"How can I possibly beat you?" Chinese player Wang Zhi asked An Se-young directly... The answer returned was "Secret"

*This content was translated by AI.

"How exactly must I play to defeat you?"

A question that showcased the dignity of 'Badminton Empress' An Se-young (Samsung Life). Wang Zhi, a world-class player and China's badminton icon, personally asked An Se-young for her "strategy."

China's Sohu.com reported on the 24th (Korean time) that "badminton is not just about fierce competition; there is also special friendship among top players who respect and acknowledge each other." It added that "after An Se-young won, a very interesting and heartwarming scene unfolded."

Earlier, world No. 1 An Se-young defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi (world No. 2) with a score of 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) in the women's singles final of the 2026 BWF World Championships held in New Delhi, India, on the 23rd to claim the title.

With this victory, An Se-young successfully reclaimed the world championship title after three years. After winning a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, An Se-young first reached the top in 2023 and established herself as the world's strongest player. Last year's tournament saw her lose to China's Chen Yufei in the semifinals, settling for bronze, but this year she returned to the highest position once again.

This also set a new milestone in Korean badminton history. An Se-young became the first Korean player to win the women's singles title at the World Championships twice.

A special scene unfolded after An Se-young's victory. Wang Zhi, who had faced An Se-young in the semifinals, transformed into a "one-day reporter" and interviewed her directly. The two players exchanged dialogue entirely in English from start to finish.

Wang Zhi prepared three questions. Her first question was: "What was your maximum heart rate during our match?"

An Se-young displayed overwhelming performance throughout this tournament. She started strongly by defeating Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova 2-0 in the round of 64, then dominated Indonesia's Talitha Ramadani Wirawan 2-0 in the round of 32. In the round of 16, she did not even drop a single game against Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt.

Even as stronger opponents emerged, she remained unshaken. She defeated China's Han Wei (world No. 5) 2-0 in the quarterfinals and overcame Wang Zhi (world No. 3) 2-0 in the semifinals. In the final, she did not allow a single game to world No. 2 Yamaguchi.

When asked about her heart rate during their match, An Se-young replied that it reached as high as 194 beats per minute.

Although she appeared calm and composed throughout the match, An Se-young was actually facing Wang Zhi under extreme tension and physical strain. Yet, she continued to deliver an excellent performance without any sign of wavering.

Sohu.com stated that "An Se-young's answer was surprising." It explained that "the number reflected how intense their match had been. It meant that every point was fought with full effort, pushing physical strain to the highest level. This is the standard of world-class badminton matches."

Wang Zhi's second question was about An Se-young's secret to recovery.

When asked what she ate to recover physically after the match, An Se-young answered "white rice and chicken."

The media reported that "Wang Zhi found An Se-young's simple answer hard to believe and double-checked it. She appeared surprised that a world-class player's recovery secret was truly just that."

Highlight came with the final question. Wang Zhi boldly asked An Se-young: "How can I beat you?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected direct question, An Se-young burst into laughter. After a brief pause, her initial response was "It's a secret."

But soon she offered her own answer. An Se-young said, "I always want to win in matches," and added, "That's why I train even harder." Her response emphasized that only repeated effort and training create the highest level of skill.

Sohu.com noted that "while An Se-young and Wang Zhi competed fiercely on the court without yielding an inch, the atmosphere completely changed after the match." It added that "the two players, having set aside the weight of being world-class champions, quickly transformed into playful ordinary girls, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere."

It further stated that "An Se-young's gentle and approachable demeanor off the court received positive reactions. There was no authoritarian attitude befitting a world champion." It concluded by saying, "An Se-young and Wang Zhi are rivals who pour everything into their matches on the court, but off the court, they are friends who encourage each other."

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*This content was translated by AI.