163.com reported that the 2026 “Wang Wenjiao Cup” China (Nan’an) International Badminton Challenge

163.com reported that the 2026 “Wang Wenjiao Cup” China (Nan’an) International Badminton Challenge opened Nov. 3 at the Wang Wenjiao Badminton Hall in Nan’an, Fujian Province. The six-day tournament drew more than 200 athletes from over 20 countries and regions.

Sun Chao, top seed, opens with straight-sets win in Nan’an

Day one featured qualifying rounds and a portion of the main draw. At 9 a.m., four courts were in simultaneous play beneath the hall’s bright lights, with live scores refreshing on the large screens at both ends of the venue.

China’s Sun Chao, the tournament’s No. 1 seed in men’s singles, defeated Malaysia’s Yang Junquan 21-9, 21-6. Afterward, Sun said he won two titles earlier in the year in Ruichang and Baoji, and that traveling overseas afterward carried considerable pressure. He said he had come to see that the players’ abilities are closely matched and that he needs to view wins and losses rationally and learn from each match.

“Mr. Wang Wenjiao is our predecessor, and I have always admired and respected him,” Sun said. “When the Chinese badminton team was just starting out, conditions were difficult. His spirit of daring to venture forward, daring to charge ahead and not fearing difficulties is worth us young players learning from.” As a member of the Chinese team, he said, he hopes to keep the men’s singles title with China.

Young Chinese shuttlers chase ranking points on day one

On court No. 3, heavy smashes echoed through the hall as China’s Zhang Ning and Xiao Gaobo battled for a place in the men’s singles main draw. The score climbed back and forth, with smashes and saves alternating in a highly entertaining contest. Xiao won both his qualifying match and his first-round main-draw match on the day.

“I haven’t played in an international competition like this for a year, so I treasure this opportunity and will try to grab as many points as possible,” Xiao said. He added that he hopes to give his all and turn pressure into motivation.

Former world junior champion Liu Yangmingyu of China beat Malaysia’s Pang Jingyao 21-13, 21-18. Liu said his achievements at the youth level are now in the past, and that the adult circuit is a new journey. He said he would try to play every match well and perform at his level.

Tournament named for badminton pioneer Wang Wenjiao

The event is named for Wang Wenjiao, described as a “trailblazer” of Chinese badminton and the only “People’s Model” — a national honorific — from Nan’an. Huang, a Nan’an native and Olympic champion, attended the opening day to cheer on the competition and tour the hall’s facilities, including the exhibition on Wang Wenjiao’s career.

“Coming for the first time to the newly built Nan’an Wang Wenjiao Badminton Hall impressed me,” Huang said. “From predecessors like Wang Wenjiao to the abundance of Fujian badminton talent today, it shows that badminton has been well passed down in Fujian and in Nan’an, and I am one of the beneficiaries.”

Using the visit as an occasion, Huang returned to her alma mater, Nan’an Sports School, where she saw the renovated campus facilities and younger athletes training. “I hope they love the sport they are in even more, understand the spirit of competitive sports, accumulate experience in competition, believe in the power of belief, and realize their dreams,” she said.

Huang Dongping sees Nan’an’s rise and hopes to play at home

Despite years of competing abroad, Huang said she has kept a close eye on her hometown’s development. She said the tournament represents a new breakthrough for badminton in Nan’an and that she can feel the city’s deep badminton atmosphere and vibrant momentum. “As time goes on, the event will continue to be upgraded and become a city card for Nan’an to promote itself across the country and even the world,” she said. “I very much look forward to playing one or two international tournaments like this at home during my career, or at the peak of my level.”

Huang described Nan’an as a place that blends rich traditional culture with everyday life, with new venues and new technology arriving and the cityscape continually modernizing, a growing metropolitan character that could attract more young people to return home and develop their careers. Asked which local sights or dishes she would recommend, she declined to choose — she wants to see every scenic spot in her hometown, she said, and urged visitors to try all the local food and leave no regrets.

The tournament continues through its scheduled six days in Nan’an.

More on Wang Wenjiao: Wang Wenjiao Cup International Badminton Challenge Set to Open in Nanan · National Badminton Team Prepares for 2026 Wang Wenjiao Cup in Nanan