Wei Yaxin (Chinese:魏雅欣;pinyin:Wèi Yǎxīn; born 18 April 2000) is a Chinesebadminton player.[1] PartneringJiang Zhenbang, she has won medals at the World Championships and Asian Championships, and the pair attained the world No. 1 ranking for the first time on 18 March 2025. Wei was also part of the Chinese national team that claimed theSudirman Cup in 2025.
Wei was born on 18 April 2000 inChangsha, Hunan, China. She started playing badminton at the age of seven when her father took her to a court for the first time.[2] She quickly developed an interest and started formal training a year later at a sports school.[2] Despite being one of the youngest players, she progressed quickly and reached the Hunan provincial team’s standard within two years.[2] However, at age nine, she was initially rejected for being too young.[2] She first played for the Changsha badminton team and officially joined the Hunan provincial team in 2013.[3]
In 2017, Wei competed in several international tournaments, including the Korea Junior International, where she was the U-19 girls' singles runner-up.[4] She began the 2018 season as the finalist in the girls' singles event at the Dutch Junior Grand Prix.[3] Apart from that, she won medals in various other international events as well, including bronze medals at theAsian and theWorld Junior Championships.[2]
Wei, after being promoted from the reserve list, became the champion at thePolish Open in March by defeating Germany'sYvonne Li in three games.[2][5] However, she was unable to make deeper runs in the tournaments she entered later in the year.
In the second half of the year, the pair were runners-up at theKorea Open[16] and went on to take a bronze medal on theirWorld Championships debut, where they fell to Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong in the semi-finals.[17] In September, Wei competed withGuo Xinwa as a scratch pair to win theHong Kong Open.[18]
She and Jiang then fell short in the final ofArctic Open[19] before clinching their first Super 750 title at theFrench Open by beating veteransTang Chun Man andTse Ying Suet in three games.[20] They also secured another runner-up finish at theKorea Masters.[21] At theBWF Awards in December, Wei and Jiang were named Most Improved Player of the Year, in recognition of their rapid rise in the world rankings.[22]
The pair then produced a strong run of results, triumphing against Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong 21–11, 21–14 to claim their first Super 1000 crown at theIndonesia Open,[26] followed by another title at theAustralian Open the next week.[27] They also won theJapan Open in August[28] and captured their fourth title in five tournaments played at theHong Kong Open.[29]
In the following months, they finished as runners-up in consecutive finals at theArctic Open[30] andDenmark Open,[31] both to Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. The duo also made their debut at theWorld Tour Finals, where they reached the semi-finals before falling to Olympic and eventual champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong.[32]
At theIndia Open, Wei and Jiang claimed the title, improving on their runner-up finish from the previous season.[33] She also began a short partnership with Feng Yanzhe at theAll England Open, where they reached the final before losing to compatriots Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui.[34] On 18 March, Wei and Jiang rose to world number 1 for the first time.[35] That same week, she and Feng captured theSwiss Open.[36]
The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017, and implemented in 2018,[43] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by theBadminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[44]
^ab"Wei Yaxin biography". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved15 October 2022 – via TournamentSoftware.com.
^abcdefg"羽坛新人|魏雅欣:波兰赛夺冠 爱笑的女孩想去北京" [Newcomer in badminton | Wei Yaxin: Won the Polish Open, the girl who loves to smile wants to go to Beijing] (in Chinese). 羽毛球杂志. 4 June 2019.Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved15 October 2022 – viaSina Sports.
^ab"湖南选手刘玄炫、魏雅欣获得荷兰青年羽毛球大奖赛好成绩" [Hunan players Liu Xuanxuan and Wei Yaxin achieved good results at the Dutch Youth Badminton Grand Prix].Hunan Sports Bureau (in Chinese). 13 March 2018.Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved15 October 2022.
^Zhou, Yuan (21 November 2017)."2017韩国青年羽球挑战赛中国队包揽五金" [China sweeps all five gold medals at the 2017 Korea Youth Badminton Challenge].中国体育报 (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 4 September 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025 – via 国家体育总局.
^"国羽又一天才横空出世!18岁少女递补参赛一黑到底夺生涯首冠" [Another talented player of the national badminton team emerges! An 18-year-old girl was selected as a substitute and won her first career title].企鹅体育 (in Chinese). 1 April 2019. Archived fromthe original on 25 March 2025.
^abcWang, Wensheng (9 November 2022). Tian, Jingqin (ed.)."国羽之星蒋振邦:"与在桂林一样,我会赢球的"" [National badminton star Jiang Zhenbang: "Just like in Guilin, I will win"].桂林日报 (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^abcdZhou, Yuan (28 March 2023).""背靠背"夺冠——蒋振邦/魏雅欣成长为国羽混双新力量" ["Back to back" championships: Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin growing as a new force in national badminton mixed doubles].中国体育报 (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 25 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025 – via 国家体育总局.
^"马来西亚国际挑战赛 中国羽毛球队收获四金三银" [Malaysia International Series: Chinese badminton team wins four golds and three silvers].China Sports Daily (in Chinese). 15 November 2022. Archived fromthe original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025 – via Hangzhou 2022.
^Fu, Huanyu (29 January 2023). Xiang, Qun (ed.)."印尼羽毛球大师赛:湘妹子魏雅欣摘得混双银牌" [Indonesia Badminton Masters: Hunan girl Wei Yaxin wins mixed doubles silver medal].RedNet (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Liu, Lixin; Jin, Ming; Li, Yinhua (21 March 2023). Wang, Lianxiang; Li, Nanhua (eds.)."2023中国(瑞昌)国际羽毛球大师赛收官 国羽斩获4冠4亚" [2023 China (Ruichang) International Badminton Masters concluded, China's national badminton team won 4 titles and 4 runners-up] (in Chinese). 中国新闻网. Archived fromthe original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved14 September 2025 – via 人民网.
^"中国选手羽毛球世锦赛女双三连冠" [Chinese players win three consecutive women's doubles titles at World Badminton Championships].漳州市体育局 (in Chinese). 28 August 2023. Archived fromthe original on 25 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Wei, Hua (18 September 2023). Fu, Lin (ed.)."香港羽毛球公开赛:郭新娃/魏雅欣混双夺冠 中国队一金一银收官" [Hong Kong Badminton Open: Guo Xinwa/Wei Yaxin win the mixed doubles championship, Team China wins one gold and one silver] (in Chinese). Xinhua. Archived fromthe original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025 – via 驻马店网.
^Sukumar, Dev (22 January 2024)."India Open: Dry Spells Broken".Badminton World Federation.Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Zhang, Yang (14 April 2024)."2024年亚洲羽毛球锦标赛第五日综述:石宇奇止步四强,中国选手保住所有项目争冠机会" [Day 5 of the 2024 Badminton Asia Championships summary: Shi Yuqi stopped in the semi-finals, and Chinese players retain their chances to win in all events].International Olympic Committee (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Wang, Hexiang, ed. (9 June 2024)."印尼羽毛球公开赛: 陈雨菲卫冕女单冠军 蒋振邦/魏雅欣混双夺冠" [Indonesia Badminton Open: Chen Yufei defends women's singles title, Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin win mixed doubles title].央视新闻 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"澳洲羽球公开赛|三局挫郭新娃陈芳卉 蒋振邦魏雅欣夺今年第2冠" [Australian Badminton Open | Defeated Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui in three games, Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin win second title of the year].China Press (in Chinese). 16 June 2024.Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"日本羽球公开赛|轻取港混双 蒋魏夺今年第3冠" [Japan Badminton Open | Easily defeated Hong Kong mixed doubles, Jiang-Wei won their third title this year].China Press (in Chinese). 25 August 2024.Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Wang, Zijiang (16 September 2024). Diao, Wenjing (ed.)."香港羽毛球公开赛国羽夺两冠" [National badminton team wins two titles at Hong Kong Badminton Open].Xinhua (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"2024年北极羽毛球公开赛:韩悦、"凤凰"及"圣坛"组合高奏凯歌,中国队三金一银收官" [2024 Arctic Badminton Open: Han Yue, "FengHuang", and "ShengTan" triumphed, Team China won three golds and one silver].International Olympic Committee (in Chinese). 13 October 2024.Archived from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"2024年丹麦羽毛球公开赛:冯彦哲/黄东萍混双背靠背夺冠,王祉怡力克奥运女单冠军安洗莹摘金" [2024 Denmark Badminton Open: Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping won back-to-back mixed doubles titles, Wang Zhiyi defeated Olympic women's singles champion An Se-young to win gold].International Olympic Committee (in Chinese). 20 October 2024.Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Xia, Liang; Tian, Guangyu (15 December 2024). Shi, Ge (ed.)."世界羽联世界巡回赛总决赛:国羽提前锁定女单冠军" [BWF World Tour Finals: National badminton team secures women's singles title ahead of schedule].Xinhua (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Jia, Zilai, ed. (20 January 2025)."印度羽毛球公开赛:蒋振邦/魏雅欣混双夺冠" [India Badminton Open: Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin win mixed doubles title].Xinhua (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Cai, Jinyi (20 March 2025). Cai, Jinyi; Yi, Yulin; Yang, Youhua (eds.)."世界羽联最新排名,长沙妹子魏雅欣首登世界第一" [In the latest BWF rankings, Changsha girl Wei Yaxin ranks first for the first time].新湖南 (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Zhou, Yumo (25 March 2025). Tang, Yuxin (ed.)."湘妹子火力全开!贾一凡魏雅欣瑞士公开赛夺金" [Hunan girls are on fire! Jia Yifan and Wei Yaxin win gold at Swiss Open].RedNet (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"2025年马来西亚羽毛球大师赛:李诗沣夺赛季单项首冠,王祉怡卫冕成功,中国队4金3银收官" [2025 Malaysia Badminton Masters: Li Shifeng wins season's first singles title, Wang Zhiyi successfully defends her title, Chinese team wins 4 golds and 3 silvers].International Olympic Committee (in Chinese). 25 May 2025.Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^"2025年中国羽毛球公开赛:石宇奇赛季第三次登顶超级1000冠军,王祉怡、"凤凰"组合成功卫冕" [2025 China Badminton Open: Shi Yuqi wins Super 1000 title for the third time this season, Wang Zhiyi and "Phoenix" successfully defend their titles].International Olympic Committee (in Chinese). 28 July 2025.Archived from the original on 28 July 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Liang, Shiyu (31 August 2025). Zhang, Yin; Peng, Zhengzi; Luo, Jianpeng (eds.)."0∶2不敌马来西亚组合,蒋振邦/魏雅欣获得羽毛球世锦赛银牌" [Lost to the Malaysian pair 0:2, Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin wins the silver medal at the Badminton World Championships].南方+ (in Chinese).Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved14 September 2025.
^Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018)."Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation.Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved15 January 2018.