1. Early Life and Training
He Bingjiao was born on 21 March 1997, in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Her journey in badminton began at a young age when she started receiving intensive training at the Suzhou Junior Sports School at seven years old. Five years later, she was sent to Nanjing for more rigorous training, indicating her early potential and dedication to the sport. She quickly rose through the ranks, making her senior international debut at the age of 16.
2. Career
He Bingjiao's professional badminton career spans from her successful junior years, marked by numerous titles and strong international performances, to her decorated senior career, where she established herself as one of the top female singles players globally.
2.1. Junior Career and International Debut
He Bingjiao began her international career in 2013 at the age of 16. Her senior international debut was at the 2013 Vietnam Open. In her junior career, she achieved significant results, including reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Junior Championships, where she was defeated by Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan. She also made it to the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships but lost to Japan's Aya Ohori. Despite these losses, she secured her first major title by winning the 2013 Vietnam Open, defeating Indonesia's Hera Desi in a swift 21-minute match.
Her junior successes continued into 2014. At the 2014 BWF World Junior Championships, she avenged her previous year's loss to Aya Ohori by defeating her in straight games. However, she ultimately earned a silver medal after a closely contested final match against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, losing in three games with scores of 21-14, 18-21, 13-21. Her most significant victory in her junior career came at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, where she again faced Akane Yamaguchi and emerged victorious in a hard-fought match, securing her first Olympic gold medal. She also won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event at the same Youth Olympics, partnering with Sri Lanka's Sachin Dias. Later in 2014, she reached the final of the Bitburger Open, defeating notable opponents such as Michelle Li and Beiwen Zhang, but finished as runner-up after a loss to fellow Chinese player Sun Yu.
2.2. Senior Career Progression
He Bingjiao's senior career progression saw her transition from a promising junior to a consistent contender and major title winner, overcoming challenges and achieving significant milestones.
2.2.1. 2013-2015: Early Senior Career and Junior Successes
He Bingjiao's early senior career saw her making an impact while still excelling in junior competitions. In 2013, she notably won the Vietnam Open. Her 2014 season was highlighted by her gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in girls' singles and a silver medal at the World Junior Championships.
In 2015, He Bingjiao won her first title of the year at the China Masters, where she defeated Hui Xirui. She also reached the final of the New Zealand Open, ultimately losing to Japan's Saena Kawakami. Despite a surprising quarter-final defeat to Japan's Natsuki Nidaira at the 2015 BWF World Junior Championships, she concluded the year by winning the Indonesian Masters. In this tournament, she defeated two-time World Championship bronze medalist P. V. Sindhu before triumphing over Chen Yufei in the final with a straight-games victory.
2.2.2. 2016-2018: Breakthrough and Major Titles
The 2016 season marked a significant breakthrough for He Bingjiao. At the Swiss Open, she showcased her emerging talent by defeating top players including Ratchanok Intanon, P. V. Sindhu, and Sun Yu en route to the final. She then defeated Wang Yihan with a dominant 21-16, 21-10 score, avenging an earlier loss to her at the All England Open. She secured her first Superseries title at the Japan Open, beating Sun Yu in the final. Shortly after, she claimed the French Open Superseries title with a straightforward 21-9, 21-9 victory over Beiwen Zhang. She successfully defended her title at the Bitburger Open, defeating Nitchaon Jindapol in the final. These outstanding performances qualified her for the season-ending Superseries Finals, where she achieved satisfactory results, including a victory against Ratchanok Intanon, who retired during their match.
In 2017, He Bingjiao reached the semi-finals of the Asian Championships after a tough quarter-final battle against Olympic silver medalist P. V. Sindhu, but ultimately lost to Akane Yamaguchi in straight games, earning a bronze medal. She was also part of the Chinese Sudirman Cup team that won a silver medal after losing to South Korea in the final. At the 2017 BWF World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, she was narrowly defeated by home favorite Kirsty Gilmour in a thrilling three-game match (14-21, 21-15, 16-21) in the third round. She failed to defend her Japan Open title, losing to Carolina Marín in the final. She qualified for the Dubai World Superseries Finals again but was eliminated in the group stage after losses to P. V. Sindhu, Akane Yamaguchi, and Sayaka Sato.
The 2018 season saw He Bingjiao reach the final of the Malaysia Open for the first time, where she was defeated by Tai Tzu-ying. At the World Championships, she achieved a significant victory by defeating Tai Tzu-ying in the quarter-finals in three games (21-18, 7-21, 21-13), ending Tai Tzu-ying's nearly seven-month unbeaten streak of 31 straight wins. She eventually settled for a bronze medal after a challenging semi-final loss to Carolina Marín (21-13, 16-21, 13-21). She competed at the Asian Games, where she was eliminated in the round of 16 by Nozomi Okuhara. Despite showing great consistency by reaching the semi-finals of various other tournaments, she opted out of the first-ever 2018 BWF World Tour Finals in China due to an injury sustained during her match against Sung Ji-hyun at the Hong Kong Open.
2.2.3. 2019-2021: Consistency and Olympic Participation
In 2019, He Bingjiao reached the final of the India Open after defeating defending champion Beiwen Zhang in the quarter-finals and P. V. Sindhu for the fourth consecutive time in the semi-finals. She lost in the final to Ratchanok Intanon in straight games, marking her first defeat against Intanon. She secured a silver medal at the Asian Championships after another loss to Akane Yamaguchi in the final. Following early exits in Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand, she reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships, where she was defeated by Nozomi Okuhara. She earned a title victory at the Korea Open, her first in three years since 2016, by defeating Ratchanok Intanon in the final after being down by four match points. Her campaign at the 2019 BWF World Tour Finals was disappointing, with losses to Akane Yamaguchi, Chen Yufei, and P. V. Sindhu. Notably, against Sindhu, she squandered an 18-9 lead in the first game, eventually losing 19-21, 19-21.
He Bingjiao made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), where she was seeded eighth in the women's singles. She finished in fourth place after being defeated by her compatriot Chen Yufei in the semi-finals and P. V. Sindhu in the bronze medal match. She was a key member of the victorious Chinese team at the 2021 Sudirman Cup. She also reached the semi-finals of the 2021 World Championships but lost to Tai Tzu-ying in three games (17-21, 21-13, 14-21), earning her second career bronze medal at the World Championships.
2.2.4. 2022-2024: Peak Performance and Olympic Silver
He Bingjiao started the 2022 season strong, winning the German Open and the Korea Masters, defeating fellow Chinese player Chen Yufei in both finals. In October, she claimed back-to-back Super 750 titles, winning the Denmark Open and the French Open. These strong performances led to her qualification for the 2022 BWF World Tour Finals, where she topped her group by defeating Tai Tzu-ying, Ratchanok Intanon, and Busanan Ongbamrungphan, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in her career. However, she was defeated by Tai Tzu-ying in straight games in the semi-finals. Despite this, her consistent results propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 5 by the end of the year.
In 2023, she reached the finals of the Thailand Open and the Japan Open, losing both to An Se-young. She was also part of the Chinese team that won the 2023 Sudirman Cup gold medal. Her individual performance at other tournaments included quarter-final finishes at the China Open, China Masters, Indonesia Open, and Singapore Open, as well as semi-final appearances at the India Open, German Open, and Indonesia Masters.
He Bingjiao reached the pinnacle of her individual career at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. After a strong performance, she advanced to the women's singles final, where she earned a silver medal after losing to South Korea's An Se-young. Following her Olympic success, she announced her retirement from international badminton on 13 August 2024.
3. Major Competition Achievements
He Bingjiao has achieved significant success in major international badminton competitions, earning numerous medals in women's singles and team events.
3.1. Olympic Games
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Porte de La Chapelle Arena, Paris, France | South Korea's An Se-young | 13-21, 16-21 |  Silver |
3.2. World Championships
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park, Nanjing, China | Spain's Carolina Marín | 21-13, 16-21, 13-21 |  Bronze |
| 2021 | Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Huelva, Spain | Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying | 17-21, 21-13, 14-21 | Bronze |
3.3. Asian Games
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Binjiang Gymnasium, Hangzhou, China | South Korea's An Se-young | 10-21, 13-21 | Bronze |
3.4. Asian Championships
Women's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Japan's Akane Yamaguchi | 15-21, 19-21 | Bronze |
| 2019 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Japan's Akane Yamaguchi | 19-21, 9-21 |  Silver |
| 2024 | Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Ningbo, China | China's Wang Zhiyi | 19-21, 17-21 | Bronze |
3.5. Youth Olympic Games
Girls' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China | Japan's Akane Yamaguchi | 22-24, 23-21, 21-17 |  Gold |
Mixed doubles
3.6. World Junior Championships
Girls' singles
3.7. Asian Junior Championships
Girls' singles
4. Team Event Achievements
He Bingjiao has been an integral part of the Chinese national badminton team, contributing significantly to their successes in various international team championships.
4.1. Uber Cup
He Bingjiao played a key role in the Chinese women's team successes at the Uber Cup. She was part of the gold-winning teams at the 2020 (held 2021) and 2024 Uber Cups. Additionally, she earned a silver medal at the 2022 edition and a bronze medal at the 2018 tournament.
4.2. Sudirman Cup
In the Sudirman Cup mixed team competition, He Bingjiao achieved significant success as a member of the Chinese team. She won gold medals in the 2019, 2021, and 2023 editions. She also contributed to a silver medal finish in the 2017 tournament.
4.3. Asian Games (Team)
He Bingjiao earned two silver medals in the women's team event at the Asian Games. She was part of the Chinese teams that secured silver at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
4.4. Asia Team Championships
He Bingjiao contributed to the Chinese women's team's victory at the 2016 Asia Team Championships, where they won the gold medal. She also secured a silver medal in the 2018 competition.
4.5. Asia Mixed Team Championships
He Bingjiao earned a bronze medal as part of the Chinese mixed team at the 2017 Asia Mixed Team Championships.
5. BWF Tournament Records
He Bingjiao has compiled an impressive record across various tiers of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tournament structures, including numerous wins and runner-up finishes.
5.1. BWF World Tour
The BWF World Tour, launched in 2018, comprises a series of elite tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), including levels from Super 1000 down to Super 100.
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Malaysia Open | Super 750 | Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying | 20-22, 11-21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | India Open | Super 500 | Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon | 15-21, 14-21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | Korea Open | Super 500 | Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon | 18-21, 24-22, 21-17 | Winner |
| 2022 | German Open | Super 300 | China's Chen Yufei | 21-14, 27-25 | Winner |
| 2022 | Korea Masters | Super 300 | China's Chen Yufei | 21-14, 14-21, 21-9 | Winner |
| 2022 | Denmark Open | Super 750 | China's Chen Yufei | 22-20, 12-21, 21-10 | Winner |
| 2022 | French Open | Super 750 | Spain's Carolina Marín | 16-21, 21-9, 22-20 | Winner |
| 2023 | Thailand Open | Super 500 | South Korea's An Se-young | 10-21, 19-21 | Runner-up |
| 2023 | Japan Open | Super 750 | South Korea's An Se-young | 15-21, 11-21 | Runner-up |
5.2. BWF Superseries
The BWF Superseries, which operated from 2007 to 2017, featured elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the BWF.
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Japan Open | China's Sun Yu | 21-14, 7-21, 21-18 | Winner |
| 2016 | French Open | United States's Beiwen Zhang | 21-9, 21-9 | Winner |
| 2017 | Japan Open | Spain's Carolina Marín | 21-23, 12-21 | Runner-up |
5.3. BWF Grand Prix
The BWF Grand Prix, a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the BWF, was played between 2007 and 2017, comprising Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold levels.
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Vietnam Open | Indonesia's Hera Desi | 21-10, 21-6 | Winner |
| 2014 | Bitburger Open | China's Sun Yu | 21-16, 15-21, 12-21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | China Masters | China's Hui Xirui | 21-13, 21-9 | Winner |
| 2015 | New Zealand Open | Japan's Saena Kawakami | 16-21, 18-21 | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Indonesian Masters | China's Chen Yufei | 21-18, 21-9 | Winner |
| 2016 | Swiss Open | China's Wang Yihan | 21-16, 21-10 | Winner |
| 2016 | Bitburger Open | Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol | 21-11, 21-18 | Winner |
6. Performance Timeline and Statistics
This section provides a structured overview of He Bingjiao's career progression, highlighting her participation and achievements in both team and individual events, along with her competitive records against selected opponents.
6.1. National Team Performance
He Bingjiao's involvement in national team events spans both her junior and senior careers, marked by consistent medal-winning performances.
- Junior level
| Team events | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Junior Championships | Bronze | Gold | Gold |
| Asian Junior Championships | Gold | Gold | Gold |
- Senior level
| Team events | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uber Cup | A | NH | Bronze | NH | Gold | NH | Silver | NH | Gold |
| Sudirman Cup | NH | Silver | NH | Gold | NH | Gold | NH | Gold | NH |
| Asian Games | NH | Silver | NH | Silver | NH | ||||
| Asian Team Championships | Gold | NH | Silver | NH | A | NH | A | NH | A |
| Asian Mixed Team Championships | NH | Bronze | NH | A | NH | A | NH | ||
6.2. Individual Competition Performance
He Bingjiao's individual competition timeline showcases her trajectory from junior prospect to a consistent top-tier player on the international stage.
6.2.1. Junior level
- Girls' singles
| Events | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Olympic Games | NH | Gold | NH |
| World Junior Championships | Bronze | Silver | QF |
| Asian Junior Championships | Bronze | QF | Gold |
- Mixed doubles
| Events | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Youth Olympic Games | Bronze |
6.2.2. Senior level
- Women's singles
| Tournaments | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | NH | SF | NH | Silver | ||||
| World Championships | 3R | Bronze | QF | NH | Bronze | 3R | 3R | NH |
| Asian Games | NH | 2R | NH | Bronze | NH | |||
| Asian Championships | Bronze | QF | Silver | NH | QF | QF | Bronze | |
| Tournaments | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-end Final | A | RR | RR | A | RR | A | SF | A | A | |||
| All England Open | A | 2R | 2R | 1R | QF | 2R | A | QF | QF | QF | ||
| Denmark Open | A | 1R | 2R | SF | 1R | A | SF | W | QF | A | ||
| French Open | A | W | SF | SF | QF | NH | A | W | SF | QF | ||
| Indonesia Masters | A | W | A | NH | SF | SF | SF | A | SF | 2R | SF | |
| Indonesia Open | A | 2R | 1R | SF | 2R | NH | A | SF | QF | QF | ||
| Malaysia Open | A | 1R | 1R | F | QF | NH | 1R | 1R | QF | |||
| China Open | 2R | A | A | QF | QF | QF | QF | NH | QF | A | ||
| China Masters | A | W | QF | A | SF | QF | NH | QF | A | |||
| Japan Open | A | W | F | A | 2R | NH | 2R | F | A | |||
| Malaysia Masters | A | 2R | A | QF | QF | SF | NH | 1R | A | |||
| Singapore Open | A | SF | 2R | A | NH | 2R | QF | 2R | ||||
| Korea Open | A | 2R | SF | A | W | NH | A | 2R | A | |||
| Thailand Open | A | NH | QF | A | 2R | A | NH | QF | F | A | ||
| Hong Kong Open | A | QF | QF | QF | NH | A | ||||||
| India Open | A | F | NH | A | SF | QF | ||||||
| Korea Masters | SF | A | 2R | NH | W | A | A | |||||
| German Open | A | NH | W | SF | A | |||||||
| Australian Open | A | 2R | 2R | A | NH | A | ||||||
| Taipei Open | A | 2R | A | SF | A | NH | A | |||||
| Hylo Open | A | F | A | W | A | A | ||||||
| Macau Open | A | 1R | SF | A | NH | A | ||||||
| New Zealand Open | A | F | A | NH | ||||||||
| Swiss Open | A | W | A | NH | A | |||||||
| Syed Modi International | NH | A | 2R | A | NH | A | A | |||||
| Vietnam Open | W | A | NH | A | ||||||||
| China International | NH | A | 2R | A | NH | A | ||||||
6.3. Record Against Selected Opponents
He Bingjiao's competitive history includes numerous encounters with top badminton players. Her record against year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists is detailed below, accurate as of 6 August 2024.
| Players | Matches | Results | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | |||
| China's Chen Yufei | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| China's Li Xuerui | 5 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| China's Wang Shixian | 3 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| China's Wang Yihan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| China's Zhang Yiman | 5 | 5 | 0 | +5 |
| Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying | 21 | 4 | 17 | -13 |
| Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin | 4 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
| India's Saina Nehwal | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| India's P. V. Sindhu | 21 | 12 | 9 | +3 |
| Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung | 6 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Players | Matches | Results | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | |||
| Japan's Minatsu Mitani | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Japan's Aya Ohori | 9 | 8 | 1 | +7 |
| Japan's Nozomi Okuhara | 14 | 5 | 9 | -4 |
| Japan's Akane Yamaguchi | 16 | 3 | 13 | -10 |
| South Korea's An Se-young | 14 | 5 | 9 | -4 |
| South Korea's Bae Yeon-ju | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| South Korea's Sung Ji-hyun | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Spain's Carolina Marín | 10 | 3 | 7 | -4 |
| Thailand's Porntip Buranaprasertsuk | 2 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon | 7 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
7. Sportsmanship and Evaluation
He Bingjiao is highly regarded for her sportsmanship, which was particularly evident during the 2024 Paris Olympics. In her semi-final match against Carolina Marín, Marín sustained an injury while leading 10-5 in the second game. He Bingjiao paused to comfort her opponent and even offered her practice shots for the next two points before Marín retired. This gesture of compassion earned widespread commendation. At the subsequent victory ceremony, He Bingjiao demonstrated further respect by bringing a Spanish flag to honor her injured semi-final opponent, highlighting her exceptional character both on and off the court.
He Bingjiao concluded her international badminton career on 13 August 2024, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. Her career record of 336 wins and 125 losses, along with her highest ranking of world No. 5, reflects her consistent high-level performance. Her achievements, including an Olympic silver medal, two World Championships bronze medals, and multiple team golds, solidify her status as one of China's prominent badminton players of her generation. She has been praised for her perseverance and competitive spirit, consistently challenging top players and adapting her game throughout her career.