New Delhi, August 16: Olympic gold medalist shuttler Chen Yufei has established herself among the world’s elite players, yet one title remains elusive. The Chinese star is returning to seek gold at the BWF World Championships. Chen believes her greatest challenge is not her opponents, but herself.
The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi will host the BWF World Championships from August 17 to 23. Ahead of the tournament, Chen told reporters, “My biggest obstacle is myself. If I can control myself, everything will be fine.”
Notably, Chen came very close to winning the world title last year, reaching the finals in Paris, only to lose to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi also defeated her in the final of the China Open. In the 2026 season, Chen reached the finals of the Thailand Open and Malaysia Masters, and the semifinals of the Singapore and Indonesia Opens.
However, Chen does not want missed opportunities or the thought of completing her collection of major titles to add extra pressure. When asked if winning the World Championships is now a personal goal after coming so close last year, she said, “You just have to have faith and not worry about anything else. That’s all that matters.”
When questioned about the pressure on Chinese players to reclaim the women’s singles world title (which has not been won by a Chinese shuttler since 2011), Chen replied, “There is no pressure; I just need to play well.”
Given her recent experiences at the World Championships, her perspective is particularly noteworthy. Last year in Paris, Chen faced a tough match against then-world number one An Se-young in the semifinals but lost to Yamaguchi in the finals. She also suffered an ankle injury in the semifinals, which affected her performance in the final.
This time, Chen does not want to think about anything other than her upcoming matches. When asked about her rivalry with An Se-young, she dismissed the idea of a potential matchup. She stated, “I don’t think I will face her this time. So, I believe I will give my best in every match and try to win. It’s about how we prepare for the event, not about any specific player.”
This focus is crucial, as Chen acknowledged that her preparation for the championship has not been as thorough as it should have been. She mentioned being very busy and that she mostly rested last week instead of preparing specifically for the tournament. She is not in peak condition. Chen remarked, “It’s better than my last match, but I don’t think it’s 100%.”
The Chinese star also admitted that the playing conditions in New Delhi are not ideal, although she feels they are much better compared to the India Open, where there was significant discussion about conditions and air drift. She said, “Regarding those controversies, the conditions are much better now. It’s just that the weather isn’t comfortable.”
Chen’s comments come after another challenging season, where she consistently advanced in tournaments. In July, she defeated PV Sindhu in a lengthy second-round match at the China Open, coming back after losing a game to win 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 in one hour and 29 minutes.
Despite the pressures from opponents, conditions, and not winning the World Championship title, Chen repeatedly returns to the same point: she must control the fight from within. She does not want to think about titles or specific opponents. She firmly believes that the past should not dictate what happens in New Delhi. Chen concluded, “My biggest obstacle is myself. If I can control myself, everything will be fine.”
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