Source:REUTERS/VCG
[Saba Sports News] Chinese Taipei badminton star Tai Tzu-Ying has not returned to competition since suffering a major injury last August. Last week, her world ranking points were officially reset to zero, which is undoubtedly a heavy blow for her. She has not yet set a timetable for her return. If her recovery goes smoothly, she could potentially return to international competition as early as the fourth quarter of 2025, but a delay until early 2026 is not ruled out. Tai Tzu-Ying has numerous professional honors, including 4 BWF World Tour Finals titles, 2 Asian Championships titles, the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medal, and 3 All England Open titles. She reached World No. 1 in 2016 and won a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Although she lacks an Olympic or World Championship gold, she has long been a stable presence in the world’s top tier. We believe that Tai Tzu-Ying is nearing retirement. After last year’s Paris Olympics, she repeatedly expressed her intention to retire and applied for BWF ranking protection in October. She originally planned to retire by the end of the year but subsequently underwent left knee surgery, postponing her plans. Her technique and match experience remain top-class, but her long-term knee injury, combined with being 30 years old, affects her physical fitness and recovery speed. If her injury recurs, she may retire directly.