Wang Yilyu (; ; born 8 November 1994), sometimes also transliterated as Wang Yilu, Wang Yilv or Wang Yilü, is a Chinese badminton player. He is the mixed doubles Olympic champion at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and a two-time mixed doubles Asian Champion winning in 2018 and 2019. He was integrated into the Chinese squad that won the 2018 Thomas Cup as well at the 2019 and 2021 Sudirman Cup. Together with Huang Dongping, he reached a career high of world number 1 in the mixed doubles on 12 April 2018.
Career Wang was born in Jiaxing in 1994. He began badminton training at Youyi Primary School in Xiuzhou District in 2002. In 2003, he was transferred to Zhejiang Provincial Sports Vocational and Technical College for more professional and systematic badminton training. He has shown his talent since a young age, by winning the boys' doubles and team championships in the 2011 National Junior Championships.
Wang's journey began in the junior circuit, where he secured silver medals in both the mixed team and mixed doubles events at the 2012 Asian Junior Championships, followed by a gold medal in the mixed team and two bronze medals in the boys' and mixed doubles at the World Junior Championships. Transitioning to the senior level, he reached his first Grand Prix final at the 2013 U.S. Open and experienced a breakthrough 2014 season, winning double titles in the mixed and men's doubles at the China International. That same year, he captured his first Grand Prix title at the India Grand Prix Gold alongside Huang Yaqiong, clinched the men's doubles title at the Bitburger Open with Zhang Wen, and demonstrated his exceptional range by reaching the finals in two separate categories at the China Masters.
Wang competed at the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, when he was a student of the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan. At that tournament he secured silver medals in both the mixed team and men's doubles events, while also reaching Grand Prix finals at the China Masters and Brasil Open alongside Zhang Wen. This partnership with Zhang proved exceptionally consistent, as they clinched three consecutive China International titles from 2014 to 2016. Wang's prowess in mixed doubles also began to shine early on when he won the 2016 Swiss Open with Chen Qingchen. The year 2017 marked a defining moment; after winning the Thailand Masters and a silver medal at the Asian Championships with Huang Kaixiang, Wang experienced a career turning point upon partnering with Huang Dongping. This formidable duo quickly ascended the global rankings by capturing their first Superseries title at the Japan Open and winning the China Masters Grand Prix Gold, while also finishing as runners-up at the Korea Open and earning a bronze medal at the Asian Championships. By the end of this period, Wang had firmly established himself as a top-ten player.
Wang 2018 season began with dominance at the Asian Championships, where he captured the mixed doubles gold and a bronze in the men's doubles, followed by clinched the Thomas Cup title in May. His momentum carried into the summer, earning a silver medal at the World Championships in Nanjing, and a good performance at the Asian Games in Jakarta, where he secured team gold and a mixed doubles bronze. Throughout the BWF World Tour season, Wang showcased incredible resilience by reaching four major finals—in Malaysia, Japan, Fuzhou, and Hong Kong; while he narrowly missed the titles in those rounds, his consistency qualified him for the BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou. He ended the year on the highest possible note, finally breaking his runner-up streak by defeating his formidable compatriots, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, in a thrilling rubber game to claim the year-end championship.
Wang with his partner Huang, kicked off the 2019 season with a victory at the India Open, followed quickly by a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Open, and a second consecutive Asian Championships gold. Wang helped secure the Sudirman Cup for China, then transitioned back to the individual circuit with Huang to win the Australian Open. The busy summer months saw them reach the finals of the Indonesia Open as a runner-up, before claiming the Japan and Thailand Open titles, and also a bronze medal at the World Championships. During the final stretch of the year, Wang and Huang remained a constant threat, finishing as runner-up at the China and Denmark Opens, and then capturing the Fuzhou China Open. He and his partner ending their prolific season as the runner-up at the BWF World Tour Finals.
Wang opened the 2020 season with elite-level consistency. Together with his partner Huang Dongping, they finishing as the runner-up at both the Malaysia and the Indonesia Masters. After the international circuit resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang reached the ultimate height of his profession at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in July 2021, where Wang and Huang captured the gold medal in the mixed doubles final, beating their compatriots Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong in a close rubber game. His success as a team player was equally remarkable in late 2021; he first helped China lift the 2021 Sudirman Cup trophy in Finland, before contributing to a silver medal finish at the 2020 Thomas Cup in Denmark.
Wang and Huang began 2022 with a strong performance as runners-up at the All England Open, followed shortly by a victory at the Korea Masters. They continued their momentum by earning a silver medal at the Asian Championships, and reaching the final of the Singapore Open to finish as runners-up. Later, the duo secured a bronze medal at the World Championships in Tokyo. In early 2023, he reached the final of the India Open, though he ultimately finished as a runner-up after being forced to withdraw from the title match because Wang suffered from a stomach infection. Throughout this period, Wang's career was increasingly hampered by a persistent and chronic waist (lower back) injury. This long-term physical struggle made it difficult for him to sustain the high-intensity training and recovery required for elite international badminton. In May 2023, Wang resigned from the Chinese national team as a result of a long-term injury. BWF announced his retirement on 1 June 2023.
Achievements
Olympic Games Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2020 Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Tokyo, Japan Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 21–17, 17–21, 21–19 Gold
BWF World Championships Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2018 Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park,Nanjing, China Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 17–21, 19–21 Silver 2019 St. Jakobshalle,Basel, Switzerland Huang Dongping Dechapol Puavaranukroh Sapsiree Taerattanachai 16–21, 16–21 Bronze 2022 Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium,Tokyo, Japan Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 16–21, 21–12, 10–21 Bronze
Asian Games Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2018 Istora Gelora Bung Karno,Jakarta, Indonesia Huang Dongping Tang Chun Man Tse Ying Suet 20–22, 21–19, 21–23 Bronze
Asian Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner OpponentScore Result 2017 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Huang Kaixiang Li Junhui Liu Yuchen 14–21, 12–21 Silver 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Huang Kaixiang Li Junhui Liu Yuchen 17–21, 21–14, 10–21 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2017 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Huang Dongping Dechapol Puavaranukroh Sapsiree Taerattanachai 19–21, 16–21 Bronze 2018 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Huang Dongping Tontowi Ahmad Liliyana Natsir 21–17, 21–17 Gold 2019 Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium,Wuhan, China Huang Dongping He Jiting Du Yue 21–11, 13–21, 23–21 Gold 2022 Muntinlupa Sports Complex,Metro Manila, Philippines Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 17–21, 8–21 Silver
Summer Universiade Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2015 Hwasun Hanium Culture Sports Center,Hwasun, South Korea Zhang Wen Kim Gi-jung Kim Sa-rang 16–21, 20–22 Silver
BWF World Junior Championships Boys' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2012 Chiba Port Arena,Chiba, Japan Liu Yuchen Lee Chun Hei Ng Ka Long 10–21, 11–21 Bronze
Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2012 Chiba Port Arena,Chiba, Japan Huang Yaqiong Alfian Eko Prasetya Shella Devi Aulia 21–12, 19–21, 12–21 Bronze
Asian Junior Championships Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2012 Gimcheon Indoor Stadium,Gimcheon, South Korea Huang Dongping Choi Sol-gyu Chae Yoo-jung 21–17, 23–25, 21–23 Silver
BWF World Tour (7 titles, 14 runners-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 (part of the BWF World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result 2018 Malaysia Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 19–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2018 Japan Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 19–21, 8–21 Runner-up 2018 Fuzhou China Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 15–21, 21–11, 19–21 Runner-up 2018 Hong Kong Open Super 500 Huang Dongping Yuta Watanabe Arisa Higashino 18–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2018 BWF World Tour Finals World Tour Finals Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 23–21, 16–21, 21–18 Winner 2019 India Open Super 500 Huang Dongping Praveen Jordan Melati Daeva Oktavianti 21–13, 21–11 Winner 2019 Malaysia Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 17–21, 13–21 Runner-up 2019 Australian Open Super 300 Huang Dongping Praveen Jordan Melati Daeva Oktavianti 21–15, 21–8 Winner 2019 Indonesia Open Super 1000 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 13–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2019 Japan Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Praveen Jordan Melati Daeva Oktavianti 21–17, 21–16 Winner 2019 Thailand Open Super 500 Huang Dongping Yuta Watanabe Arisa Higashino 24–22, 23–21 Winner 2019 China Open Super 1000 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 17–21, 21–15, 16–21 Runner-up 2019 Denmark Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Praveen Jordan Melati Daeva Oktavianti 18–21, 21–16, 19–21 Runner-up 2019 Fuzhou China Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 21–14, 21–13 Winner 2019 BWF World Tour Finals World Tour Finals Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 14–21, 14–21 Runner-up 2020 Malaysia Masters Super 500 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 19–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2020 Indonesia Masters Super 500 Huang Dongping Zheng Siwei Huang Yaqiong 9–21, 9–21 Runner-up 2022 All England Open Super 1000 Huang Dongping Yuta Watanabe Arisa Higashino 19–21, 19–21 Runner-up 2022 Korea Masters Super 300 Huang Dongping Ou Xuanyi Huang Yaqiong 21–17, 21–17 Winner 2022 Singapore Open Super 500 Huang Dongping Dechapol Puavaranukroh Sapsiree Taerattanachai 12–21, 17–21 Runner-up 2023 India Open Super 750 Huang Dongping Yuta Watanabe Arisa Higashino Walkover Runner-up
BWF Superseries (1 title, 1 runner-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.
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2017 Korea Open Huang Dongping Praveen Jordan Debby Susanto 17–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2017 Japan Open Huang Dongping Takuro Hoki Sayaka Hirota 21–13, 21–8 Winner Superseries tournament Superseries Premier tournament