Tzu-ying doesn’t have any idea what to do with or about her doctorate for now: “No plans yet for now. I still don’t know when I will definitely end my badminton career. For now, I only hope to remain healthy and ft, and to continue to fight in existing tournaments. All I know is that I must work even harder from now on, because the BWF has announced that it will be adding to the number of tournaments, worldwide badminton athletes can participate in next year. We must be able to maintain the health and vitality of our bodies, and practice more and better.”
Tzu-ying has been playing the senior levels since she was 16 – by taking part in the 2010 Singapore Open and getting into the Finals. Taiwan even entrusted her to represent it in the 2012 Olympics, when she was but a chit of 18. “I was still very young when I played in that Olympics. I was aggressive and cheerful,” she said in an interview with BWF TV. “Four years later, I played in my second Olympics. I am now more mature, and I understand just how important this event for an athlete is.”
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Even though she has matured more in her attitude and playing skills, Tzu-ying still failed to get any medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was only in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) did she win the Silver, after China’s Chen Yu-fei defeated her in a three-game Final. Tai Tzu-ying is now BWF’s second female singles athlete worldwide, with Japanese Yamaguchi Akane being the only one higher than her. Both of them are slated to participate in the upcoming Petronas Malaysia Open tournament (28 June-3 July 2022). (rp)