"A rival I could lose to at any time without it being surprising" An Se-young faces 'arch-rival' Yamaguchi on the brink of victory... Aiming for a 'new chapter in badminton history'

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

An Se-young (Samsung Life), the queen of badminton who has secured a spot in the Korea Open final, expressed her firm resolve ahead of a rematch with her arch-rival Akane Yamaguchi (Japan).

World No. 1 An Se-young defeated Hina Akechi (Japan, ranked 16th) 2-0 (21-16, 21-12) in the women's singles semifinal of the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Korea Open (Super 500), held on the 7th at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

According to Yonhap News Agency, after the match, An Se-young said, "Yamaguchi is so good that it would not be surprising if I lost to her at any time," adding, "Taking last year's defeat as a lesson, I will play with confidence this time and put on a game without regrets."

She candidly shared the reason for competing on home turf despite physical fatigue. An Se-young stated, "I was able to participate because my physical condition has definitely improved compared to the Denmark Open and France Open," explaining, "Above all, opportunities to play in front of Korean fans are rare, which is why I decided to compete."

She continued, "It is truly an honor to be able to play in front of so many fans. It is a very proud moment to know that so many people love badminton. I will definitely repay you with a good result in the final," conveying her sincere feelings toward the fans.

As it was a tournament held at home, cheers for An Se-young poured out continuously from the venue. When asked if there was any particularly impressive cheering, An Se-young responded with a cheerful smile. She said, "I heard 'An Se-young Fighting' and also 'Choco Milk An Se-young,'" adding, "I hope you will not make me laugh during the match."

Addressing the young badminton prospects in the stands, she offered warm advice and gratitude, saying, "The more matches you watch, the better your eye for the game becomes, and many situations arise that can be utilized in practice. I really hope young players come to watch a lot, and I want to let them know how wonderful it was that they cheered so enthusiastically."

An Se-young's final opponent on the 8th, competing for the championship trophy, is world No. 2 Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi had earlier advanced to the final by defeating Lin Xiangti (Taiwan, ranked 18th) 2-0 (21-16, 21-12) in the semifinals.

This final marks a revenge match realized after one year. At the previous Korea Open final held in Suwon last September, An Se-young struggled against Yamaguchi's sharp attacks and tenacious defense, suffering a 0-2 sweep to settle for silver. Until just after that final, she had been slightly trailing in their head-to-head record with 14 wins and 15 losses.

Since then, the dynamic has completely reversed. Starting with her semifinal victory at the Denmark Open last October, An Se-young has run up a streak of 10 consecutive wins against Yamaguchi, including the World Championships final in August this year, the women's singles final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September, and the Denmark Open final in October. She has also comfortably turned their overall head-to-head record to 24 wins and 15 losses.

Despite her unstoppable dominance in their matchups, An Se-young kept the tension taut. An Se-young emphasized, "Just because I have been winning does not guarantee that I will win again," adding, "If there is one thing I learned from last year's defeat, it was that my lack of confidence on the court at the time was my biggest regret. This time, I will play without being intimidated and put on a game without regrets with confident play."

She further stated firmly, "I have always played great matches against Yamaguchi. In the final, I will pour out my best play onto the court."

Opponent Yamaguchi also praised An Se-young, saying, "In the past, I could take the lead in speed and physicality, and An Se-young was a player with excellent defensive skills, but now her physical abilities have become stronger and her attacks sharper, so all her weaknesses have disappeared." However, she added, "I have rarely been able to beat her recently, but the frequency of playing good matches is increasing. I will keep challenging her no matter how many times it takes," showing her determination.

An Se-young's current momentum is unparalleled, with few rivals capable of matching it. At this Korea Open, she swept Kaloyana Nalbantova (Bulgaria, ranked 36th) in the round of 32, Karupathevan Lechana (Malaysia, ranked 28th) in the round of 16, and Riko Gunji (Japan, ranked 20th) in the quarterfinals, followed by a complete demolition of Akechi in the semifinals, advancing to the final with an unbeaten streak without dropping a single game.

With this victory, An Se-young has recorded 70 wins and 1 loss in 71 matches this season, achieving a remarkable winning percentage of 98.6%. She is currently on a historic 54-match winning streak since her defeat in the final of the All England Open (Super 1000) last March.

An Se-young has already lifted the championship trophy 10 times this year at the Malaysia Open, India Open, Asian Championships, Singapore Open, Indonesia Open, World Championships, China Masters, Asian Games, Denmark Open, and France Open. If she defeats Yamaguchi in this final, she will write a new history. She will tie her own record of 11 wins in a single season set last year while building an unprecedented golden tower by becoming the first player in badminton history to achieve 11 wins in two consecutive seasons. Additionally, she will reclaim the Korea Open throne for the first time in three years, following her victories at the tournaments in 2022 and 2023.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original