[Saba Sports News] Many couples have formed mixed doubles partnerships in badminton. Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, who claimed the mixed doubles gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games, were one such pair. However, their romantic relationship did not stand the test of time.
Recently, Zhang Nan and Tian Qing shared their wedding photos on social media, bringing old stories back to fans’ minds. Tian Qing is also an accomplished player. She partnered with Zhao Yunlei to win the women’s doubles title at the 2012 London Olympics. Back in 2016, Malaysian media reported that Tian Qing was alleged to have come between Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, which led to their breakup. Following the reports, Zhao Yunlei withdrew from the women’s doubles event at the Rio Olympics, claiming she lacked the stamina to compete in multiple events. In truth, she refused to team up with Tian Qing again.
As pre-tournament favourites, both Zhao Yunlei and Tian Qing failed to deliver their best form at the Games. Consequently, China lost both the mixed doubles and women’s doubles gold medals in badminton. After the Rio Olympics, Tian Qing was heavily criticised and became a trending topic online, labelled as a homewrecker. From then on, the former Grand Slam-winning women’s doubles partners never appeared together, posed for photos side by side or had any contact whatsoever.
In my opinion, matters of the heart are never easy for outsiders to judge, and athletes deserve the right to pursue their own happiness. Rather than dwelling on past controversies, we should respect their choice to embrace an ordinary life after retirement. All three have now stepped away from professional badminton. These old disputes are water under the bridge, and constantly revisiting them does nothing to carry forward the spirit of sport.