PV Sindhu's archrival and World No.1 Tai Tzu Ying set to retire next year at the age of 27

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the sporting calendar the massively with major events such as the Olympics, the T20 World Cup and the EUROs postponed to next year. The pandemic has also resulted in the postponement of Tai Tzu Ying retirement plans, with badminton star all set to feature in the Olympics 2021. PV Sindhu's arch-nemesis Tai Tzu Ying is currently at the top of the BWF singles rankings and holds the record for most weeks ranked at the top in BWF history with 148 weeks. 

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Tai Tzu Ying retirement: PV Sindhu's rival to play Olympics 2021?

At the age of 26, Chinese Taipei badminton star Tai Tzu Ying had announced her decision to retire from badminton after the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. However, like most tournaments, PV Sindhu's nemesis has pushed back her retirement date and is all set feature in the Olympic Games next year. As per her interview with the BWF's Badminton Unlimited feature, the Tai Tzu Ying retirement plans are on hold until the end of next season as she revisited the decision. Tzu Ying jokingly added that with no competition ongoing right now and the lack of media exposure, she hoped that nobody forgets her. 

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The pandemic also meant that training facilities were shut, which has meant that athletes had to confined themselves in their houses. An introvert by nature, the lockdown did not affect Tai Tzu Ying's training regime, as she mostly stays at home. The World No.1 revealed with the lack of competitive action, she trains twice a day to suit herself to the current circumstances.

Tai Tzu Ying further said that there is more training away from the court, such as working on agility or playing other games, like going to the beach to play ball games. The 26-year-old added that she enjoys doing the latter and never had the time to do it before due to her hectic schedule. 

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While Tai Tzu Ying holds the record for longest time spent as women's singles World No.1, she is yet to win a major medal in an international tournament. She has never won a major senior international medal at either the World Championships, Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup or Olympic Games. The 26-year-old has never made it past the quarter-finals, with five World Championship eliminations coming at that stage while bowing out in the round of 16 during the Olympics in 2012 and 2016.

With an additional year to prepare, Tai is relishing her chance at the games next year and adds that she had no complaints regarding the postponement. The 26-year-old believes that postponement a period of rest after a long and tight schedule of high-level competition and gives her another year to prepare for the Games. Tzu Ying has faced off against India's PV Sindhu 17 times, winning 12 of those encounters. 

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(Image Credit: Tai Tzu Ying Instagram)