Zhang Yawen to call it quits

Chinese doubles specialist Zhang Yawen will be playing her last international tournament in Paris. The Chongqing-born star leaves the Chinese team and will return afterwards to her province to eventually compete in the Chinese League next year. The newly established Chinese League will be her last duty before finishing off with badminton after 20 years of playing. The rather diminutive Zhang made her first big World Championship bang in Anaheim in 2005, when she clinched her first silver medal, in mixed doubles with Xie Zhongbo, following that up two years later with a bronze medal and finally being crowned World Champion in 2009, that time in women’s doubles with Zhao Tingting.

However, the Chinese veteran, together with her partner Tao Jiaming, are still running through the draw and will get their first big challenge in the third round against world number four Vita Marissa and Hendra Aprida Gunawan from Indonesia.