Jayce
Wang Zhiyi describes her completed 2022 season as a rollercoaster. The season had its highlights, with Wang reaching three finals and winning her first 1000-level tournament title. However, it was also marked by numerous early exits and a disappointing collapse in the Uber Cup final. Due to injuries, she has decided to end her 2022 season early, but she remains optimistic about the future, planning to train intensively for a better 2023.
Despite the ongoing badminton season, Wang Zhiyi has not registered for the German Hylo Open or the Australian Open due to injuries. Wang mentioned that her injuries are old issues and not serious, but she chose to skip the final two tournaments of the year to focus on recovery and preparation for next year.
Wang will undoubtedly review her 2022 season, and so will we. Using a curve to describe her year, it would be a series of peaks and troughs. During the latter half of the Tokyo Olympic cycle, Wang showed rapid progress, although she couldn’t outshine the more dominant Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao.
Wang Zhiyi had a rough start in the two European tournaments this year. She lost in the first round of both the German Open and the All England Open to top players Ratchanok Intanon and P.V. Sindhu, respectively. Despite the high caliber of her opponents, these early exits put her at a disadvantage compared to her female compatriots.
In April, Wang’s form began to improve. She reached the semifinals of the Korean Open, where she lost to Chen Yufei, and then won the Asian Championships, defeating world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi in the final. This victory marked her first 1000-level title and China’s first women’s singles title at the Asian Championships since 2016.
However, Wang couldn’t maintain this momentum. She exited the Thailand Open in the round of 16 and suffered a significant defeat in the Uber Cup final. Playing the deciding match against Korea’s Sim Yu-jin, Wang crumbled under pressure, losing 8-21 in the final game, which cost China the title. This loss led to substantial criticism and self-reflection for Wang.
Despite this setback, Wang bounced back during the Southeast Asian season. Although she lost to Chen Yufei in the first round of the Indonesian Masters, she reached the finals of the Indonesian Open by defeating top players like Carolina Marin, Akane Yamaguchi, and He Bingjiao, only to lose to Tai Tzu-ying in the final.
In subsequent tournaments, Wang’s performance remained inconsistent. She reached the semifinals of the Malaysian Open, the quarterfinals of the Malaysian Masters, and the finals of the Singapore Open but failed to secure another title. Her defeats were mostly against top-tier players, indicating a gap in experience and skill.
In August, Wang’s form dipped again, with early exits in both the World Championships and the Japan Open. Her European season in October was also disappointing, ending with a second-round loss at the French Open.
Reviewing Wang’s losses this season reveals that most of them were against elite players like Akane Yamaguchi, Ratchanok Intanon, P.V. Sindhu, and Tai Tzu-ying. While she managed to win the Asian Championships, her overall win rate against top players remains low, highlighting the need for further improvement.
The most critical loss for Wang was undoubtedly the Uber Cup final. Losing to a relatively unknown player like Sim Yu-jin in such a crucial match was a significant blow. This match should serve as a valuable lesson for Wang to reflect upon.
Although Wang Zhiyi is only 22 and has a promising future, the top two spots in Chinese women’s singles are firmly held by Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao, making it difficult for Wang to secure a place at the Paris Olympics. With Han Yue’s recent rise, Wang must continue to improve to maintain her position as China’s third singles player.
