Leading the way for 52 consecutive weeks, the "IELTS Combination" explains what a champion is, and they are only one crown away from it
Ranked No. 1 in the world for 52 consecutive weeks, on December 5, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong created this extraordinary performance. To a certain extent, the world rankings reflect the overall performance of the athletes in the most recent year, and Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong have shown their superior strength in the mixed doubles field.
On 13 December 2022, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong returned to the top of the Mixed Doubles World Rankings, and they have been leading the rankings ever since, reaching No. 1 in the World Rankings for 52 consecutive weeks as of this week.
In one year, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong won the mixed doubles championship in international competitions 7 times, including the Super Series Finals in 2022, the Malaysia, All England and Indonesia Open in 2023, the 2023 China and Japan Masters 2 Tournaments, and the Asian Games. In the four Super 1000 races held in a year, the "IELTS" combination has won three championships in Malaysia, All England and Indonesia, and they also had the last laugh in the Asian Games, where the event points are equivalent to the Super 1000 races. The Sudirman Cup Mixed Team Championships is also an important event of the year, and they have made great contributions to the national championship.
In the past year, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong, who has a brilliant record, has encountered many challenges. The numbers don't lie, the number of failures of the "IELTS combination" this season has reached 7, and only 2 in 2022, which shows that their advantage is not as good as last season.
The clash with South Korea's Seo Seung Jae/Choi Yoo Hyun is a microcosm. Before May, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong's head-to-head record with the "Meat Ding Combination" was 9 wins. In the Sudirman Cup held in May, the decisive match between China and South Korea, the "Meat Ding Combination" was miraculously reversed by the "IELTS Combination" when they almost won the game. In the World Championships and China Open held in August and September, the "Meat Ding Combination" defeated Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong in a row, which was the biggest challenge encountered by the "IELTS Combination" in the Paris Olympic cycle. At the critical moment, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong was not surprised, and they won 4 consecutive matches of the "Meat Ding Combination" in the subsequent Asian Games, Denmark Open, Japan and China Masters, explaining the world's No. 1 level to their opponents and the world.
Two years ago, Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong lost unexpectedly in the mixed doubles final of the Tokyo Olympics, and the Olympic gold medal became the only blank spot in their sports careers. Half a year later, this legendary pair will once again embark on the Olympic journey, to the pinnacle of sports, after the defeat of the Tokyo Olympics, I believe that the second handshake between the "IELTS combination" and the Olympic Games will be triumphant!
(Wang Quanli)