ZhangYiningwasborninBeijing,ChinaonOctober5,1981.Shestartedplayingtabletennisattheageof5andattheageof14,shejoinedtheChineseNationalTeam.ShehasbeenholdingthefirstplaceintheITTFworldwomen’stabletennisrankingfromJanuary2003,anincredibleachievementbyanystandard.Inthelastseveralyears,shehadalwaysbeenatthetop3spotsinwomen’srankings.Thebestmomentofhertabletenniscareercamewhenshewonboththesinglesanddoublesgoldmedalsinthe2004OlympicGames,inAthens,Greece.
ZhangYiningwonherfirsttitleinthe1998Malaysianopen,claimingboththesinglesanddoublestitles.Inthesameyear,sheagainwonthesinglestitleintheItalianOpen.In2000,shewasagainthewomen’ssingleschampioninthePolishOpenandSwedishOpen.Shetriumphedagaininthesingleseventinthe2002ITTFProTourGrandFinals.In2003,shewasthewinneroftheCroatianOpenandChinaOpen.Afterthat,ZhangYininghadwonsomanywomen’ssinglesanddoublestitlesthatlistingallofthemwouldbeavery