Ahn Se-young's 'Golden Smash' Turning Point at Quarterfinals... Face-off with Yamaguchi [Paris Olympics]

The badminton events at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held at the Porte de la Chapelle venue. It is a place with good memories for An Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance, World No. 1). In March, she defeated Akane Yamaguchi (Japan, World No. 6) in the women's singles final at the France Open. It was about seven weeks after she withdrew from the India Open due to injury that she lifted the championship trophy.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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She aims to recreate her glory at the Porte de la Chapelle venue, which she has returned to. Her start has been smooth. She easily won two preliminary matches. She defeated Kobyana Nalbantova (Bulgaria, World No. 74) 2-0 (21-15, 21-11) and Chisephei (France, World No. 53) 2-0 (21-5, 21-7). It took only 30 minutes to secure the victory against Chisephei.

It was not a flawless match. She especially made frequent unforced errors against Nalbantova. An Se-young admitted, "It was an embarrassing match," and said, "I only think about winning. The thought that if I lose, it's over is so strong that it feels suffocating." She added, "I found myself unconsciously thinking about the pressure. Thoughts like 'I must win no matter what,' 'I have to show a good performance,' and 'What if I make a mistake?' made my body stiff, and things that usually work didn't. People around me tell me to think positively and enjoy it, but it seems very difficult."

She has not been free from trial and error. Her rival Chen Yufei (China, World No. 2) won against Yvonne Li (Germany, World No. 36) but lost one set. Yamaguchi also lost the first set to Michelle Li (Canada, World No. 31) before making a comeback victory. All of them feel the pressure on the grand Olympic stage.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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The pressure can increase further in the tournament because the world's top players keep facing each other. An Se-young's draw is not favorable either. In the quarterfinals, where she advances by walkover, she will face Yamaguchi, who defeated Supanida Katethong (Thailand, World No. 16). Yamaguchi was the top player before An Se-young reached World No. 1. Until early last year, Yamaguchi led their head-to-head 11-5. After An Se-young showed her peak form, the record is 13-10 in her favor. This year, they have met twice, each winning once. An Se-young won the March France Open final, and Yamaguchi won the April All England Open semifinal.

Kim Hak-kyun, coach of the badminton national team, said, "The quarterfinals should be seen as the biggest hurdle." He emphasized, "Yamaguchi will also compete with great determination this time," and "An Se-young has to play three matches from the quarterfinals to the final with 100% performance."

The pressure Yamaguchi feels seems greater than An Se-young's. In an interview with Japan's Kyodo News, she said, "The quarterfinal against An Se-young is the most important match that will determine whether I win an Olympic medal," and added, "I think An Se-young is currently the strongest player in the world."

The core of the skill Yamaguchi acknowledges is An Se-young's aggressive play style. Until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, An Se-young suffocated opponents with strong stamina and wide defensive coverage. However, she was unable to play efficiently enough to avoid strain on her body, including her knees. Now, she shortens match time by mixing sharp attacks. She changes her strategy depending on the opponent's type, catching them off guard.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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Through change and growth, she has achieved half of her career goal of a "Grand Slam" (Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, Asian Championships). She won the World Championships last year and topped the Asian Games a month later. Among the remaining two tournaments, the Olympics, held every four years, are much more challenging. The Asian Championships are held annually.

The only Korean badminton player to win a gold medal in the Olympic women's singles is Bang Soo-hyun at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The quarterfinal match, which will be a turning point in making new history, will be held on the 3rd (Korean time). An Se-young is preparing calmly. "If I do my best every day, won't I eventually find myself on the stage I've dreamed of?"

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