Source: Panoramic /JB Autissier
[Saba Sports News] A familiar face appeared at a badminton competition held in Xiamen – Sun Yu, the former “No. 1” of China’s badminton team. Since 2018, Sun Yu has not participated in any national-level competitions. This is her first time on the formal stage after 7 years. However, Sun Yu did not participate in singles, which she focused on during her time with the national team; instead, she paired with an American-Chinese player for a doubles match. Interestingly, her partner, Iris Wang, is also a singles-focused athlete who once represented Team USA in major tournaments such as the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2017 Badminton World Championships. Since both were in Shenzhen, they decided to team up for this competition. They advanced all the way to the women’s doubles quarterfinals before falling short of the podium. Records show that Sun Yu has two world championship titles and won the Uber Cup with the Chinese national team in 2014 and 2016. She retired at age 25 due to injuries, leaving many fans heartbroken. After retiring, Sun Yu joined Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen as a coach.