Zhou Mi (badminton) explained

Zhou Mi
周蜜
Country:Hong Kong
Birth Date:1979 2, df=y
Birth Place:Nanning, Guangxi, China
Event:Women's singles
Highest Ranking:1
Handedness:Right
Bwf Id:D287D339-E399-41C0-9DA4-44BCCE5CDF40

Zhou Mi (; born 18 February 1979) is a Chinese badminton player. During much of her career she represented the People's Republic of China, but since 2007 she has represented Hong Kong which has a sports program and teams independent from those of the mainland. In 2010, she received a 2-year ban, for failing a drugs test.[1]

Career

Since 1998 Zhou has won more than twenty international singles titles on the world circuit and has achieved number one world rankings at various times. She was a silver medalist behind compatriot Gong Ruina at the 2001 IBF World Championships and was a bronze medalist at the 2003 Championships. She won women's singles at the quadrennial Asian Games in 2002, defeating Gong Ruina in the final. Zhou is a three-time finalist at the prestigious All-England Championships where she captured the title in 2003. She played singles for world champion Chinese Uber Cup (women's international) teams in 2002 and 2004.

Olympic controversy

At the 2004 Athens Olympics Zhou reached the semifinal round where she was eliminated from gold medal contention by fellow countrywoman Zhang Ning. She then defeated Gong Ruina in the playoff for the bronze medal. The circumstances behind Zhou's semifinal defeat are controversial, however, because China's national coach Li Yongbo later confirmed rumors that he had instructed Zhou not to fight hard after she had dropped the first game to Zhang.[2] [3] His rationale was that a fresh Zhang Ning would have a better chance to defeat a non-Chinese opponent, the Netherlands' Mia Audina, in the final.

"Retirement" and comeback

Whether the Olympic episode or subsequent injury and poor performance was the primary cause, Zhou apparently retired from badminton during the 2005 season. She played no tournaments in 2006 but secured residence in Hong Kong through its Quality Migration program. Zhou then reemerged on the world badminton circuit during the 2007 season.[4] From a weak start at the Singapore Open her results dramatically improved to the point where she had regained a number one world ranking as of the end of the year 2008.[5] Since launching her comeback Zhou's titles have included the New Zealand and Philippines Opens in 2007, and the South Korea, India, Macau Opens, and China Masters in 2008. In December, Zhou ended the 2008 season by winning the BWF Super Series Masters Finals, the biggest prize money event in the sport.

Positive clenbuterol test and two years ban

The BWF announced on 4 September 2010 that a BWF Doping Hearing conducted in Copenhagen on Monday 23 August has banned Zhou Mi for 2 years from participation in badminton, following an Adverse Analytical Finding. A sample taken from her in late June as part of the BWF's 'out-of-competition' testing programme. Zhou tested positive to clenbuterol, a Class 1 Anabolic Agent on the WADA Prohibited List of substances.[6]

On 27 October 2011, more than one year after she was handed a two-year ban for testing positive for clenbuterol, former badminton world No. 1 Zhou Mi reiterated her innocence. "At the time of the test, I was not competing or preparing to compete. There was not even the slightest reason or incentive for me to take any performance-enhancing substance," said Zhou. Regardless of the incident, Zhou, now 32, added it was time for her to retire from the sport. Clenbuterol can be consumed from eating contaminated food.[7]

Achievements

Olympic Games

Women's singles

World Championships

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2001Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain Gong Ruina9–11, 4–11 Silver
2003National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Gong Ruina2–11, 4–11 Bronze

Asian Games

Women's singles

Asian Championships

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
2002Nimibutr Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Zhang Ning6–11, 11–3, 11–8 Gold
2010Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India Liu Xin15–21, 18–21 Bronze

East Asian Games

Women's singles

World Junior Championships

Mixed doubles

Asian Junior Championships

Girls' singles

Girls' doubles

BWF Superseries

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[8] is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels are Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consists of twelve tournaments around the world that have been introduced since 2011.[9] Successful players are invited to the Superseries Finals, which are held at the end of each year.

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
2008Korea Open Lu Lan21–18, 15–21, 21–15 Winner
2008Singapore Open Tine Rasmussen19–21, 17–21 Runner-up
2008Japan Open Wang Yihan19–21, 21–17, 15–21 Runner-up
2008China Masters Wang Lin21–19, 19–21, 21–16 Winner
2008Denmark Open Wang Lin18–21, 10–21 Runner-up
2008World Superseries Masters Finals Wang Chen21–14, 21–18 Winner
2009Malaysia Open Tine Rasmussen17–21, 21–15, 16–21 Runner-up
2009Singapore Open Xie Xingfang21–19, 18–21, 21–10 Winner

BWF Superseries Finals tournament

BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) which was held from 2007 to 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1998Brunei Open Gong Ruina7–11, 4–11 Runner-up
1998Dutch Open Yao Jie10–13, 13–11, 11–4 Winner
1999Korea Open Gong Ruina11–6, 13–12 Winner
1999Chinese Taipei Open Dai Yun5–11, 8–11 Runner-up
1999Denmark Open Camilla Martin11–8, 3–11, 1–11 Runner-up
1999China Open Gong Ruina11–6, 11–5 Winner
2000Thailand Open Ye Zhaoying5–11, 0–11 Runner-up
2000Dutch Open Gong Ruina11–7, 9–11, 11–8 Winner
2000Denmark Open Camilla Martin1–11, 11–6, 11–7 Winner
2000World Grand Prix Finals Gong Zhichao7–5, 5–7, 7–1, 7–0 Winner
2001All England Open Gong Zhichao7–11, 3–11 Runner-up
2001Japan Open Gong Ruina11–8, 11–0 Winner
2001Malaysia Open Gong Ruina3–7, 2–7, 4–7 Runner-up
2001China Open Gong Ruina7–2, 7–0, 7–4 Winner
2002Japan Open Dai Yun7–1, 7–0, 7–1 Winner
2002Singapore Open Zhang Ning11–6, 11–3 Winner
2003All England Open Xie Xingfang11–6, 11–5 Winner
2003Singapore Open Zhang Ning0–11, 8–11 Runner-up
2003Malaysia Open Camilla Martin11–1, 7–11, 11–5 Winner
2003Denmark Open Gong Ruina11–4, 10–13, 3–11 Runner-up
2003China Open Gong Ruina13–10, 11–1 Winner
2004All England Open Gong Ruina7–11, 7–11 Runner-up
2004Malaysia Open Zhang Ning11–9, 7–11, 8–11 Runner-up
2004Singapore Open Zhang Ning8–11, 1–11 Runner-up
2005Singapore Open Zhang Ning5–11, 7–11 Runner-up
2005China Masters Zhang Ning3–11, 11–5, 3–11 Runner-up
2007New Zealand Open Chie Umezu21–13, 21–10 Winner
2007Thailand Open Zhu Lin22–20, 5–21, 14–21 Runner-up
2007Philippines Open Zhu Jingjing21–18, 21–12 Winner
2008India Open Lu Lan21–14, 21–14 Winner
2008Macau Open Julia Wong Pei Xian21–13, 21–19 Winner
2008New Zealand Open Rachel Hindley21–10, 21–15 Winner
2009Philippines Open Wang Xin10–21, 21–12, 21–23 Runner-up
2010Malaysia Grand Prix Gold Yip Pui Yin16–21, 21–14, 19–21 Runner-up

Women's doubles

Mixed doubles

BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament

BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1999French International Aparna Popat11–0, 11–2 Winner
2007Miami Pan Am International Lucía Tavera21–7, 21–6 Winner

BWF International Challenge tournament

BWF International Series tournament

BWF Future Series tournament

Record against selected opponents

Record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists.[10]

PlayersMatchesResultsDifference
WonLost
Petya Nedelcheva4 4 0 +4
Dai Yun6 3 3 0
Gong Ruina24 12 12 0
Gong Zhichao3 2 1 +1
Han Jingna1 1 0 +1
Li Xuerui1 0 1 –1
Lu Lan7 6 1 +5
Wang Lin4 3 1 +2
Wang Shixian1 0 1 –1
Wang Xin2 0 2 –2
Wang Yihan4 0 4 –4
Xie Xingfang12 9 3 +6
Ye Zhaoying2 0 2 –2
PlayersMatchesResultsDifference
WonLost
Zhang Ning20 12 8 +4
Zhu Lin6 1 5 –4
Huang Chia-chi1 1 0 +1
Tai Tzu-ying1 1 0 +1
Tine Baun12 8 4 +4
Camilla Martin8 4 4 0
Mette Sørensen1 1 0 +1
Tracey Hallam4 4 0 +4
Pi Hongyan7 4 3 +1
Juliane Schenk4 3 1 +2
Xu Huaiwen7 4 3 +1
/ Wang Chen11 7 4 +3
Yip Pui Yin3 2 1 +1
PlayersMatchesResultsDifference
WonLost
Saina Nehwal4 3 1 +2
Lindaweni Fanetri1 1 0 +1
Maria Kristin Yulianti3 2 1 +1
Yasuko Mizui2 1 1 0
Wong Mew Choo3 3 0 +3
/ Mia Audina11 6 5 +1
Bae Yeon-ju2 0 2 –2
Kim Ji-hyun2 1 1 0
Sung Ji-hyun2 1 1 0
Porntip Buranaprasertsuk2 2 0 +2
Ratchanok Intanon1 1 0 +1
Somharuthai Jaroensiri1 0 1 –1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Badminton World Federation - News. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100907183453/http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=39476 . 2010-09-07 .
  2. http://eurosport.yahoo.com/23032008/58/china-coach-admits-match-fixing.html
  3. Web site: http://newsninemsn.com/.au/article.aspx?id%3D416666 . December 28, 2008 .
  4. http://www.badzine.net/2007/04/miami-lakes-internationals-zhou-mi-back-in-business/ Miami Lakes Internationals - Zhou Mi back in Business
  5. Web site: :: Badminton World Federation :: . August 14, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080814020323/http://www.internationalbadminton.org/ranking.asp?id=2 . August 14, 2008 .
  6. http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=39476 Zhou Mi banned for two years
  7. https://archive.today/20120912033254/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=8&art_id=116505&sid=34243102&con_type=1&d_str=20111028&fc=8 Former No1 Zhou reiterates innocence over positive drug test
  8. Web site: BWF Launches Super Series . Badminton Australia . 15 December 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071006123828/http://www.badminton.org.au/index.php?id=22&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=136&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=2&cHash=26fb36d8a5 . dead . 6 October 2007.
  9. Web site: Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event . www.ibadmintonstore.com . 29 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131002005757/http://www.ibadmintonstore.com/iBADMINTONstore-News/Yonex-All-England-Elevated-To-BWF-Premier-Super-Se.aspx . dead . 2 October 2013.
  10. Web site: Zhou Mi Head to Head . bwf.tournamentsoftware.com . 8 March 2020.