"What crime have the Chinese players committed?" An Se-young crushes opponent in just 36 minutes, 'early exit successful'... Secures spot in French Open semifinals, 'cruising toward third consecutive title'

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

An Se-young (24, Samsung Life), who has recorded a remarkable winning percentage of 98.4% this year, completely defeated her opponent in just 36 minutes to secure a place in the French Open semifinals.

World No. 1 An Se-young thoroughly defeated Han Yue (China, ranked 10th) 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) in the round of 16 of the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour French Open (Super 750), held in Paris, France on the 23rd (Korean time). It took only 36 minutes to decide the match.

The first game was overwhelming. Without allowing a single lead, she widened the gap to 18-10 and easily seized the initiative. Although she trailed 6-10 in the middle of the second game, she immediately turned the game around with five consecutive points. She then struck another five consecutive points from 15-13, crushing Han Yue's will to chase.

There were no lingering effects from the right Achilles tendon pain that had been a concern. An Se-young had complained of pain during her match against Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) in the final of the recent Denmark Open, yet still achieved a dramatic comeback victory despite the disadvantageous situation. Although injury concerns were raised for this tournament, after defeating her opponent in just 25 minutes in the first round of 32, she has maintained an overwhelming form through to the quarterfinals.

With today's victory, An Se-young continued her remarkable record of 64 wins and 1 loss this season, with a winning percentage of 98.4%. She has firmly established her position as an 'absolute powerhouse' by winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, dominating the Asian Championships, and achieving a second consecutive title in women's singles at last month's 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Only two more victories—the semifinal and the final—remain for her 10th individual title of the year. If An Se-young reaches the top of this tournament, she will accomplish the great feat of winning the French Open three times in a row, following her titles in 2024 and 2025. Additionally, she will set a major record by winning five consecutive tournaments, including the World Championships, China Masters, Asian Games, and Denmark Open.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original