Beiwen Zhang (simplified Chinese: 张蓓雯; traditional Chinese: 張蓓雯; pinyin: Zhāng Bèiwén; born 12 July 1990) is an American badminton player born in Chinese 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Zhang at 2017 Indonesia Super Series Premier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | China (until 2007) Singapore (2007–2013) United States (2013–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 July 1990 Anshan, Liaoning, China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 319 wins, 173 losses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 9 (22 June 2017) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 10 (9 April 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| BWF profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career edit
2003–11 Singapore edit
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 edit
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 edit
Pan American Games edit
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Olympic Training Center, Santiago, Chile |  Jennie Gai
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21–8, 21–12 |  Gold
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Pan American Championships edit
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Guatemala City, Guatemala |  Rachel Chan
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21–14, 21–18 | Gold
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| 2022 | Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández, San Salvador, El Salvador | Michelle Li
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18–21, 21–16, 23–25 |  Silver
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| 2023 | G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, Kingston, Jamaica | Michelle Li
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19–21, 9–21 | Silver
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| 2024 | Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium, Guatemala City, Guatemala | Michelle Li
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21–18, 18–21, 21–17 | Gold
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BWF World Tour (3 titles, 4 runners-up) edit
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
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | India Open | Super 500 |  P. V. Sindhu
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21–18, 11–21, 22–20 |  Winner
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| 2018 | U.S. Open | Super 300 |  Li Xuerui
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26–24, 15–21, 11–21 |  Runner-up
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| 2018 | Korea Open | Super 500 |  Nozomi Okuhara
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10–21, 21–17, 16–21 | Runner-up
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| 2023 | Orléans Masters | Super 300 |  Carolina Marín
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23–25, 21–9, 10–21 | Runner-up
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| 2023 | Taipei Open | Super 300 |  Tai Tzu-ying
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14–21, 17–21 | Runner-up
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| 2023 | Australian Open | Super 500 |  Kim Ga-eun
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20–22, 21–16, 21–8 | Winner
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| 2023 | Hylo Open | Super 300 |  Line Kjærsfeldt
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21–18, 16–21, 21–16 | Winner
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BWF Superseries (1 runner-up) edit
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
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | French Open | He Bingjiao
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9–21 9–21 | Runner-up
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- BWF Superseries Finals tournament
- BWF Superseries Premier tournament
- BWF Superseries tournament
BWF Grand Prix (7 titles, 2 runner-up) edit
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
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Vietnam Open |  Xing Aiying
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11–21, 21–19, 22–20 | Winner[17]
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| 2014 | U.S. Open | Kana Ito
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21–8, 21–17 | Winner
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| 2014 | Brasil Open | Kaori Imabeppu
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6–11, 11–5, 4–11, 11–8, 11–9 | Winner
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| 2014 | Dutch Open | Pai Yu-po
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11–9, 11–7, 11–8 | Winner
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| 2014 | U.S. Grand Prix | Rachel Honderich
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21–11, 21–13 | Winner
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| 2016 | Canada Open | Michelle Li
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Walkover | Runner-up
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| 2016 | Dutch Open | Hsu Ya-ching
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21–11, 21–19 | Winner
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| 2017 | Dutch Open | Michelle Li
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21–16, 21–14 | Winner
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| 2017 | Bitburger Open |  Nitchaon Jindapol
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17–21, 21–15, 19–21 | Runner-up
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- BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
- BWF Grand Prix tournament
BWF International Challenge/Series (9 titles, 2 runner-up) edit
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Swiss International | Tanvi Lad
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21–12, 21–12 | Winner
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| 2013 | USA International | Iris Wang
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21–10, 21–12 | Winner
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| 2013 | Welsh International | Beatriz Corrales
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21–12, 21–15 | Winner
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| 2013 | Irish Open | Beatriz Corrales
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21–9, 17–21, 21–10 | Winner
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| 2014 | Peru International | Michelle Li
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27–25, 21–19 | Winner
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| 2015 | USA International | Pai Yu-po
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21–14, 13–21, 21–19 | Winner
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| 2016 | Yonex / K&D Graphics International | Rachel Honderich
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21–13, 21–12 | Winner
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Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Croatian International | Fu Mingtian
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Frances Liu Shinta Mulia Sari
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Walkover | Runner-up
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| 2007 | Croatian International | Gu Juan
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Cai Jiani Guo Xin
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21–15, 6–21, 10–21 | Runner-up
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| 2013 | USA International | Jing Yu Hong
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 Paula B Pereira Lohaynny Vicente
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21–7, 21–14 | Winner
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| 2016 | Yonex / K&D Graphics International | Jing Yu Hong
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Eva Lee Paula Lynn Obañana
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21–17, 22–20 | Winner
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- BWF International Challenge tournament
- BWF International Series tournament
- BWF Future Series tournament
Record against selected opponents edit
Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 23 October 2022.[18]
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References edit
- ^ "羽運沙漠的仙人掌 張蓓雯美酒加咖啡" (in Chinese). China Press. 27 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^ a b Morgan, Liam (2 May 2021). "Zhang clinches first women's singles title at Pan American Individual Badminton Championships". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ a b "U.S. wins four medals at Santiago 2023 Pan American Games". USA Badminton. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Badminton: Zhang makes April date". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Team Singapore Impresses At The 25th SEA Games With 33 Gold Medals". Singapore Sports Council. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Zhang happy her destiny is in her own hands". Today. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Vendsyssel Elite Badminton henter amerikansk forstærkning" (in Danish). TV2/Nord. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Beiwen Zhang Wins Silver Medal at Yonex French Open". Team USA. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Zhang's Finest Hour – Finals: Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2018". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "华裔选手张蓓雯获得美国国籍". 163.com. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "U.S. badminton player Beiwen Zhang retires with injury". KSHB. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Australian Open: Beiwen snaps blip on surgery anniversary". Badminton Pan America. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
- ^ "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". IBadmintonstore. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "VN's top badminton player triumphs at open tourney". Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "Beiwen Zhang Head To Head". BWF-Tournament Software. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
External links edit
- Beiwen Zhang at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com