Olympic champion joins forces in exhibition match! Why has Wang Xiaoyu become a social media sensation? "Badminton is my everything."

Fu Haifeng, Chen Long, and Xu Chen attended the 2023 Li-Ning Badminton New Product Launch Event held in Hangzhou yesterday. During the morning session’s exhibition match, the three badminton legends teamed up with Wang Xiaoyu, each wielding the Thunder 70/60, Fengying 900 DayMAX/MonthMAX/600, and Zhanji 8000, respectively, for a delightfully entertaining best-of-seven showdown. And serving as the referee was none other than Wang Wei, Secretary-General of the Chinese Badminton Association!

Wang Xiaoyu has now become a must-have for internet celebrities, effortlessly stealing the spotlight when paired with both Brother Bao and Brother Long. Fans chimed in with comments like, "Wang Xiaoyu is quite popular.“Can Wang Xiaoyu even play basketball with Long Ge now?”Wang Xiaoyu looks so tiny in this picture.“Does she even qualify? She’s dragging down the brand’s overall vibe.”

Wang Xiaoyu stands about 1.65 meters tall and is a former member of the national youth badminton team, having been selected twice for the China Youth National Team. After retiring from competitive play, she launched her own short-video channel, quickly becoming the top-ranked badminton-focused account on the platform—and also emerging as a leading livestreaming host specializing in badminton-related product sales. However, many believe her teaching style doesn’t quite align with the current needs of today’s badminton players. Despite this, Wang Xiaoyu remains committed to passing on all her skills and expertise to her students now that she’s officially retired. As evident from her diverse training videos, though, the athletes themselves seem to lack full confidence in her coaching approach.

Some of her expressions have also sparked considerable controversy. To help everyone get to know her better, Wang Xiaoyu decided to launch her own social media platform. On Douyin, she’s often seen holding a badminton racket, eager to teach ordinary people how to master the sport. Yet many still find her teaching style rather dull and uninspiring—certainly not something that the average person could pick up quickly.

Actually, Wang Xiaoyu doesn’t see herself strictly as a "tech goddess" either—instead, she’s now leveraging her gender and age to draw attention from a wide audience. And after this, it’s highly likely she’ll pivot into livestreaming sales, transforming herself into a full-fledged internet sensation. This is precisely why many netizens aren’t particularly fond of her, since most athletes typically go on to lead more private lives after retiring, rarely stepping into the spotlight.

Actually, for athletes like Wang Xiaoyu, frequently appearing on screen tends to give the public the misleading impression that their profession isn’t as demanding as people might think—something that could ultimately harm the career trajectories of other athletes as well.

Wang Xiaoyu: "Badminton is my everything."

Reporter: What does badminton mean to you?

Wang Xiaoyu: "I’ve been training in badminton since I was a child—badminton has been my constant companion ever since I can remember. There was a period when I stepped away from the sport, and during that time, I felt completely lost, constantly asking myself: After all the years of training, what exactly have I been striving for? You could say that badminton is truly my everything."

Reporter: What has badminton brought to you?

Wang Xiaoyu: "I’ve gained an identity and a sense of belonging. Without badminton, my life might have turned out completely different. I’m grateful for all the time I once dedicated to it alone."

Reporter: At this point, what are your goals and aspirations for your badminton short-video channel?

Wang Xiaoyu: Right now, my focus is simply on making the content even better. For me, if a fan starts playing badminton because they got to know Xiaoyu—well, that’s exactly what brings me joy.

Reporter: From a professional standpoint, what advice do you have for children who want to play badminton?

Wang Xiaoyu: "I recommend that children start playing badminton around ages seven or eight—too young, and they simply wouldn’t understand the basics. Practicing badminton offers numerous benefits, positively impacting nearly every aspect of physical development: it helps improve body shape, enhances flexibility, and even supports healthy growth in height. Moreover, if a child decides to pursue this sport professionally, it can significantly strengthen their ability to handle pressure and build resilience over time."

Reporter: Sports training has been a hot topic lately—are you considering moving in that direction?

Wang Xiaoyu: "I’d love to get into training as well, but for now, it’s just a topic for filming. If I decide to pursue it in the future, it’ll be a long journey—because once I do, I’ll need to take full responsibility and plan carefully."