Chen Yufei: Determination in Adversity Like in the Past

Jayce September 6, 2024 2 0

The journey of life is long and arduous. The ever-changing winds of competition have spurred Chen Yufei to grow bravely in a broad world. From a free spirit driven by her heart to shouldering the responsibility as the top singles player for the Chinese women’s badminton team, this girl, born for the big stage, has gained more insights into dealing with pressure and emotions. Though she has a poor memory, the selfless battles and the moments of joy or disappointment over time have intertwined to form the ever-progressing Chen Yufei.

Chen Yufei laughed and said that after winning the Indonesia 1000 Tournament, she might have entered a new stage. She thought she would be happy after winning, but what she truly felt was a sense of release. She remains passionate about badminton and clear about her goals. For her, this is the energy to boldly pursue higher dreams.

As she said, with the determination to fight back in the Sudirman Cup final and the perseverance through setbacks over the past year, she continues to strive, run, and find joy.

Mentor and Protégé’s Embrace

In the eyes of her mentor, Luo Yigang, Chen Yufei’s personality is calm, and she has her own small goals. The day she won the Indonesia 1000 Tournament coincided with Father’s Day, and after winning the match, Chen Yufei gave Coach Luo a big hug. Coach Luo candidly said, “I didn’t expect her to be so serious, nor did I expect her to express her gratitude this way. I was very happy.” For the introverted pair who are not good at expressing themselves, this was their third hug.

As the one who guided Chen Yufei to the highest Olympic podium, Luo Yigang knows that the road to the highest honor will inevitably be filled with more thorns and obstacles. After all, with the Olympics’ halo, she cannot escape the fact that all singles players will put in more effort to challenge her. He said, “For a long time, Chen Yufei has been under much more pressure than before, unwilling to lose any match. So, from 2022 until this tournament, including the Sudirman Cup, one can imagine her mindset and pressure.”

Coach Luo has witnessed Chen Yufei’s changes in their daily interactions. Time is the best teacher. He said that winning the Indonesia Open was the most direct manifestation of Chen Yufei’s mental maturity. “After a year and a half of accumulation, Chen Yufei showed everyone by winning the Indonesia Open that she has never given up and has always been working hard.”

Chen Yufei’s last victory in the BWF World Tour was at the Indonesia Masters in June of the previous year. After that, she won five runner-up titles, including this year’s All England Open. Reaching the finals many times but failing to win the championship led to doubts about Chen Yufei. The doubts intensified when she lost 0-2 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the semifinals of the Sudirman Cup.

Facing pressure and doubt, both Coach Luo and Chen Yufei knew that only results could provide the best response. “We need to win a championship. The women’s singles team needs a championship.” Before the Sudirman Cup, Coach Luo had a serious conversation with Chen Yufei. He had always understood Chen Yufei’s resilience and determination. Therefore, even after she lost in the Sudirman Cup semifinals, the coaching team still chose to let her play in the final, where she defeated South Korean star An Se-young 2-0, helping China win the Sudirman Cup.

“Thank you for allowing me to hold my head high,” Coach Luo said, hugging Chen Yufei after the match. Bearing the responsibility of the team event, even after a seven-hour battle in the semifinals, he sat alone by the warm-up area, deep in thought. Chen Yufei also expressed in her post-match reflection, “We are together, from 2018 to now. It is you who helped me, once considered insignificant, to hold my head high.”

Before the Indonesia Open, Chen Yufei proactively approached Coach Luo and expressed her goal. Having been stopped in the semifinals of the Singapore Open, she was unwilling and strongly aware of her increasing desire for the championship. They sat together and discussed mindset and preparation for the tournament. Coach Luo encouraged her, “The key is to play your rhythm and technical threats. You need to fight for your state. I still have a lot of confidence in you.”

Chen Yufei delivered the answer at the Indonesia Open: champion, winning all five matches without dropping a set. Whether against South Korean star An Se-young in the semifinals or Spanish veteran Carolina Marin in the final, she displayed great patience and decisive shots in critical moments. In the final, despite falling behind early in both games, especially being down 10-16 in the second game, she fought back to win. “When trailing, every point matters. Until the end, there is always a chance. I kept motivating myself.”

Coach Luo deeply understands the changes and transitions behind this gold medal. He appreciates how time’s power has led to Chen Yufei’s growth from quantitative to qualitative changes.

“Chen Yufei’s personality is calm,” yet this calmness is her true nature. Every time they talk about their stories, Chen Yufei always mumbles that Coach Luo cannot understand her. However, after years of competing abroad, she knows her mentor doesn’t like staple foods and loves spicy food, so she always orders a few dishes for him when they eat.

Perhaps it is these seemingly mundane and trivial daily interactions that have brought them closer and fostered mutual trust as they embark on the next journey.

Responding to Challenges

In Chen Yufei’s eyes, winning the Indonesia Open was expected, but the moment she secured the championship points, she felt a sense of release rather than intense happiness. “Finally won the championship!”

Countless times falling at the finals, countless times being reversed from leading positions, countless bitter memories suddenly flooding in, Chen Yufei gave herself only one path: “Don’t give up.” Although it took a long time to reconcile with the frustrations, the five 2-0 matches at the Indonesia Open showed her a self that dared to keep trying and finally succeeded. At that moment, she realized that all the previous unwillingness and bitterness were necessary steps pushing her towards a better self.

At the Tokyo World Championships last September, Chen Yufei reached the final, the first time in nine years that a Chinese women’s singles player advanced to the World Championships final. Although she couldn’t overcome the host Akane Yamaguchi, she has since let go of many regrets. She said, “I actually think I played well, just a bit unfortunate.”

With the World Championships silver medal, Chen Yufei set off again. However, she finished as the runner-up every time she reached the finals. She admitted that it was a tough time for her. She had never experienced such a situation—reaching the final step only to fall short repeatedly. She couldn’t find the way to unlock the problem.

When alone, Chen Yufei would recall those matches, describing her mind as playing movies over and over again. Sometimes, even in training, similar situations would distract her. However, with strong adjustment abilities, Chen Yufei did not let this condition last long. Gradually, she stopped pondering “why” and focused on how to respond, facing challenges head-on, and keeping the points in her hands.

“Knowing that there are no second chances, I can only try more possibilities in training.” Turning pain into a weapon to avoid repeating mistakes in the next match, this is Chen Yufei’s solution. Through winning the Indonesia Open, Chen Yufei understood a principle: no matter what you encounter, as long as you persist, all the difficulties, despair, and irreversible defeats will change when you face them calmly.

The Do-or-Die Battle in the Sudirman Cup

In the author’s eyes, “resilience” has always been Chen Yufei’s standout trait. She has always been like this, never giving up on any match, regardless of her physical condition.

Chen Yufei has experienced losses in team competitions, but in the Sudirman Cup final in Suzhou, she staged a spectacular comeback. Facing the invincible An Se-young, Chen Yufei was determined not to let the match go to the third game. This strong and determined belief radiated from her as soon as she arrived at the warm-up area. Compared to previous matches, there was a calm confidence in her demeanor that day. This unwavering determination led her to start strong and take the initiative from the beginning. Even at the critical moment of 20-20 in the second game, she did not falter. Looking at her teammates outside the court, she returned to the center with resolute attacks, securing the championship points for the Sudirman Cup “three-peat.”

At that moment, she opened her arms and was surrounded by her teammates. “I felt like I was flying with everyone, shoulder to shoulder, running in circles, getting bigger and bigger…” One moment, she was fighting fiercely with her opponent; the next, her long-held anxiety was finally relieved.

From Nanning in 2019, Vantaa in 2021, to Suzhou in 2023, as the top singles player for the Chinese women’s badminton team, Chen Yufei has imprinted her growth and transformation on the Sudirman Cup stage. Over five years, she has matured from a rookie to a seasoned player. In countless battles with top players, she has absorbed energy; in repeated falls and rises,