Nearly 600 players take the court at Taizhou badminton invitational

Players compete at the 2026 Yonex Badminton Mixed Team Invitational in Taizhou. [Photo/Taizhou Daily]

The 2026 Yonex Badminton Mixed Team Invitational got underway in Taizhou on Aug 22, bringing nearly 600 badminton enthusiasts together for a weekend of fast-paced competition.

On court, players raced across the floor, battled through intense rallies and pulled off spectacular diving saves, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats.

The tournament featured mixed doubles and men's doubles events, with champions and runners-up in each category earning places at the provincial finals, where they will compete against some of Jiangsu's top amateur players.

The event also brought visitors to Taizhou from beyond the city. The Bad Bean team, made up of players from the university teams of Soochow University and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, visited Taizhou for the first time. After the competition, the team planned to explore the city's famous morning tea, historic streets and Fengcheng River.

According to Wei Kuangru, president of the Taizhou Badminton Association, the city has continued to improve its public fitness facilities in recent years, helping attract a growing number of badminton enthusiasts.

The tournament’s continued presence in Taizhou reflects confidence in the city's ability to host sporting events, he said, while also providing badminton players from across Jiangsu with a high-level platform to compete and connect.