Team USA's Beiwen Zhang advances to Round of 16

Beiwen Zhang (USA) celebrates after defeating Tiffany Ho (AUS), not pictured, in a women

Beiwen Zhang (USA) celebrates after defeating Tiffany Ho (AUS), not pictured, in a women’s singles match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena. – Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Team USA’s best hope for its first ever badminton medal, Beiwen Zhang, is moving on the Round of 16.

Zhang won both of her matches in Group K, cruising past Tiffany Ho (AUS) 21-9 21-4 then outlasting Nguyen Thuy Lin (VIE) in in two tight sets 22-20 22-20.

Born in China, Zhang moved to the U.S. in 2012 then became a citizen eight years later. She calls Las Vegas home and has competed for the United States at each of the last two Olympics.

In Tokyo, Zhang was winning her Round of 16 match when she tore her Achilles and was forced to retire. Since then she has won the 2023 Australian Open, with the final happening to fall on the two year anniversary of her injury at the Olympic Games.

She will now wait to find out who her opponent will be as she looks to complete her comeback and get past the stage at which she had to bow out in the last Olympics.