*This content was translated by AI.
The world is pouring praise on Ahn Se-young (24, Samsung Life Insurance), who has swept the badminton world since the new year. Tiger Woods of the U.S., the king of golf, and Rafael Nadal of Spain, the king of clay courts, have been summoned this time.
Chinese media Sohu Dotcom reported on the 19th (Korea Standard Time) that "An Se-young is Nadal of badminton," adding, "The world's badminton community once again marveled at the overwhelming presence of Korea's flagship Ahn Se-young."
Ahn Se-young defeated China's Wang Zhiyi 2-0 in the women's singles final of the 2026 World Badminton Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 Indian Open in New Delhi, India, on the 18th and won her second consecutive tournament. It is the second consecutive week after winning the Malaysian Open last week and the sixth consecutive championship, including last season.
Foreign media are praising this overwhelming move. The names of the highest-level (GOAT) players in one sport are even compared. India's media "India Today" quoted former Indian national team member Vimal Kumar as saying, "Taking on An Se-young is like meeting Nadal on clay," adding, "If you take on An Se-young, all the balls come over again."
"Se-young Ahn has a perfect balance of skill and physical strength," Kumar said. "We endure a long rally and lead the game, not just turning the ball over," he said. "We continue to find the exact drop point. He analyzed that he is even good at controlling speed and predicting, which frustrates the opponent.
Earlier in the day, the BWF broadcasting team also compared Ahn to Tiger Woods. "Ahn Se-young, who has dominated women's badminton for the past year and a half, gives her opponent the same pressure as Woods in her heyday," the broadcaster said. "The opponent has to hypnotize himself by saying, 'She's just a human being."
Amid global praise, Ahn returned to gold with a bright smile. After returning home through Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 19th, Ahn Se-young met with reporters and said, "There was a game as soon as the new year started, and I'm so happy to come back with a good result."
He also confessed his difficulties amid winning two consecutive tournaments. Ahn Se-young, who felt thigh pain during the World Tour Finals in December last year, started her new year's schedule without enough rest. In the first match of the Malaysian Open on the 6th, he showed physical difficulty. Ahn Se-young said, "I felt a little tired during the Malaysian Open. I had a cramp during last year's Final, but I think I had a problem with my left leg because I didn't recover completely, he said. "I was worried that I would get a cramp again."
The secret to overcoming the crisis was a thorough rest and change of strategy. "Originally, I maintained my strength through weight training, but this time I focused on recovery in a way that I fully rested after the game," Ahn said. "Thanks to this, I recovered well and I was able to play better at the Indian Open."
In particular, regarding the aggressive play shown in this tournament, he said, "I felt physically pushed, so I wanted to finish the game as soon as possible. That strategy worked well this time, he said, adding, "It was an opportunity to learn to adjust to your physical condition and make plays."
He also did not forget his respect for the world's second-ranked Wang Zhi, who was the final opponent. Ahn Se-young said, "Wangzui always comes out with a lot of thoughts. "Thank you for doing your best," he said. "I will also try harder not to lose. It will be an opportunity for each other to develop," he said.
This year's goal is to finish the race without injuries. Ahn Se-young said, "There are many big competitions this year as well. As I am most worried about the injury, I want to finish all the games well without withdrawing, he said. "If we do our best in each game, we will be able to bring good results at the Aichi and Nagoya Asian Games and World Championships in September."
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*This content was translated by AI.
