Jayce
With ten years of partnership, the “Fanfan” combination of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan is overjoyed and excited.
“When the final ball landed, I couldn’t believe our match was over and that I now hold the title of Olympic champion and Grand Slam winner,” Jia Yifan said. The moment of achieving their dream has also heightened expectations for the future. “Although we achieved a perfect result, our career is not over yet. We are very much looking forward to continuing to work together,” Jia Yifan added with a smile.
On June 26, just 30 days before the Paris Olympics, Jia Yifan watched Chen Qingchen, competing in “one against three,” feeling mixed emotions. At that time, she was just out of the hospital after being ill, struggling to maintain systematic training.
On August 3, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan won the women’s doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics, defeating Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning with scores of 22-20, 21-15. After ten years of working together, the “Fanfan” duo faced unprecedented challenges in their final push towards Paris but ultimately overcame them with strong will and determination, reaching the pinnacle of the Olympic podium. The tears they shed at the moment of victory were a release of the decade-long struggle and a beautiful moment of helping each other achieve their dreams.
Three years ago, on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics as silver medalists, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan embraced in tears. They decided to fight for each other one more time. Through the Tokyo cycle, their mutual trust grew stronger. “We completely trust each other; before, it was just about performing better in the game, but from then on, we really considered each other,” Jia Yifan said.
Returning for another Olympics was easier said than done. Over the past three years, they faced many difficulties. During last year’s World Championships preparation, Chen Qingchen had a foot injury and had to undergo treatment daily. “That period really tested my willpower. I had to find ways to improve my foot’s condition to train on the court,” Chen Qingchen said, recalling her struggles. She once wanted to give up and told Jia Yifan, “Maybe you should find another partner; someone better than me.”
“Don’t worry; just hang in there; you’ll be fine,” Jia Yifan reassured her. Since Chen Qingchen chose Jia Yifan as her partner in 2014, Jia Yifan has always been grateful to have this talented partner. In 2016, Chen Qingchen won the Uber Cup. Over the years, Jia Yifan worked hard to catch up with Chen Qingchen. With the support of her coach and Jia Yifan, Chen Qingchen overcame the most difficult times. They won the World Championships in 2022, further solidifying their journey towards the Paris Olympics and their ten-year goal.
In 2023, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan won their fourth World Championship title. Just as everything seemed to be going as planned, they faced new challenges. In 2024, after celebrating ten years of partnership, Jia Yifan suffered a back injury during winter training, causing severe pain even while standing, and then sprained her ankle at the All England Open. After the Olympic qualifying matches, she was hospitalized due to illness with just over 30 days left before the Paris Olympics.
Unable to train, Chen Qingchen had to train alone, challenging her limits with two male athletes, and was always the last to leave the training venue. After Jia Yifan was discharged, she had to start adjusting her physical condition and gradually increase her training intensity. With the Olympics approaching, they couldn’t train together. During that time, their communication was minimal due to the low mood. However, for the sake of their Olympic dream and each other, they needed to overcome this obstacle. In the past, Jia Yifan often took the initiative to accommodate Chen Qingchen during disagreements, but this time, Chen Qingchen stepped up. On July 1, Chen Qingchen approached Jia Yifan, and they had a heartfelt conversation. Overcoming difficulties and competing in Paris led to the most beautiful result. “I really can’t believe that a month ago, I was still lying in the hospital. The illness brought me great fear. I had a high fever for four days and the week in the hospital was very painful and tormenting. I didn’t know how to train,” Jia Yifan recalled. “Even now, I still can’t believe I made it through. I’m grateful to my partner, who supported me when I needed it.”
From Tokyo to Paris, the “Fanfan” combination has been one of the best women’s doubles teams in the world. “The podium at the Tokyo Olympics to the podium at the Paris Olympics, other pairs have changed, but we are still here,” Chen Qingchen proudly said.
With their ten-year dream realized, the “Fanfan” combination is extremely excited and happy. “When the last ball landed, I couldn’t believe our match was over and that I now hold the title of Olympic champion and Grand Slam winner,” Jia Yifan said. At the moment of achieving their dream, they also increased expectations for the future. “Although we achieved a perfect result, our career is not over yet. We are very much looking forward to continuing to work together,” Jia Yifan concluded with a smile.
