Chen Yu Fei, the reigning Olympic champion, arrives at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi with a singular ambition — and an equally singular philosophy. Speaking on the sidelines at Indira Gandhi Stadium on 15 August, the Chinese shuttler said the toughest rival she faces is not across the net. 'The biggest obstacle is myself. If I can conquer myself, then everything will be fine,' she told reporters.

The One Title Missing from Her Cabinet

Chen has won Olympic gold and accumulated a formidable record on the circuit, yet a BWF World Championship title remains elusive. She came agonisingly close last year, reaching the final in Paris before falling to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the title decider — a match she entered having already sustained an ankle injury in the semi-final against then-world No. 1 An Se Young. Yamaguchi also defeated her in the China Open final around the same period.

Her 2026 season has continued in a similar vein: finals at the Thailand Open and Malaysia Masters, semi-final exits at the Singapore Open and Indonesia Open. The pattern is consistent — deep runs, but no crowning moment.

Refusing to Let Pressure Define Her

Chen is deliberate about not allowing the weight of a missing world title to compound her challenge. When asked whether the championship had become a personal target after last year's near-miss, she was measured: 'You must have faith and don't care about anything else. It is just enough.'

She was equally direct on the question of national expectation. China has not won the women's singles world title since 2011 — a drought that spans over a decade. Asked whether that history created pressure on Chinese players, Chen dismissed it without hesitation. 'There is no such pressure; I just have to do well.'

Build-Up and Physical Condition

Chen has been candid about her preparation. She acknowledged being 'very busy' in the lead-up and spent the week before the championships largely resting rather than following an intensive tournament-specific training block. Her physical condition, by her own assessment, is not at full capacity. 'It's better than the last match, but I think it's not 100%,' she said.

On playing conditions at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Chen noted an improvement over the India Open, when court drift had drawn significant attention. 'So about those controversies, it's much better now. It's just that the weather is not comfortable,' she said.

The Rivalry with An Se Young — and Why She Won't Look Ahead

Chen's rivalry with South Korea's An Se Young stretches back to their first meeting in 2018 and has produced some of the most compelling women's singles matches in recent years. But Chen is not thinking about a potential rematch. 'I don't think I will be able to meet her this time. So I think I will do my best in every match and try to win. It is about ourselves, how we prepare for the event, not for some specific players.'

Notably, Chen's form against top opposition this season has not been without highlights. In July, she defeated PV Sindhu in a gruelling China Open second-round contest, coming back from a game down to win 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 in one hour and 29 minutes.

Match-by-Match, Not Title-by-Title

The thread running through every answer Chen gave was the same: control the controllable, focus on what is immediately in front of you, and do not let the narrative of a missing title distort the process. For a player who has already stood on the Olympic podium, the World Championship represents the one piece of unfinished business — and she is approaching it by refusing to treat it as such.

Whether that mental discipline translates into the title in New Delhi remains to be seen, but the BWF World Championships 2025 draw will determine how soon her resolve is tested.