Lily Zhang: America's leading table tennis player
Lily Zhang is an American table tennis player born in Redwood City, California, in 1996. She played four Olympics, from London 2012 to Paris 2024, won six U.S. national singles titles and, in 2021, took mixed doubles bronze at the Houston World Championships with China's Lin Gaoyuan, the first U.S. world medal since 1959.
In this article
The United States is not a table tennis superpower, but in Lily Zhang it has one of the most consistent players in the Americas over the last two decades. She made her Olympic debut at 16, piled up national titles and Pan American medals and, in 2021, won a world medal the country had been waiting on for more than 60 years.
This page sums up Lily Zhang's career, her main results and her role in growing the sport in the US.
Who is Lily Zhang
Lily Zhang was born on June 16, 1996, in Redwood City, in the San Francisco Bay Area. She started playing as a kid and stood out very early: at 12, she became the youngest player ever named to the U.S. women's team.
She plays with the shakehand grip and has an all-round attacking style. Away from the table, she studied at the University of California, Berkeley, balancing school with her sports career.
Four Olympics
Lily Zhang has played four straight Olympics:
- London 2012, at 16, the youngest player in the table tennis event.
- Rio 2016.
- Tokyo 2020, held in 2021.
- Paris 2024.
At the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing she won a bronze medal.
The 2021 world bronze
Her standout moment came at the 2021 World Championships in Houston, held in the US. The event marked 50 years since ping pong diplomacy, when table tennis helped bring the United States and China closer. As part of that celebration, Lily Zhang played mixed doubles with China's Lin Gaoyuan.
The pair reached the semifinals and lost to Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata, taking bronze. It was the first U.S. medal at a World Championships since 1959, when Dick Miles won men's singles bronze.
National and Pan American titles
At home, Lily Zhang has been U.S. national women's singles champion six times: 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022. Across the Americas she has a long list of medals:
| Event | Results |
|---|---|
| 2011 Pan American Games | Singles and team bronze |
| 2015 Pan American Games | Team gold, singles bronze |
| 2019 Pan American Games | Doubles silver, team bronze |
| 2019 Pan American Championships | Gold in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team |
| 2017 Pan American Cup | Singles gold |
The history of the sport at the Games is in table tennis at the Pan American Games.
Playing style
Lily Zhang is a two-winged attacker with a good balance between forehand and backhand and a lot of international experience. Consistency is one of her strengths: she has stayed among the best in the Americas for more than a decade. Her career-best world ranking was 21st, in January 2023.
Table tennis in the United States
In the US, the sport is best known as basement or office ping pong. Players like Lily Zhang help show its competitive side. She also plays in Major League Table Tennis, the American pro league. Another famous American player, from a very different era, was Marty Reisman.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Lily Zhang?
An American table tennis player born in 1996 in Redwood City, California. She has played four Olympics and won six U.S. national singles titles.
How many Olympics has Lily Zhang played?
Four: London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. At London, aged 16, she was the youngest player in the table tennis event.
Has Lily Zhang won a world championship medal?
Yes. She won mixed doubles bronze at the 2021 World Championships in Houston with China's Lin Gaoyuan, the first U.S. world medal since 1959.
Why did Lily Zhang play with a Chinese partner?
The 2021 Worlds celebrated 50 years of ping pong diplomacy, and a US and China mixed doubles pairing was part of that tribute.
Where did Lily Zhang go to college?
She studied at the University of California, Berkeley, after graduating from Palo Alto High School, and kept competing internationally during her studies.
How many times has Lily Zhang won the U.S. Nationals?
Six times in women's singles: 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.