South Korean women’s badminton’s No. 1 player, Ahn Se-young, swept the women’s singles and team events at the Hangzhou Asian Games (AG), becoming the first woman to win a double title in 29 years. The singles final was the highlight. She battled through a grueling knee injury in the first set to defeat Chen Yuefei (CHN) 2-1 in an unforgettable ’emotional drama’.
It was one of the best matches of her career, but the after-effects were strong. After returning home, she was diagnosed with a ruptured tendon near her right knee. It was a foregone conclusion from the look on his face as he slumped on the court in pain. He had to leave his glory behind and focus on rehabilitation. He skipped the next two tournaments, the Danish Open and the French Open.
He broke his silence and returned. She stamped her presence at the World Badminton Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 500 Japan Masters, which started on Thursday. She focused on regaining her game. Starting with the round of 32, she earned a passing grade with a clean 2-0 victory over Pai Yi-po (Chinese Taipei), Gao Fang-je (China), and Supanida Katetong (Thailand).레모나토토 도메인
However, she wasn’t quite up to the task of taking on the top-ranked players yet. In the quarterfinals, she played a return match against Chen Yufei in the AG final, but lost 1-2 (18-21 22-20 8-21). She took the second set in deuce, but dropped the third set in a big way due to injury and low stamina. His three-match winning streak against him, dating back to July, came to an end, and his head-to-head record against him is now 7-11.
Nothing to be sorry about. Chen Yufei has maintained a steady hand, winning both the Denmark and French Open titles in Ahn’s absence. On the contrary, it could be argued that Ahn played well in less than perfect conditions.
It’s clearly a warm-up period. His eyes are set on the World Tour Finals, which will mark the season finale. Only the top eight riders will compete in the event, which is known as the ‘King of Kings’. Coincidentally, it will take place on the 13th of next month in Hangzhou, a city full of fond memories.
Ahn Se-young plays with her right knee taped. Photo via Yonex Korea official social media
With this trophy, she hopes to set the stage for a perfect 2023. She has 10 international wins and three runner-up finishes this year. This includes the AG gold medal, the first Korean women’s singles title at the All-England Open in 27 years and the first Korean singles title at the World Championships. Her rise to world No. 1 was no surprise.
The World Tour Finals is a tournament she has good memories of, having already won it once in 2021. Last year, she failed to reach the quarterfinals with a 1-2 record in the four-team group stage, but she is determined to reclaim her crown. Ahn will first make a final check at the Lining China Masters in Shenzhen, China, on Nov. 21 before heading to the main stage.