Zhang Yining

As of August 2008, she is ranked #1 in the ITTF rankings, in both women's singles and women's doubles.^[1] She has continuously held the ITTF #1 ranking since January 2003. She remains a dominant figure in women's table tennis. With 4 Olympic gold medals, 9 World Championships, and 4 World Cup wins, she is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of table tennis.

Zhang is also a graduate from Beijing Shichahai Sports School, where Li Jia Wei of Singapore studied at as well.

[edit] Successes

45th World Table Tennis Championships (1999) Women's Single Silver. 45th World Table Tennis Championships (2000) Women's Team Gold.. 5th ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final (2000) Women's Single Gold. 5th Table Tennis World Cup (2001) Women's Single Gold. 46th World Table Tennis Championships (2001) Women's Team Gold 6th Table Tennis World Cup (2002) Women's Single Gold. 7th ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final (2002) Women's Single Gold. 47th World Table Tennis Championships (2003) Women's Single Silver, Women's Double Gold. 47th World Table Tennis Championships (2004) Women's Team Gold. 28th Olympic Games (2004) Table Tennis Women's Single Gold, Women's Double Gold. 8th Table Tennis World Cup (2004) Women's Single Gold. 48th World Table Tennis Championships (2005) Women's Single Gold, Women's Double Gold. 9th Table Tennis World Cup (2005) Women's Single Gold. 10th ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final (2005) Women's Single Gold. 48th World Table Tennis Championships (2006) Women's Team Gold. 11th ITTF Pro Tour Grand Final (2006) Women's Single Gold. 49th World Table Tennis Championships (2007) Women's Double Gold. 11th Table Tennis World Cup (2007) Women's Team Gold. 49th World Table Tennis Championships (2008) Women's Team Gold 29th Olympic Games (2008) Table Tennis Women's Single Gold, Women's Team Gold.

[edit] Olympic record

[edit] 2004 Summer Olympics

Zhang participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens winning double gold in both singles and doubles with her partner Nan Wang (who won double gold at Sydney as well).

Singles Result

Round Result Opponent's Country Opponent Score By Match Official Link

1st Bye

2nd Bye

3rd W

New Zealand Chunli Li 4-0 11-8 12-10 11-5 11-7 [2]

4th W

Hong Kong Sui Fei Lau 4-1 11-5 11-7 11-3 9-11 11-5 [3]

Quarters W

Croatia Tamara BoroÅ¡ 4-0 12-10 15-13 13-11 11-3 [4]

Semis W

South Korea Kyung Ah Kim 4-1 13-11 11-8 11-6 5-11 11-8 [5]

Finals W

North Korea Hyang Mi Kim 4-0 11-8 11-7 11-2 11-2 [6]

Doubles Results

Round Result Opponent's Country Opponent Score By Match Official Link

1st Bye

2nd Bye

3rd Bye

4th W

Italy Nikoleta Stefanova &
Wenling Tan Monfardini 4-0 11-6 11-3 12-10 14-12 [7]

Quarters W

Hong Kong Ah Sim Song &
Yana Tie 4-2 11-4 3-11 11-13 11-8 12-10 11-8 [8]

Semis W

China Guo Yue &
Jianfeng Niu 4-2 11-7 13-11 9-11 13-11 6-11 13-11 [9]

Finals W

South Korea Eun Sil Lee &
Eun Mi Seok 4-0 11-9 11-7 11-6 11-6 [10]

[edit] 2008 Summer Olympics

At the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Zhang took the Olympic Oath on behalf of all competitors at the Games. Zhang successfully defended her singles Olympic gold medal, defeating compatriot Wang Nan in the finals 8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3.