View source for Zhang Yining

{{short description|Chinese table tennis player}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Zhang (surname)|Zhang]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox table tennis player
| name= Zhang Yining
| image=
| imagesize= 200px
| caption =
| fullname = Zhang Yining
| nicknames =
| playingstyle = [[Table tennis styles#Shakehand styles|Shake hands grip]]
| hrank=1
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1981|10|05|df=y}}<ref name=olympic.cn>{{cite web|title=Zhang Yining|url=http://en.olympic.cn/athletes/serch_Z/2004-10-13/347795.html|website=en.olympic.cn|publisher=[[Chinese Olympic Committee]]|access-date=3 July 2014}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Beijing]], China
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| height = 168 cm<ref name=olympic.cn/>
| weight = 54 kg<ref name=olympic.cn/>
| medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Women's [[table tennis]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{CHN}} }}
{{MedalCount|total=yes
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|4|0|0
|[[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]]|10|2|4
|[[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]]|4|2|1
}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Summer Olympics|Olympics Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Table tennis at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Singles]]}}
{{MedalGold| 2004 Athens | [[Table tennis at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's doubles|Doubles]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Singles]]}}
{{MedalGold| 2008 Beijing | [[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|2000 Kuala Lumpur|Team}}
{{MedalGold|2001 Osaka|Team}}
{{MedalGold|2003 Paris|Doubles}}
{{MedalGold|[[2004 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2004 Doha]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[2005 World Table Tennis Championships|2005 Shanghai]]|Singles}}
{{MedalGold|2005 Shanghai|Doubles}}
{{MedalGold|[[2006 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2006 Bremen]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|2007 Zagreb|Doubles}}
{{MedalGold|[[2008 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2008 Guangzhou]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 World Table Tennis Championships|2009 Yokohama]]|[[2009 World Table Tennis Championships – Women's Singles|Singles]]}}
{{MedalSilver|1999 Eindhoven|Singles}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2003 World Table Tennis Championships|2003 Paris]]|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|1999 Eindhoven|Doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|2001 Osaka|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|2001 Osaka|Doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2007 World Table Tennis Championships|2007 Zagreb]]|Singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|2001 Wuhu|Singles}}
{{MedalGold|2002 Singapore|Singles}}
{{MedalGold|2004 Hangzhou|Singles}}
{{MedalGold|2005 Guangzhou|Singles}}
{{MedalSilver|2006 Urumqi|Singles}}
{{MedalSilver|2007 Chengdu|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|2003 Hong Kong|Singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Table tennis at the Asian Games|Asian Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Table tennis at the 1998 Asian Games|1998 Bangkok]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[Table tennis at the 2002 Asian Games|2002 Busan]]|Singles}}
{{MedalSilver|2002 Busan|Doubles}}
{{MedalSilver|2002 Busan|Team}}
|}}

'''Zhang Yining''' ({{zh|s=张怡宁|p=Zhāng Yíníng}}; born 5 October 1981)<ref name=olympic.cn/> is a Chinese [[table tennis]] player who retired in 2009. She is considered one of the greatest female players in the sport's history. In terms of achievements, she is one of the most successful female table tennis players (alongside [[Ding Ning]], [[Deng Yaping]], [[Wang Nan (table tennis)|Wang Nan]], [[Li Xiaoxia]]) having won the gold medal in each of the Table Tennis World Cup, the Table Tennis World Championships, and the Olympic Games. She is also the first player overall, and the first female, to have completed a Double Grand Slam.

==History==
Zhang Yining held the [[International Table Tennis Federation|ITTF]] #1 ranking continuously from 2003 to 2009, except two months in 2008, remaining as a dominant figure in women's table tennis,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Player_ID=110579&Siniors=1&U18=0&U21=0 |title=World ranking Record for ZHANG Yining (CHN) |work=ittf.com |access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref> with four [[Table tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympic]] gold medals, ten [[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]], and four [[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]] wins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=8057 |title=ZHANG Yining (CHN) |work=ittf.com |access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref> During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she was often referred to by commentators as "The Yellow Beast", denoting her dominance in the sport. She uses a specially made Zhang Yining ZLC for her blade made by butterfly, and tenergy 05 for forehand and tenergy 64 for her backhand.

Zhang is a graduate from Beijing Shichahai Sports School, where [[Li Jiawei]] of Singapore studied as well.

Zhang was married in October 2009 and has not been present in table tennis tournaments since then.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} She announced her retirement from international play in 2011 and she went to the [[United States]] to study at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] and learn to better speak English.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/2011-04/01/content_12264230.htm |title=Chinese table tennis legend Zhang Yining calls it quits |date=1 April 2011 |work=chinadaily.com.cn|access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/china/2011-05/09/content_12479398.htm |title=Chinese champions start new life in US |author=Liu Shanshan |date=9 May 2011 |work=chinadaily.com.cn |access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref> This makes her one of few players to retire whilst holding both the World and Olympic titles for singles and team event in table tennis. Zhang also said she would like to introduce to Americans the sport of table tennis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/sports/2011-04/06/c_121269503.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404033442/http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/sports/2011-04/06/c_121269503.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 4, 2012 |script-title=zh:赴美國學習 未來沒想好 張怡寧正式承認退役 |date=6 April 2011 |work=xinhuanet.com |access-date=11 June 2011 |language=zh}}</ref>

Since 2010, Zhang serves as the assistant president of the China Table Tennis College in [[Shanghai]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cttce.sus.edu.cn/info/1005/1043.htm|title=Zhang Yining-乒乓球学院英文|website=cttce.sus.edu.cn|access-date=2018-12-24}}</ref>

==Successes==
* 45th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (1999) Women's Single Silver
* 45th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2000) Women's Team Gold
* 5th [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals]] (2000) Women's Single Gold
* 5th [[Table Tennis World Cup]] (2001) Women's Single Gold
* 46th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2001) Women's Team Gold
* 6th [[Table Tennis World Cup]] (2002) Women's Single Gold
* 7th [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals]] (2002) Women's Single Gold
* 47th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2003) Women's Single Silver, women's Double Gold
* 47th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2004) Women's Team Gold
* Games of the 28th [[Olympic Games|Olympiad]] (2004) Table Tennis Women's Single Gold, women's Double Gold
* 8th [[Table Tennis World Cup]] (2004) Women's Single Gold
* 48th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2005) Women's Single Gold, women's Double Gold
* 10th[[National Games of China]] (2005) Women's Team Gold, women's Single Gold
* 9th [[Table Tennis World Cup]] (2005) Women's Single Gold
* 10th [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals]] (2005) Women's Single Gold
* 48th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2006) Women's Team Gold
* 11th [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals]] (2006) Women's Single Gold
* 49th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2007)  Women's Double Gold
* 11th [[Table Tennis World Cup]] (2007) Women's Team Gold
* 49th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2008) Women's Team Gold
* Games of the 29th [[Olympic Games|Olympiad]] (2008) Table Tennis Women's Single Gold, women's Team Gold
* 50th [[World Table Tennis Championships]] (2009) Women's Single Gold

==Olympic record==

===2008 Summer Olympics Women's Table Tennis Singles results===
Zhang participated in the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing, winning gold in both the women's singles and women's team competition. Zhang successfully defended her singles Olympic gold medal, defeating compatriot [[Wang Nan (table tennis)|Wang Nan]] in the finals 8-11, 13–11, 11–8, 11–8, 11–3.

She was also the women's doubles gold medal winner at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]].

The following table shows the scores of the women's singles table tennis matches that Zhang Yining played during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" | '''Round'''
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" | '''Result'''
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" | '''Opponent's country'''
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" | '''Opponent'''
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" | '''Score'''
| bgcolor="olive" align="center" valign="middle" colspan ="7"| '''By match'''
|-
| align="center"  | 1st
| colspan ="12" align="center" |Bye
|-
|  align="center"  | 2nd
| colspan ="12" align="center" |Bye
|-
|  align="center"  | 3rd
| bgcolor="green" align="center"  | W
| {{flag|Belarus}}
| [[Victoria Pavlovich]]
| 4-0
| 11-7
| 11-2
| 11-7
| 11-5
|
|-
|  align="center"  | 4th
| bgcolor="green" align="center"  | W
| {{flag|Japan}}
| [[Fukuhara Ai]]
| 4-1
| 11-5
| 11-2
| 11-5
| 9-11
| 11-8
|-
|  align="center"  | Quarters
| bgcolor="green" align="center"  | W
| {{flag|Singapore}}
| [[Feng Tianwei]]
| 4-1
| 13-11
| 12-14
| 14-12
| 12-10
| 13-11
|-
|  align="center"  | Semis
| bgcolor="green" align="center"  | W
| {{flag|Singapore}}
| [[Li Jia Wei]]
| 4-1
| 9-11
| 11-8
| 12-10
| 11-8
| 11-5
|-
|  align="center"  | Finals
| bgcolor="yellow" align="center"  | W
| {{flag|China}}
| [[Wang Nan (table tennis)|Wang Nan]]
| 4-1
| 8-11
| 13-11
| 11-8
| 11-8
| 11-3
|}

[[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics#Women.27s Singles|Click here to see further details regarding the 2008 Summer Olympics Table Tennis competition results.]]

===2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony===
At the opening ceremony of the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]], Zhang took the [[Olympic Oath]] on behalf of all competitors at the Games.

==See also==
*[[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081228085257/http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Player_ID=110579&U18=0&U21=0&Siniors=1& Zhang Yining world ranking record at the ITTF]
* [http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/stats_per_player.asp?player_id=110579 ITTF Stats for Zhang Yining]

{{Navboxes
| title = Zhang Yining's Titles
| titlestyle = background: #EEEEFF
| list1 = {{Footer Olympic Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Table Tennis Doubles Women}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Table Tennis Team Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Table Tennis Doubles Women}}
{{Footer World Champions Table Tennis Team Women}}
{{Footer World Cup Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer World Cup Champions Table Tennis Team Women}}
{{Footer ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champions Table Tennis Doubles Women}}
{{Footer ITTF Tournament of Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer Asian Game Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer Asian Game Champions Table Tennis Team Women}}
{{Footer Asian Champions Table Tennis Singles Women}}
{{Footer Asian Champions Table Tennis Team Women}}
}}
{{ITTF Hall of Fame members}}
{{Xinhua News Agency's Top Ten Chinese Athletes of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Yining}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Table tennis players from Beijing]]
[[Category:Chinese female table tennis players]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic table tennis players for China]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games table tennis players for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for China]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for China]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:World Table Tennis Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Oath takers at the Olympic Games]]