Jia Yifan and new partner Li Wenmei advanced to the semi-finals of the Japan Open in their debut

Jayce September 6, 2024 24 0

When asked if she misses Chen Qingchen, Jia Yifan smiled and said, “I message her every day.”

Chen Qingchen is Jia Yifan’s women’s doubles partner, and they have been playing together for ten years. Just two weeks ago, they won an Olympic gold medal together.

At the first BWF World Tour event after the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jia Yifan, paired with her new partner Li Wenmei, advanced to the semifinals of the Japan Open.

Jia Yifan stated, “We are starting from zero. After the Olympics, Li Wenmei and I didn’t have much time to practice, so we haven’t tried anything new. We just want to see how we can best work together. Now, our goal is to give our all and enjoy every match.”

At this Japan Open, Indonesian pairs Karnando/Maulana and Fikri/Martin have also formed new teams and have both reached the semifinals. Karnando has set his sights on the next Olympics.

“Although it might be a bit early to discuss, our goal is to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This time, we hope to give our best and win this tournament,” Karnando said.

“We’re satisfied with our performance so far. I’ve teamed up with Fikri for six years, and now I’m just starting with Karnando, so it feels fresh. This is also a good way for us to keep moving forward,” said Maulana.