"Eternal runner-up, all because of An Se-young" — Japanese superstar's losing streak sparks despair... China also showers praise on the "55-match winning streak Great Demon King"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Foreign media are pouring praise on An Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance), who set a world first by recording 11 titles in a single season for two consecutive years. In Japan, despair is spreading over the fact that the country's top star, Yamaguchi Akane, has been blocked by the towering wall of An Se-young, relegating her to an eternal runner-up status in every final.

Citing multiple Japanese media outlets, Chinese media "Sohu.com" reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "An Se-young made Yamaguchi cry again," noting with regret that "Yamaguchi has overcome numerous strong opponents to reach the finals, but each time she collides with the massive wall of An Se-young, leaving her no choice but to settle for the eternal second-place spot."

Previously, local Japanese media such as the "Asahi Shimbun" also reported that "World No. 2 Yamaguchi suffered a narrow 1-2 defeat to World No. 1 and 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist An Se-young, ending her bid for a second consecutive title at the tournament. She has now lost 11 consecutive matches against An Se-young," bowing their heads at the insurmountable gap.

Furthermore, local fans who read Japanese media such as "Badminton Spirit" bowed their heads through platforms like "Yahoo Japan," stating that "Women's singles is An Se-young's complete solo stage" and "Even Yamaguchi, her only rival, cannot beat her at all, so now no one in the world can defeat An Se-young."

Earlier, World No. 1 An Se-young defeated World No. 2 Yamaguchi 2-1 (21-12, 15-21, 21-16) after a thrilling match lasting one hour and two minutes to win the women's singles final of the 2026 BWF World Tour Korea Open (Super 500), held on the 8th at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

With this victory, An Se-young reclaimed the Korea Open title for the third time in her career, following back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. She thoroughly avenged the regret of a complete 0-2 loss to Yamaguchi due to physical fatigue in last September's final, extending her winning streak against Yamaguchi to 11 matches. She also widened the gap in their head-to-head record to 25 wins and 15 losses.

Chinese "Sohu.com" also gave special coverage to An Se-young's dominance, sparing no praise. The media stated that "World No. 1 An Se-young once again clearly demonstrated to the world what absolute dominance looks like," evaluating that "She has written terrifying records that are breathtaking. A 55-match winning streak and 11 titles in a single season for two consecutive years is an unprecedented myth that no one, male or female, has ever achieved in singles badminton history."

In particular, the media paid tribute to An Se-young's mature mentality and match management skills, beyond just her playing ability. The outlet focused on An Se-young's post-match interview with domestic reporters, where she stated, "I am proud of myself for achieving good results this year as well, following last year. I have grown a lot mentally compared to last year. It is inevitable to get tired while playing matches, but I learned how to manage burnout and found many ways to cope."

The media continued, "This statement shows why An Se-young is truly a scary player. Unlike the past when she endured every match by throwing her body in, she now acknowledges fatigue and knows how to distribute energy. This high level of self-regulation is the core driving force behind An Se-young's long-term maintenance of the top spot."

Additionally, "Sohu.com" added, "An Se-young has surpassed being simply a player with excellent skills. The secret to her transformation from a genius who cried on the court to the Great Demon King of a 55-match winning streak lies not only in perfect technique and defensive ability, but also in the maturity to control one's mind."

An Se-young's records are so dominant that they astonish foreign media. An Se-young became the first player in history to achieve Momo Takahashi Kento (Japan)'s single-season record of most titles (11 wins) for two consecutive years, a record set in 2019. An Se-young, who has been on a 55-match winning streak since the All England Open in March last year, is currently recording 71 wins and 1 loss (a 98.6% win rate) in 72 matches this season, and has won six consecutive tournaments from the World Championships in August to this current event. In early next month, An Se-young will challenge for a historic first single-season record of 12 titles at the BWF World Tour Finals held in Hangzhou, China.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original