PETALING JAYA: Former world No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying shocked the badminton world by announcing her retirement from the international scene on Friday (Nov 7).
The 31-year-old made the announcement on her personal social media account, citing injuries as the reason for her decision.
“A beautiful chapter has come to an end. Thank you, badminton, for everything you have given me.
“Last year was the toughest time of my career. Before the Olympics, I wasn’t sure if my injured foot would allow me to compete, but I gave it my all. Others didn’t give up on me, so I couldn’t give up on myself.
“Eventually, my injuries forced me to leave the court. I couldn’t end my career the way I had hoped, and it took me a while to come to terms with that.
“After undergoing surgery and lengthy rehabilitation on both legs, I’m grateful to everyone who supported my recovery,” said Tzu Ying.
Tzu Ying had been troubled by a knee injury over the past two years and underwent multiple surgeries in an effort to recover.
The Taiwanese star was one of the most dominant figures in women’s singles and earned the BWF Female Player of the Year award for the 2020 2021 season
She also captured silver medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2021 BWF World Championships and was a three time Asian champion in 2017, 2018 and 2023.
