Zhang Nan (; born 1 March 1990) is a Chinese former professional badminton player who specializes in both men's and mixed doubles. He found much success in mixed doubles with his former partner Zhao Yunlei. They won gold in 2012 Summer Olympics, 3 golds in BWF World Championships in 2011, 2014 and 2015 and a gold at the 2014 Asian Games. Having won all major events as a pair, they are considered one of the most successful mixed doubles pairs of all time. Zhang Nan himself is considered to be one of the all-time greats of badminton.
Having found huge success in mixed doubles with Zhao, Zhang partnered Fu Haifeng with whom he won gold in 2016 Summer Olympics. After this, Fu retired and Zhang partnered Liu Cheng and became World Champion in the men's doubles at the 2017 BWF World Championships.
Career
Zhang Nan is a badminton player who has achieved success in both men's and mixed doubles. In the men's doubles he has been paired with Chai Biao, Fu Haifeng, Lu Kai, Liu Cheng and Ou Xuanyi; while in the mixed doubles he has been paired with Lu Lu, Tang Jinhua, Zhao Yunlei and Li Yinhui.
2010 He participated in the 2010 Thomas Cup in Kuala Lumpur, playing for China. He also played in 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
Zhang has achieved one of the three most prestigious badminton titles, winning the All England Open that year with Zhao Yunlei, winning over Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia, 21–18, 23–25, 21–18, the first pair to win the title as qualifiers.
Zhang has a larger achievement with Zhao in the mixed doubles event rather than with Chai. Zhang and Zhao won the Japan Open title, beating compatriots Tao Jiaming and Tian Qing in the final, 21–19, 22–20. Meanwhile, Zhang and Chai's journey in Tokyo was ended by seniors Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng in the semi-finals, losing 17–21 and 16–21.
In China Open, Zhang attended the men's and mixed doubles finals but he lost in both events. In the men's doubles, South Korea's Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae emerged as the winners as they downed Zhang and Chai in straight sets, 21–15 and 21–12. In the mixed doubles final, Tao Jiaming and Tian Qing took revenge with a 21–18, 21–17 triumph over Zhang and Zhao.
Zhang only played in mixed doubles in the last Super Series tournament of 2010, Hong Kong Open. Seeded fifth, he and Zhao reached the final but lost in a long three-set match against Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen of Denmark 20–22, 21–14, and 20–22.
2011 Zhang and Zhao were qualified to play in the 2010 Super Series Finals Taiwan. They became the winner by beating Thailand's Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thungthongkam 21–17, 21–12 in the final. Zhang and Chai also played in the Super Series Finals, yet both were conquered by Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae in the last four 15–21 and 11–21 in just 30 minutes.
Once again, Zhang and Zhao met Tao Jiaming and Tian Qing, now in Korea Open final. Zhang and Zhao vanquished their teammates 21–17, 13–21, and 21–19 to become the first winners of a Super Series Premier.
2012 In July–August at the London Olympics, he won the gold medal at the mixed doubles event with Zhao Yunlei, beating compatriots Xu Chen and Ma Jin in the gold medal match, 21–11, 21–17.
2016 At the 2016 Olympics, Zhang and Zhao, the defending champions in the mixed doubles event, lost in the semi-final, but successfully clinched a bronze medal after winning a rematch of the last edition's final, beating Xu Chen and Ma Jin in straight games again. On the other hand, Zhang won the gold medal with Fu Haifeng in the men's doubles event, beating Malaysians Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong in a tightly-fought match, 16–21, 21–11, 23–21. They saved two gold medal points during the third game, and eventually converted one on their first opportunity.
2017 Zhang won the World Championships in the men's doubles event with Liu Cheng, defeating Indonesians Mohammad Ahsan and Rian Agung Saputro in the final, 21–10, 21–17 to win the gold medal.
2022: Resignation from the Chinese national badminton team Zhang announced his resignation from the Chinese national team in late August on his Weibo account, stating that he would continue to play badminton as an independent player with the permission of the Chinese Badminton Association.
2023 Zhang made his return to the international badminton circuit as an independent player by participating in the men's and mixed doubles events in the 2023 Ruichang China Masters.
Achievements
Olympic Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2016 Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Fu Haifeng Goh V Shem Tan Wee Kiong 16–21, 21–11, 23–21 Gold
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2012 Wembley Arena, London, Great Britain Zhao Yunlei Xu Chen Ma Jin 21–11, 21–17 Gold 2016 Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Zhao Yunlei Xu Chen Ma Jin 21–7, 21–11 Bronze
BWF World Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2017 Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland Liu Cheng Mohammad Ahsan Rian Agung Saputro 21–10, 21–17 Gold 2018 Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park,Nanjing, China Liu Cheng Li Junhui Liu Yuchen 15–21, 13–21 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Wembley Arena, London, England Zhao Yunlei Chris Adcock Imogen Bankier 21–15, 21–7 Gold 2013 Tianhe Sports Center, Guangzhou, China Zhao Yunlei Tontowi Ahmad Lilyana Natsir 21–15, 18–21, 13-21 Bronze 2014 Ballerup Super Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark Zhao Yunlei Xu Chen Ma Jin 21–12, 21–23, 21–13 Gold 2015 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Zhao Yunlei Liu Cheng Bao Yixin 21–17, 21–11 Gold 2018 Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park,Nanjing, China Li Yinhui Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 21–19, 12–21, 10–21 Bronze
Asian Games Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2010 Tianhe Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Zhao Yunlei Shin Baek-cheol Lee Hyo-jung 19–21, 14–21 Silver 2014 Gyeyang Gymnasium, Incheon, South Korea Zhao Yunlei Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir 21–16, 21–14 Gold
Asian Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Sichuan Gymnasium,Chengdu, China Xu Chen Cai Yun Fu Haifeng 19–21, 15–21 Bronze 2016 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Fu Haifeng Li Junhui Liu Yuchen 21–23, 19–21 Bronze 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Liu Cheng Takeshi Kamura Keigo Sonoda 21–14, 12–21, 23–25 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Sichuan Gymnasium,Chengdu, China Zhao Yunlei Xu Chen Ma Jin 15–21, 21–15, 25–23 Gold 2012 Qingdao Sports Centre Conson Stadium,Qingdao, China Zhao Yunlei Xu Chen Ma Jin 21–13, 21–12 Gold 2013 Taipei Arena,Taipei, Taiwan Zhao Yunlei Ko Sung-hyun Kim Ha-na 20–22, 17–21 Silver 2016 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Zhao Yunlei Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir 16–21, 21–9, 21–17 Gold 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Li Yinhui Wang Yilyu Huang Dongping 21–18, 18–21, 17–21 Bronze
East Asian Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2009 Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong Chai Biao Chen Hung-ling Lin Yu-lang 18–21, 16–21 Bronze
BWF World Junior Championships Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2008 Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Badminton Hall,Pune, India Lu Lu Chai Biao Xie Jing 19–21, 15–21 Silver
Asian Junior Championships Boys' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2007 Stadium Juara,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Qiu Zihan Mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid Tan Wee Kiong 10–21, 13–21 Bronze 2008 Stadium Juara,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Chai Biao Mak Hee Chun Teo Kok Siang 17–21, 18–21 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2008 Stadium Juara,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Lu Lu Kim Ki-jung Eom Hye-won 14–21, 21–15, 24–22 Gold
BWF World Tour (2 titles, 1 runner-up) The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018, is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.
Men's doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result 2019 Akita Masters Super 100 Ou Xuanyi Akira Koga Taichi Saito 21–14, 21–19 Winner 2019 Indonesia Masters Super 100 Ou Xuanyi Akira Koga Taichi Saito 11–21, 21–10, 22–20 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result 2018 China Open Super 1000 Li Yinhui Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 16–21, 9–21 Runner-up
BWF Superseries (31 titles, 15 runners-up) The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2010 China Open Chai Biao Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae 15–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2012 China Masters Chai Biao Hiroyuki Endo Kenichi Hayakawa 21–18, 21–17 Winner 2014 Denmark Open Fu Haifeng Lee Yong-dae Yoo Yeon-seong 21–13, 25–23 Winner 2015 All England Open Fu Haifeng Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen 17–21, 20–22 Runner-up 2015 Singapore Open Fu Haifeng Angga Pratama Ricky Karanda Suwardi 15–21, 21–11, 14–21 Runner-up 2015 Indonesia Open Fu Haifeng Ko Sung-hyun Shin Baek-cheol 16–21, 21–16, 19–21 Runner-up 2015 Japan Open Fu Haifeng Lee Yong-dae Yoo Yeon-seong 19–21, 27–29 Runner-up 2016 Singapore Open Fu Haifeng Takeshi Kamura Keigo Sonoda 21–11, 22–20 Winner 2017 Denmark Open Liu Cheng Marcus Fernaldi Gideon Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo 21–16, 22–24, 21–19 Winner 2017 Dubai World Superseries Finals Liu Cheng Marcus Fernaldi Gideon Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo 16–21, 15–21 Runner-up
Mixed doubles