Wang Yihan hangs up her racquet

Chinese women’s singles star Wang Yihan chose the Mid-Autumn Festival to announce her retirement from international badminton, according to reports today in Sina Sports.  The 28-year-old had been entered in October’s Denmark Open but her name was withdrawn before the tournament’s entry deadline and that means that her last international appearance was the Rio Olympics, where she was unable to defend the silver medal she won in London in 2012.

Photos: Yves Lacroix for Badmintonphoto and Don Hearn

Wang leaves the international circuit with by far the most Superseries titles in her discipline.  Her 20 victories (team-mate Li Xuerui is 2nd with 14) included titles from every Superseries event except for the India and Australian Opens.

Wang Yihan won the Asian and World Junior Championships in 2006 but that year, it was winning the World Cup in Yiyang – when she beat reigning World Champion Xie Xingfang in the final – that really put the 18-year-old in the spotlight early.  Wang hit her peak in 2011, when was both Asian and World Champion and she won five Superseries titles, including the Superseries Finals.

Although compatriot Li Xuerui really came on strong in 2012 and beat Wang for the gold medal in London, Wang Yihan remained a top contender and she beat Li in final in Incheon to win gold at the 2014 Asian Games.  Wang’s last international title was the Badminton Asia Championships in Wuhan in May of this year.