RedShuttle
Regular Member
Time to get on board with the rising star Zhao Yunlei (赵芸蕾/趙芸蕾) 
The Zhao Yunlei/Cheng Shu WD team went from nowhere to top ten ranking in three months. Surely, they benefited from the absence and retirements of some top teams. Nevertheless, they did it, not others.
WD World Ranking as at December 4, 2008: 10th with Cheng Shu
BWF Profile: http://www.internationalbadminton.org/pair_info.asp?pairid=94794
The Zhao Yunlei/Xu Chen MD team is also on the rise. With one Gold GP win and one 2nd place finish in a SS event.
MD World Ranking as at December 4, 2008: 49th with Xu Chen (3 events played)
BWF Profile: http://www.internationalbadminton.org/pair_info.asp?pairid=58700
Both of Zhao Yunlei's parents were athletes. Her mother is a tennis coach who thinks girls shouldn't be tanned as much as tennis players. Therefore, badminton, being indoor and away from the sun, became ZYL's sport.
Both Zhao YL and Cheng Shu were singles players on the junior National Team. They were switched to doubles when entering the National 2nd Team where Zhao was the captain of the WD team.
Zhao YL was Gao Ling's WD partner at the 10th National Games. Zhao: "Gao Ling is not only a good player, but also an impeccable person. There are so much to learn from." "There are too much too learn. The only way is one step at a time."
Although the Zhao/Cheng team has yet to beat Du/Yu. Zhao, partnered with Wang Xiaoli, beat Du/Yu in the final of 2007 National Championship.
Acid Test for commentators: lesser commentators would presumably call the bigger Cheng Shu is the attacking specialist on the Z/C team. Expert commentators would point out that Zhao is the better attacker.
Comment by a former player on the Macao MD Final (won by Zhao/Xu): "Zhao YunLei is at a different level from the other three players."
Current state of the game: fierce attacker at and away from the net, the Z/C team can attack relentlessly like Yang Wei/Zhang Jie Wen at their prime; high unforced errors.
One final salute to YW/ZJW. ZYL/CS in 2012


The Zhao Yunlei/Cheng Shu WD team went from nowhere to top ten ranking in three months. Surely, they benefited from the absence and retirements of some top teams. Nevertheless, they did it, not others.
WD World Ranking as at December 4, 2008: 10th with Cheng Shu
BWF Profile: http://www.internationalbadminton.org/pair_info.asp?pairid=94794

The Zhao Yunlei/Xu Chen MD team is also on the rise. With one Gold GP win and one 2nd place finish in a SS event.
MD World Ranking as at December 4, 2008: 49th with Xu Chen (3 events played)
BWF Profile: http://www.internationalbadminton.org/pair_info.asp?pairid=58700
Both of Zhao Yunlei's parents were athletes. Her mother is a tennis coach who thinks girls shouldn't be tanned as much as tennis players. Therefore, badminton, being indoor and away from the sun, became ZYL's sport.
Both Zhao YL and Cheng Shu were singles players on the junior National Team. They were switched to doubles when entering the National 2nd Team where Zhao was the captain of the WD team.
Zhao YL was Gao Ling's WD partner at the 10th National Games. Zhao: "Gao Ling is not only a good player, but also an impeccable person. There are so much to learn from." "There are too much too learn. The only way is one step at a time."
Although the Zhao/Cheng team has yet to beat Du/Yu. Zhao, partnered with Wang Xiaoli, beat Du/Yu in the final of 2007 National Championship.
Acid Test for commentators: lesser commentators would presumably call the bigger Cheng Shu is the attacking specialist on the Z/C team. Expert commentators would point out that Zhao is the better attacker.
Comment by a former player on the Macao MD Final (won by Zhao/Xu): "Zhao YunLei is at a different level from the other three players."
Current state of the game: fierce attacker at and away from the net, the Z/C team can attack relentlessly like Yang Wei/Zhang Jie Wen at their prime; high unforced errors.

One final salute to YW/ZJW. ZYL/CS in 2012
