Yang Zi (Chinese: 杨子; pinyin: Yáng Zǐ; born 19 June 1984, in Beijing, China) is a Chinese-born Singaporean former table tennis player.
Contents
Career
Yang joined the Singapore Table Tennis Association under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme in 2003 and became a Singapore citizen two years later in 2005. He had represented Singapore in many major events such as 15th Asian Games, 18th Commonwealth Games and 23rd SEA Games.
In 2005, Yang won 2 Pro Tour Men's Singles U21 titles and won the Pro Tour Grand Finals Men's Singles U21 title. He also won the silver medal in the Beijing Invitational. Later he also managed to clinch 3 gold medals in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and 2 golds in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. During the world's second largest sports event, 15th Asian Games, Yang, together with partner Li Jiawei, won the bronze medal for the mixed doubles event. Yang and his doubles partner, Gao Ning, has also won many medals in the ITTF Pro Tour Events.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Yang made it to the 4th round losing to Zoran Primorac of Croatia by a score of 4–2, however managing to defeat Marcos Freitas(POR) and Chuang Chih-yuan(TPE) in the 2nd and 3rd rounds respectively.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Yang lost to Paul Drinkhall in the second round, but he fared much better in the team event, where Singapore reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual gold medalists, China.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Yang and Jian Zhan won the bronze medal in the men's doubles, defeating Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford of England in the bronze medal match. Yang also won the gold medal in the team event.
In 2017, Yang announced his retirement.
Achievements
2009
ITTF Pro Tour German Open
Men's Doubles – 3rd
ITTF Pro Tour Indian Open
Men's Singles – 3rd
Men's Doubles – 1st
2008
ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals
Men's Doubles – Gold (with Gao Ning)
Beijing Olympic Games
Round of 16
ITTF Pro Tour China Open
Men's Team – Top 4 (with Gao Ning, Cai Xiaoli)
ITTF Pro Tour Chile Open
Men's Doubles – 1st (Gao Ning)
2007
24th SEA Games
Men's Team – Gold (with Gao Ning, Cai Xiaoli)
Men's Doubles – Gold (with Gao Ning)
Mixed Doubles – Gold (Li Jiawei)
ITTF Pro Tour Sweden Open
Men's Doubles – 2nd (with Gao Ning)
ITTF Pro Tour German Open
Men's Doubles – 2nd (with Gao Ning)
ITTF Pro Tour French Open