Guangdong men's badminton team saw their gold medal hopes end after a 0-3 defeat against a strong Zhejiang side in the group stage semifinals of the 15th National Games held on November 12 in Guangdong's Shenzhen City.
The spotlight of the evening fell on an unusual men's doubles encounter between Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, regular partners on the international circuit who found themselves on opposite sides of the net. Liang, partnering Ren Xiangyu for Guangdong, narrowly lost 1-2 (21-11, 18-21, 16-21) to Wang and his temporary Zhejiang teammate Xie Haonan.
Liang in red jersey, Wang in dark jersey
The matchup drew particular attention as Liang and Wang, known as the "Liang-Wang pair," have risen to World No. 1 in 2023 since partnering in 2022 and clinched a silver medal in men's doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their first-ever domestic showdown became one of the most anticipated moments of the team event.
In a post-match moment that captured both rivalry and camaraderie, Wang Chang was asked what he wanted to say to Liang Weikeng after winning. After a thoughtful pause, he replied with a grin, in Cantonese, which is Liang's mother tongue, "Ng hou yi si" (不好意思, "My apologies").
Liang, in turn, praised his usual partner's performance. "He played really well," Liang said. "Keep it up — and at the Finals [BWF World Tour Finals], you'd better carry me!"
Guangdong's campaign in this edition has been a rollercoaster. After an earlier loss to Fujian in the group stage, they staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Hunan on Nov. 11 to reach the semifinals. Though the team fell short of the final, they will have a chance to contest for bronze in the upcoming third-place playoff.
As silver medalists in the previous National Games, Guangdong will look to conclude their journey on the podium when they compete for the bronze medal.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Guangzhou Daily
Editor | Ouyang Yan, Hu Nan, Shen He
