Lee Hyo-Jeong

For a long time one of the top doubles players in the world Lee Hyo-Jeong had not won any major championships until the 2008 Olympics. In both the mixed and women’s doubles tournament, Lee had the fortune that the top seeded couple was eliminated in an earlier round. Fourth seeds themselves, she and Lee Gyeong-Won advanced into the women’s doubles final, where they lost to Du Ying and Yu Yang. Lee wasn’t even seeded in the mixed event, but with Lee Yong-Dae she beat the two top Indonesian duos in the semi-final and final to claim an upset gold medal. Lee, fairly tall for a Korean, also played on the South Korean team when it upset the Chinese in the 2003 final of the Sudirman Cup. She also played and won the decisive match in the 2010 Uber Cup final, again upsetting the Chinese team. In World Championships, Lee has earned two bronze medals, one in 2005 (doubles, with Lee Gyeong-Won) and one in 2009 (mixed, with Lee Yong-Dae). In 2008, Lee also won her only All-England Championships title through 2011, in the women’s doubles.