Why they rank here
Zhang Yining was the defining women's player of the 2000s, a complete attacker who dominated with power and consistency. She won four Olympic gold medals, singles and doubles at Athens 2004 and singles and team at Beijing 2008, plus World Championship singles titles in 2005 and 2009 and a remarkable run of Women's World Cup victories, completing the career Grand Slam. For much of the decade she was virtually unbeatable in major finals, blending relentless topspin with tactical composure. Retiring in 2009 as one of the most successful players in history, she bridged the Deng Yaping and Ding Ning eras and set the standard of all-round excellence that the Chinese women's programme has demanded ever since.
Career profile
Each bar shows how this athlete compares with the strongest in our all-time list for that metric.
Head-to-head
Compare career numbers side by side.