An Se-young's 'fearsome' declaration of war: "I will go all out at the Asian Games with nothing to lose"

*This content was translated by AI.

That is truly a fearsome declaration of war.

An Se-young (24, Samsung Life), the world's top-ranked women's singles badminton player and reigning World Championships champion, has declared her determination to claim the title again at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. Going beyond clichéd pledges like "I will do my best," she issued a fearsome declaration that will leave opposing players with no choice but to feel tense.

According to reports from NEWSIS and others on the 25th, An Se-young, upon returning home through Incheon International Airport after winning the World Championships earlier that day, stated, "This victory is far better than three years ago," adding, "It will give me the strength to move forward once again."

Earlier, An Se-young (world No. 1) defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi (Japan, world No. 2) 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) in the women's singles final of the 2026 BWF World Championships held at Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, India, on the 23rd, securing the title. This marks her second World Championships victory after a three-year gap since the 2023 tournament.

Notably, this tournament was particularly significant as An competed while not at 100% condition, having withdrawn from the Japan Open last month due to foot pain and also skipping the China Open. At the time of her departure, An had stated, "I can manage it with some effort, but it's not at a level where there is no pain whatsoever." Nevertheless, she reached the summit with overwhelming skill, conceding not a single game from the round of 64 to the final.

An Se-young said, "It was my first match back from injury, so I was very nervous. I focused on quickly regaining my form and didn't have high expectations, but returning with such a great result is truly surprising even to myself." She added, "I believed that as I continued playing, my physical condition would improve further. Although I struggled due to the wind at the venue, winning match after match likely led to this championship."

Even at the airport upon her return, An Se-young revealed that she is still experiencing pain. She stated, "Since I'm still in pain, I hesitated a lot in the early stages," and added, "I adapted while competing against world-class players. My ability to react quickly without even realizing it became a key positive point."

Having claimed the World Championships title, An Se-young now aims for the Asian Games gold medal. This is the first time a Korean women's singles player will attempt back-to-back Asian Games titles. Already the world's strongest, she plans to approach the tournament with the mindset of having "nothing to lose." For opposing players, this can only add immense pressure.

She said, "The most important thing is not feeling any burden. Since every player wants to win gold at such a tournament, I also need to put in that much effort," but added, "If I play with confidence, I believe it will lead to good results."

Continuing, An Se-young emphasized, "Showing that I keep winning is truly a very positive signal. At the Asian Games, if I confidently go all out with the mindset of having 'nothing to lose,' my opponents will likely feel tense as well. I will continue moving forward as prepared."

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*This content was translated by AI.