Beiwen Zhang

Beiwen Zhang (simplified Chinese: 张蓓雯; traditional Chinese: 張蓓雯; pinyin: Zhāng Bèiwén; born 12 July 1990) is a Chinese-born American badminton player who is a singles specialist.[1] She won the women's singles title at the 2021 Pan Am Championships and at the 2023 Pan American Games.[2][3]

Beiwen Zhang
张蓓雯
Personal information
CountryChina (until 2007)
Singapore (2007–2013)
United States (2013–present)
Born (1990-07-12) 12 July 1990 (age 33)
Anshan, Liaoning, China
ResidenceLas Vegas, Nevada, United States
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
HandednessRight
Women's singles
Career record319 wins, 173 losses
Highest ranking9 (22 June 2017)
Current ranking11 (18 June 2024)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Women's singles
Pan Am Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Guatemala City Women's singles
Gold medal – first place 2024 Guatemala City Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 2022 San Salvador Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 2023 Kingston Women's singles
Pan Am Mixed Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Guadalajara Mixed team
Pan Am Female Badminton Cup
Silver medal – second place 2024 São Paulo Women's team
Representing  Singapore
Southeast Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Vientiane Women's team
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Waitakere City Mixed team
BWF profile

Career

2003–11 Singapore

Zhang was born in China and moved to Singapore at the age of 13 in 2003, under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme,[4] and played with the Singapore National Team until 2012.[4] In 2007, Zhang took up Singapore citizenship.[4]

In 2009, she was part of the Singapore national badminton team, winning a bronze medal at the women's team event of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.[5] After a one-year break in which she did not play any tournaments at all, in 2013, she came back on her way to reach top level again.

In 2011, her contract with the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) was not renewed reportedly falling out with then-singles head coach Luan Ching.[4]

2013–present United States

In 2013, after moving to Las Vegas with her parents, Zhang Beiwen won four international challenge tournaments with singles titles at the Swiss International in Yverdon-les-Bains; the Yonex USA International in Orlando, Florida; the Yonex Welsh International in Cardiff; and the Carlton Irish Open International in Dublin. In 2014, she continued her winning streak for her new country the US, with victories in Peru, the US, Brazil and the Netherlands. She won her first Grand Prix title at the 2014 U.S. Open Grand Prix Gold, then won the 2014 Brazil Open Grand Prix and 2014 Dutch Open Grand Prix.[6]

In 2014, Zhang competed in the Singapore Open and was asked by the SBA to rejoin Singapore national team.[4]

In 2016, Zhang started to compete in the Danish Badminton League, for Vendsyssel Elite Badminton.[7] Zhang reached the final round at a BWF Super Series event, the French Open, for the first time, but finished as the runner-up after losing the final to He Bingjiao of China in straight games.[8] In 2018, she won her first BWF World Tour title at the India Open, defeating host player and defending champion P. V. Sindhu with the score 21–18, 11–21, 22–20 in the final.[9]

In 2021, Zhang competed in her first Pan Am Championships and clinched the women's singles title after beating Rachel Chan of Canada in straight games.[2] On March the same year, she became a naturalized U.S. citizen.[10] She then competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Her bid for a medal was cut short, however, when she suffered an apparent achilles injury during a match against He Bingjiao of China in the round of 16.[11]

Zhang started the 2023 season in Asia by competing in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand,where her best performance was entering the quarter-finals in India. Her performance improved on tour in Europe, by being a finalist in the Orléans Masters, semi-finalist in the Swiss Open, and also quarter-finalist in the Spain Masters. She then took part in the Pan Am Championships in Jamaica, and won the women's singles silver medal. Zhang's form picked up in recent months. She finished runner-up at the Taipei Open in June, made the Canada Open semi-finals and reached the Japan Open quarter-finals in July. She then won her first World Tour title in five years in the Australian Open in August, beating Kim Ga-eun in the final.[12] In October, she claimed the gold medal in the women's singles in her debut at the Pan American Games.[3]

Achievements

Pan American Games

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2023Olympic Training Center, Santiago, Chile Jennie Gai21–8, 21–12 Gold

Pan American Championships

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2021Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Guatemala City, Guatemala Rachel Chan21–14, 21–18 Gold
2022Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández, San Salvador, El Salvador Michelle Li18–21, 21–16, 23–25 Silver
2023G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, Kingston, Jamaica Michelle Li19–21, 9–21 Silver
2024Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium, Guatemala City, Guatemala Michelle Li21–18, 18–21, 21–17 Gold

BWF World Tour (3 titles, 5 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[13] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[14]

Women's singles

YearTournamentLevelOpponentScoreResult
2018India OpenSuper 500 P. V. Sindhu21–18, 11–21, 22–20 Winner
2018U.S. OpenSuper 300 Li Xuerui26–24, 15–21, 11–21 Runner-up
2018Korea OpenSuper 500 Nozomi Okuhara10–21, 21–17, 16–21 Runner-up
2023Orléans MastersSuper 300 Carolina Marín23–25, 21–9, 10–21 Runner-up
2023Taipei OpenSuper 300 Tai Tzu-ying14–21, 17–21 Runner-up
2023Australian OpenSuper 500 Kim Ga-eun20–22, 21–16, 21–8 Winner
2023Hylo OpenSuper 300 Line Kjærsfeldt21–18, 16–21, 21–16 Winner
2024U.S. OpenSuper 300 Natsuki Nidaira21–17, 18–21, 22–24 Runner-up

BWF Superseries (1 runner-up)

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[15] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011.[16] Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2016French Open He Bingjiao9–21 9–21 Runner-up
  BWF Superseries Finals tournament
  BWF Superseries Premier tournament
  BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (7 titles, 2 runner-up)

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2008Vietnam Open Xing Aiying11–21, 21–19, 22–20 Winner[17]
2014U.S. Open Kana Ito21–8, 21–17 Winner
2014Brasil Open Kaori Imabeppu6–11, 11–5, 4–11, 11–8, 11–9 Winner
2014Dutch Open Pai Yu-po11–9, 11–7, 11–8 Winner
2014U.S. Grand Prix Rachel Honderich21–11, 21–13 Winner
2016Canada Open Michelle LiWalkover Runner-up
2016Dutch Open Hsu Ya-ching21–11, 21–19 Winner
2017Dutch Open Michelle Li21–16, 21–14 Winner
2017Bitburger Open Nitchaon Jindapol17–21, 21–15, 19–21 Runner-up
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles, 2 runner-up)

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2013Swiss International Tanvi Lad21–12, 21–12 Winner
2013USA International Iris Wang21–10, 21–12 Winner
2013Welsh International Beatriz Corrales21–12, 21–15 Winner
2013Irish Open Beatriz Corrales21–9, 17–21, 21–10 Winner
2014Peru International Michelle Li27–25, 21–19 Winner
2015USA International Pai Yu-po21–14, 13–21, 21–19 Winner
2016Yonex / K&D Graphics International Rachel Honderich21–13, 21–12 Winner

Women's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
2005Croatian International Fu Mingtian Frances Liu
Shinta Mulia Sari
Walkover Runner-up
2007Croatian International Gu Juan Cai Jiani
Guo Xin
21–15, 6–21, 10–21 Runner-up
2013USA International Jing Yu Hong Paula B Pereira
Lohaynny Vicente
21–7, 21–14 Winner
2016Yonex / K&D Graphics International Jing Yu Hong Eva Lee
Paula Lynn Obañana
21–17, 22–20 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. Accurate as of 23 October 2022.[18]

References