open	Camilla Martin	11–7, 11–3	Winner
2003	Singapore Open	Zhou Mi	11–0, 11–8	Winner
2003	Swiss Open	Wang Chen	Walkover	Winner
2002	China Open	Gong Ruina	5–11, 8–11	Runner-up
2002	Indonesia Open	Gong Ruina	6–11, 7–11	Runner-up
2002	Singapore Open	Zhou Mi	6–11, 3–11	Runner-up
2002	Korea Open	Gong Ruina	7–0, 5–7, 7–1, 7–2	Winner
2001	Singapore Open	Dai Yun	7–1, 4–7, 7–2	Winner
1998	Malaysia Open	Dai Yun	11–1, 11–3	Winner
1998	All England Open	Ye Zhaoying	5–11, 8–11	Runner-up
1996	China Open	Wang Chen	11–6, 11–6	Winner
1996	Malaysia Open	Wang Chen	11–7, 11–8	Winner
1996	Swedish Open	Ra Kyung-min	6–11, 11–2, 11–4	Winner
1994	Brunei Open	Hu Ning	11–3, 6–11, 11–6	Winner
1994	French Open	Liu Yuhong	7–11, 11–7, 11–7	Winner

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1993	Dutch Open	Joanne Goode	Finarsih Lili Tampi	9–15, 3–15	Runner-up

Women's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
2008	Swiss Open	Xie Xingfang	18–21, 17–21	Runner-up
2007	Denmark Open	Lu Lan	17–21, 14–21	Runner-up
2007	China Masters	Xie Xingfang	11–21, 21–8, 21–23	Runner-up
2007	Singapore Open	Xie Xingfang	21–18, 19–21, 21–3	Winner
2007	Swiss Open	Lu Lan	21–16, 21–18	Winner
2006	Japan Open	Xie Xingfang	21–11, 16–21, 30–29	Winner
2006	Hongkong Open	Xie Xingfang	Walkover	Runner-up
2006	Malaysia Open	Tracey Hallam	21–12, 21–13	Winner

     Superseries tournament

     Superseries Premier tournament

     Superseries Finals tournament

Women's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
2006	Chinese Taipei Open	Xie Xingfang	21–15, 21–15	Winner