"What happened to An Se-young?" Overseas experts stunned by her dramatic transformation... "From a purely defensive player to one who insists on attacking even in defeat — that change is what made the An Se-young we see today"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Overseas experts have expressed amazement at the remarkable transformation of South Korea's badminton "queen," An Se-young (24, Samsung Life).

The Indian media outlet India Today reported on the 31st (Korean time), "An Se-young's astonishing dominance in badminton: Unveiling the secret behind it," focusing intently on her incredible growth process.

The outlet stated, "On the court, An Se-young returns even shuttlecocks that seem impossible to reach," adding, "She forces her opponents to run to every corner of the court, yet she herself rarely shows signs of rushing."

It further emphasized, "An Se-young almost always finds a solution. In contrast, all that is left for her opponents are questions."

In this regard, the outlet introduced an anecdote from last August involving An Se-young and Chinese badminton star Wang Zhi Yi. At the time, after losing to An Se-young in the semifinals of the World Championships held in New Delhi, India, Wang directly asked, "How can I beat you?"

The outlet revealed, "In fact, the press also tried to find an answer to that question," but noted, "However, no one could provide a clear solution."

An Se-young's record is overwhelming. This year, she has won 66 out of 67 matches. Her win rate reaches 98.5%. Recently, she rode a streak of 50 consecutive wins to claim her 10th title of the season.

There was a surprising change that led to the An Se-young we see today.

Abhijit Kulkarni, an Indian badminton specialist reporter, recalled seeing An Se-young's match for the first time in 2019. He said, "At that time, An Se-young was a completely defensive player. She played by continuously extending rallies," adding, "In that sense, she was a very monotonous player. She engaged in the typical rally-centric play seen in Korean players."

He further stated, "I think before 2022, almost no one predicted that An Se-young would become the top star of the next generation."

However, a change came to An Se-young. She moved away from her defense-centric play and began attempting aggressive attacks. Even when she lost matches due to her aggressive play, she did not revert to her previous style.

Kulkarni reported, "When An Se-young started playing aggressive badminton, everyone was surprised. People wondered what on earth had happened to An Se-young."

He praised her, saying, "An Se-young played aggressive badminton even when she was losing. Even in defeat, she competed in a completely different style and pushed herself to maintain that style. She did not return to the old way. This demonstrates An Se-young's mental toughness."

This change ultimately became the driving force behind the birth of the world's strongest player, An Se-young. Kulkarni emphasized, "An Se-young has established herself as a player who can sustain rallies while also being able to attack," adding, "It was precisely that change that created the player we know today as An Se-young."

An Se-young's evolution is not yet complete. Coach Lee Hyun-il, who guides An Se-young, stated, "An Se-young wants to play even more aggressively. We are training accordingly," and added, "To this end, we are also conducting power training and weight training."

An Se-young's defensive skills are already at a world-class level. Bimal Kumar, former head coach of the Indian national badminton team, praised An Se-young, saying that facing her is "similar to the feelings players had when facing Rafael Nadal on clay courts. No matter what shot you send, it keeps coming back."

Another badminton specialist reporter, Vinayak Mohanarangan, described her as a "monster-like player who absolutely never allows the shuttlecock to hit the floor."

With the addition of offensive power, she is evaluated as having become an even more difficult opponent for rivals to target.

Apurva Popat, a former member of the Indian women's national badminton team, also sent praise toward An Se-young. Popat said, "If opponents themselves come forward and say 'we don't know what to do,' that is the highest compliment a player can receive."

A somewhat unusual question emerged regarding An Se-young's overwhelming performance. According to reports, An Se-young recently received a question asking if she had any intention of challenging the men's singles category. She reportedly laughed it off upon hearing this.

The outlet explained, "It was a somewhat mischievous question, but no one asks such a question of a player who is simply good at their skill."

It further reported, "There is currently no easy answer to the question 'How on earth can we beat An Se-young?'" adding, "An Se-young also does not seem eager to reveal that answer."

It added, "An Se-young is only 24 years old," noting, "For An Se-young, one of the most dominant players in badminton history, her prime may not have arrived yet."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original