A rivalry that defined an era in badminton has found a new purpose. Former World Champion Cai Yun and Malaysian star Chan Chong Ming are reuniting. They are not opponents anymore, but partners with a shared mission.

During their playing days, they often saw each other on opposite sides of the court in intense and high-stakes matches. Both players came through the same era, starting from their junior days up to the highest level.

Cai Yun recently opened up about this collaboration and shared stories on how their matches had built respect for each other over time, and how they grew from rivals to friends off court with a shared passion for the sport, maintaining their relationship for over 30 years.

"We laughed about a lot of things and also shared about our past....But Cai Yun is a Grand Slam winner. He and Haifeng have won all the major titles—Olympics, Worlds, Asian Games, and All-England. We can’t compare, as they are of a different class. Off the court, though, we’ve been good friends. It’s great that we’ve maintained this friendship for almost 30 years," Chong Ming said.

Chong Ming also spoke about Cai Yun’s passion and knowledge of the sport.

"Cai Yun is also a lecturer, and whenever the national team needs him, he steps in, especially before major events like the Olympic Games… He is very knowledgeable. I’ve watched his analysis on Weibo as he gives insightful views on major tournaments and shares his experience."

But there's a cause behind this iconic reunion.

The Former Rivals Unite Over A Shared Mission

Now, years later, both former players came together to train the new generation, with Chong Ming bringing 10 Malaysian juniors from his academy to train at Shanghai Bo Kuan Sports in China under the guidance of Cai Yun, where he serves as a consultant.

They revealed that their long-standing camaraderie played a huge part in bringing this collaboration to life.

“We were initially invited for the Ruibao Cup in Pudong, Shanghai, but since we arrived early, I managed to arrange this with Cai Yun,” Chong Ming added.

This sportsmanship and shared mission show how their love and passion for the sport brought both the rivals together, turning it into a meaningful partnership to shape aspiring players from the new generation into their best form possible.

Read more at the Ace Badminton Community!

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi