Jiang Zhenbang / Wei Yaxin

Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin split up in the spring of 2026, got back together in June, and have since won the Asian Games and beaten the world No. 1s in a final. They are world No. 2 on the BWF list of 27 October 2026, behind Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping.

Who they are

Jiang was born on 28 May 2001 in Guilin, Guangxi, and is right-handed. Wei was born on 18 April 2000 in Changsha, Hunan, and is left-handed. She started as a singles player: she won bronze in girls’ singles at the 2018 World Junior Championships and a senior singles title at the 2019 Polish Open before switching to mixed doubles.

They first won a title together at the 2022 Indonesia Masters, a Super 100. A year later they were Asian champions, won the French Open for their first Super 750, took bronze at their first World Championships and were named BWF Most Improved Player of the Year. The 2024 Indonesia Open was their first Super 1000, and they first reached No. 1 on 18 March 2025. They took silver at the 2025 World Championships and were runners-up at the 2025 World Tour Finals.

Then came the break. After an All England quarter-final in March they withdrew from the Asian Championships, and Jiang was entered with Li Yijing, a pairing that withdrew from every event, while Wei won the Malaysia Masters with Gao Jiaxuan. They reunited at the Macau Open in June.

How they play

A right-handed man at the back and a left-handed woman at the net is an unusual shape in mixed doubles, and it causes problems. Opponents’ drives and pushes that would go to a right-hander’s backhand at the net land on Wei’s forehand instead. Yonex’s athlete page credits Wei with quick court coverage, and a former singles player is better than most net specialists at moving back to cover a lift when the formation breaks.

Jiang’s job is the usual one for the man in mixed: cover the rear court and hit down. After their Asian Games win, Wei told CGTN, “I think I can understand him better now. I know what he is thinking about.” The months apart seem to have helped rather than hurt.

For a club player, the lesson is about formation. When the woman is forced to the back, watch how quickly they rotate so she is at the net again within a shot or two.

2026 so far

• Malaysia Open, Kuala Lumpur, 6 to 11 January (Super 1000): final, lost to Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 19-21, 19-21.
• All England Open, Birmingham, 3 to 8 March (Super 1000): quarter-finals.
• April and May: withdrew from the Asian Championships; Jiang was entered with Li Yijing and Wei won the Malaysia Masters (Super 500) with Gao Jiaxuan.
• Macau Open (Super 300): champions in their first event back together, beating Chan Yin Chak and Ng Tsz Yau 21-14, 21-14.
• Arctic Open (Super 500): champions, beating Gao Jiaxuan and Wu Mengying 21-18, 21-16.
• World Championships, New Delhi, 17 to 23 August: bronze, losing the semi-final to Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue after winning the first game.
• Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya (September): gold, beating Amri Syahnawi and Nita Violina Marwah of Indonesia 21-19, 21-8.
• Denmark Open, Odense, 13 to 18 October (Super 750): champions, beating Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi 17-21, 21-12, 21-13 in the semi-final and Feng and Huang 21-18, 8-21, 21-16 in the final.

Titles

Title	Level	Year
Asian Games	Multi-sport	2026
Denmark Open	Super 750	2026
Arctic Open	Super 500	2026
Japan Open	Super 750	2025
India Open	Super 750	2025
Indonesia Open	Super 1000	2024
French Open	Super 750	2023
Asian Championships	Continental	2023

Medals as a pair: World Championships silver (2025) and bronze (2023, 2026), World Tour Finals runner-up (2025). Both won Sudirman Cup gold with China in 2025.

What to watch for

The World Tour Finals in Hangzhou in December, where they lost the 2025 final to Feng and Huang. Feng and Huang will very likely finish the year at No. 1; a full 2027 calendar from a pair that is winning again could change the order.

Both spoke to CGTN after the Asian Games about their ambitions for Los Angeles 2028. Feng and Huang are the established No. 1, and Jiang and Wei are one of two Chinese pairs to have beaten them in a final this year.

Got a left-handed partner? Serve and play so their forehand is the one covering the middle of the net.