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Zhang happy her destiny is in her own hands

SINGAPORE — Unlike many of her peers here at the OUE Singapore Open, Zhang Beiwen travels alone to tournaments, often choosing to stay at budget hotels or friends’ homes. For her trip from Las Vegas to Singapore, she had to scour airline websites for the cheapest air ticket — a US$800 (S$1,086) United Airlines fare — and bunked with former national teammates Derek Wong and Vanessa Neo to save money.

Former Singapore shuttler Zhang Beiwen is now based in the US and doing better in her playing career. Photo: Low Lin Fhoong

Former Singapore shuttler Zhang Beiwen is now based in the US and doing better in her playing career. Photo: Low Lin Fhoong

SINGAPORE — Unlike many of her peers here at the OUE Singapore Open, Zhang Beiwen travels alone to tournaments, often choosing to stay at budget hotels or friends’ homes. For her trip from Las Vegas to Singapore, she had to scour airline websites for the cheapest air ticket — a US$800 (S$1,086) United Airlines fare — and bunked with former national teammates Derek Wong and Vanessa Neo to save money.

The former Singapore national shuttler has not had a coach for four years, and trains just an hour a day in Las Vegas with one sparring partner — a 16-year-old recreational player. Despite the many challenges, Zhang refuses to give up on the sport she loves, training and coaching part-time at the Las Vegas Badminton Club while playing on the international badminton circuit and US league.

Life as a self-funded player may not be easy, but Zhang would not have it any other way. Once rated as Singapore’s top women’s singles player, the Liaoning-native — who reached a career-high ranking of world No 12 — quit the Singapore national team in 2008 to play for clubs in Malaysia and Taiwan, before she was persuaded to return for the 2009 SEA Games. In 2011, she was dropped by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) after a fallout with then-chief singles coach Luan Ching over a curfew-breaking incident during Chinese New Year.

She relocated to the United States after a vacation in 2012, and found herself back on the badminton court. Playing for the US, she went on to win four international challenge tournaments in 2013, before winning Grand Prix titles in the US, Brazil and the Netherlands a year later.

Once branded as a difficult player, Zhang told TODAY she is happy with the path she chose.

“If I had stayed in Singapore, I don’t think I would have what I have now,” said the 26-year-old Singaporean. “I’m too straightforward and ask questions, and some people don’t like that. When I had a problem, I didn’t get to talk to the SBA, only the coach. Now I can do whatever I want, I control my own life.

“When I moved to the US, I never thought I would play again, but in my first tournament in 2013 at the US Open, I beat Carolina Marin (current world No 1) and I thought ‘I’m still quite good’.”

Now ranked 36th in the world, Zhang continues to plug away at her craft, travelling to select tournaments in North America, Europe and Singapore. She gets by on part-time coaching fees, tournament winnings and her sponsorship with Yonex.

At this year’s OUE Singapore Open, she notched her best-ever performance at the Superseries event, advancing to the quarter-finals where she was defeated 21-16, 21-15 by China’s He Bingjiao.

Ironically, Zhang had never advanced beyond the first round as a national player. She is also currently the Republic’s highest ranked women’s singles player at world No 36, with Liang Xiaoyu — who was eliminated by defending champion Sun Yu in the first round — currently at No 40.

While Zhang’s world ranking puts her in good stead for Olympic qualification for 2016, she has ruled out a return to the Singapore national fold. Instead, she is hoping to represent her adopted country, the United States, at the 2020 Olympic Games if she obtains citizenship.

“They (SBA) asked me to come back twice, in 2013, and 2014 before the SEA Games,” she said. “I said no because I didn’t think they were serious. I want to represent myself, I want to prove to myself, and see how far I can go.

“My life is pretty interesting now … I definitely can do better with more training and a coach but I don’t want to compare myself to others.

“I just want to enjoy my life, and my badminton.”

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