# Cai Yun

Cai Yun (born 19 January 1980) is a former professional badminton player representing China. He is the 2012 London Olympic gold medallist and a four-time World Champion in men's doubles. He is regarded as one of the greatest men's doubles player of all time.

## Sport career

Combining Cai Yun's impressive speed with his regular partner Fu Haifeng's impressive power, Cai and Fu have been one of the world's leading men's doubles teams since 2004. They have won numerous top tier events on the world circuit including the venerable All England Open Championships in 2005 and 2009. They have won the BWF World Championships 4 times in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011, becoming the first Men's Doubles pair to achieve this feat. Cai and Fu have helped China win five consecutive Thomas Cup (Men's Team World Badminton Championships) (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012) and six consecutive Sudirman Cup (World Team Championships) (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015). Cai and Fu also competed together in the Olympic games 3 times, including the 2004, the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2012 Olympic Games. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2004, and in 2008 in Beijing were silver medalists, losing a close final to Indonesia's Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan.
At the 2010 BWF World Championships, they, being the fifth-seed, beat the third-seed Danish pair Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen 21–11, 21–18 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they defeated the second-seed Indonesian Olympic Champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan 21–16, 21–13. In the finals, they overcame the first-seed and Malaysian world no. 1 Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–18, 21–14 to win the world title for the 3rd time. They are the first Men's Doubles pair to achieve this feat.
Cai and Fu went on to win the Li-Ning China Masters Super Series. Being the fifth-seed, they first defeated their second-seed compatriots Xu Chen and Guo Zhendong 21–11, 21–16 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they made a great comeback against the third-seed South Korean rival Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung 20–22, 21–13, 21–17. Cai and Fu then clinched their second China Masters title by defeating the fourth-seed South Korean pair Yoo Yeon-seong and Ko Sung-hyun in 2 sets 21–14, 21–19. Cai and Fu won their third title in a row by winning the Yonex Japan Open Super Series. They, being the fifth-seed, beat the young Korean Pair Cho Gun-woo and Kwon Yi-goo 21–14, 16–21, 21–12 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they defeated their promising compatriots Zhang Nan and Chai Biao 21–17, 21–16. In the finals, they made a great comeback again against the first-seed and Malaysian world no. 1 Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 18–21, 21–14, 21–12 to win their first Japan Open title.
In the 2012 Summer Olympics, they defeated Denmark's Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen in the final to win the gold medal.
Having won 1 Olympic gold medal and 4 World Championship titles, as well as many other titles, Cai and Fu is one of the most successful men's doubles pairs in badminton history. They have expressed the will to continue their career together as long as they can after the London Olympics.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2008 | Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Fu Haifeng | Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan | 21–12, 11–21, 16–21 | Silver |
| 2012 | Wembley Arena, London, Great Britain | Fu Haifeng | Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen | 21–16, 21–15 | Gold |

### BWF World Championships

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2003 | National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom | Fu Haifeng | Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya | 15–6, 10–15, 9–15 | Bronze |
| 2006 | Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid, Spain | Fu Haifeng | Robert Blair Anthony Clark | 21–9, 21–13 | Gold |
| 2009 | Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 21–18, 16–21, 28–26 | Gold |
| 2010 | Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Paris, France | Fu Haifeng | Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong | 18–21, 21–18, 21–14 | Gold |
| 2011 | Wembley Arena, London, England | Fu Haifeng | Ko Sung-hyun Yoo Yeon-seong | 24–22, 21–16 | Gold |
| 2013 | Tianhe Sports Center, Guangzhou, China | Fu Haifeng | Mohammad Ahsan Hendra Setiawan | 19–21, 17–21 | Bronze |

### World Cup

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2005 | Olympic Park, Yiyang, China | Fu Haifeng | Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya | 21–11, 21–18 | Gold |
| 2006 | Olympic Park, Yiyang, China | Fu Haifeng | Lin Woon Fui Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari | 15–21, 21–13, 17–21 | Bronze |

### Asian Championships

Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2011 | Sichuan Gymnasium, Chengdu, China | Fu Haifeng | Hirokatsu Hashimoto Noriyasu Hirata | 21–12, 21–15 | Gold |
| 2015 | Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, Wuhan, China | Lu Kai | Mohammad Ahsan Hendra Setiawan | 12–21, 21–18, 16–21 | Bronze |

### World Junior Championships

Boys' doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1998 | Sports and Aquatic Centre, Melbourne, Australia | Jiang Shan | Chan Chong Ming Teo Kok Seng | 7–15, 3–15 | Silver |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1998 | Sports and Aquatic Centre, Melbourne, Australia | Xie Xingfang | Chan Chong Ming Joanne Quay | 4–15, 3–15 | Bronze |

### Asian Junior Championships

Boys' doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1997 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines | Zhang Yi | Chan Chong Ming Jeremy Gan | | Silver |

### BWF Superseries (15 titles, 9 runners-up)

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011. Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2007 | All England Open | Fu Haifeng | Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong | 15–21, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2007 | Singapore Open | Fu Haifeng | Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah | 16–21, 24–22 , 21–18 | Winner |
| 2007 | Indonesia Open | Fu Haifeng | Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari | 21–17, 22–20 | Winner |
| 2007 | China Masters | Fu Haifeng | Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan | 21–15, 21–16 | Winner |
| 2007 | French Open | Fu Haifeng | Choong Tan Fook Lee Wan Wah | 21–14, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2008 | Korea Open | Fu Haifeng | Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto | 21–7, 20–22 ,21–17 | Winner |
| 2008 | French Open | Xu Chen | Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan | 18–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | All England Open | Fu Haifeng | Han Sang-hoon Hwang Ji-man | 21–17, 21–15 | Winner |
| 2009 | Indonesia Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 15–21, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | China Masters | Fu Haifeng | Guo Zhendong Xu Chen | Walkover | Runner-up |
| 2010 | Korea Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 11–21, 21–14 , 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2010 | China Masters | Fu Haifeng | Ko Sung-hyun Yoo Yeon-seong | 21–14, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2010 | Japan Open | Fu Haifeng | Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong | 18–21, 21–14 , 21–12 | Winner |
| 2011 | Singapore Open | Fu Haifeng | Hendra Aprida Gunawan Alvent Yulianto | 21–17, 21–13 | Winner |
| 2011 | Indonesia Open | Fu Haifeng | Chai Biao Guo Zhendong | 21–13, 21–12 | Winner |
| 2011 | China Masters | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 17–21, 10–21 | Runner-up |
| 2011 | Japan Open | Fu Haifeng | Mohammad Ahsan Bona Septano | 21–13, 23–21 | Winner |
| 2011 | Denmark Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 16–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2011 | French Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 21–14, 15–21 , 11–21 | Runner-up |
| 2011 | Hong Kong Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 14–21, 24–22 , 21–19 | Winner |
| 2012 | Korea Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 18–21, 21–17 , 21–19 | Winner |
| 2012 | All England Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 23–21, 9–21 , 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2012 | Hong Kong Open | Fu Haifeng | Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong | 21–16, 21–17 | Winner |
| 2014 | Singapore Open | Lu Kai | Lee Sheng-mu Tsai Chia-hsin | 21–19, 21–14 | Winner |
    BWF Superseries Finals tournament
    BWF Superseries Premier tournament
    BWF Superseries tournament

### BWF Grand Prix (8 titles, 7 runners-up)

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2003 | Malaysia Open | Fu Haifeng | Kim Dong-moon Lee Dong-soo | 15–17, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 2003 | German Open | Fu Haifeng | Eng Hian Flandy Limpele | 15–9, 8–15, 4–15 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Swiss Open | Fu Haifeng | Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto | 15–9, 17–14 | Winner |
| 2004 | Japan Open | Fu Haifeng | Ha Tae-kwon Kim Dong-moon | 7–15, 15–6, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Indonesia Open | Fu Haifeng | Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto | 8–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | German Open | Fu Haifeng | Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen | 6–15, 15–3, 15–10 | Winner |
| 2005 | All England Open | Fu Haifeng | Lars Paaske Jonas Rasmussen | 15–10, 15–6 | Winner |
| 2005 | Malaysia Open | Fu Haifeng | Sigit Budiarto Candra Wijaya | 11–15, 14–17 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Hong Kong Open | Fu Haifeng | Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen | 15–13, 15–9 | Winner |
| 2006 | China Masters | Fu Haifeng | Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen | 17–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2006 | Chinese Taipei Open | Fu Haifeng | Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae | 21–14, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2006 | Macau Open | Fu Haifeng | Guo Zhendong Zheng Bo | 21–12, 9–21, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2006 | China Open | Fu Haifeng | Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan | 16–21, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Thailand Open | Fu Haifeng | Guo Zhendong Xie Zhongbo | 21–17, retired | Winner |
| 2015 | Swiss Open | Lu Kai | Goh V Shem Tan Wee Kiong | 21–19, 14–21, 21–17 | Winner |
    BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
    BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

## Personal life

Cai Yun married synchronised swimmer Wang Na in 2010. Wang Na gave birth to a daughter in 2012, and to a second child in probably late 2014. (Cai Yun's doubles partner-turned-coach Zhang Jun married Wang Na's teammate Hu Ni in 2006.)