Chinese · Chengdu, China · Born 20 June 1990Chinese table tennis player who dominated women's singles, winning Olympic gold in 2016 and five World Championship singles titles between 2011-2019.
Born in Heilongjiang Province on June 20, 1990, this Chinese table tennis prodigy began training at age five and quickly demonstrated exceptional natural ability. Her early development took place within China's rigorous national training system, where she honed the technical skills that would later revolutionize women's table tennis. By her teens, she had established herself as one of China's most promising young players, setting the foundation for what would become one of the sport's most dominant careers. The 2010s marked her emergence as the world's premier female table tennis player. She captured her first World Championship title in 2011, followed by successive victories in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, amassing six world titles. Her crowning achievement came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she claimed individual gold after overcoming fierce competition. Throughout this period, she maintained the ITTF World No. 1 ranking for an unprecedented nine years, demonstrating remarkable consistency at the sport's highest level. Her technical innovation proved as significant as her competitive success. She pioneered the reverse penhold backhand technique, a groundbreaking adaptation that permanently altered women's table tennis strategy and execution. This technical breakthrough allowed for greater power and versatility in backhand play, influencing a generation of players who adopted similar approaches. Her tactical intelligence combined with lightning reflexes made her nearly unbeatable during her peak years. Beyond individual accolades, her impact on table tennis extends to her role in elevating the women's game's profile globally. Her sustained excellence across nearly a decade established new standards for consistency and longevity in professional table tennis. The reverse penhold backhand technique she developed remains widely studied and implemented, ensuring her influence on the sport continues well beyond her competitive career. Her nine-year reign as world number one represents one of the longest periods of dominance in modern table tennis history.
Dominant left-handed penhold player, multiple World Champion
How They Played
Left-handed penhold grip with powerful forehand loops
Lasting Impact
One of greatest female table tennis players, held World No.1 for 9 years
Career Honours
- Olympic Gold 2016
- World Champion 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- ITTF World No.1 for 9 years
Chinese Athletes