As expected, Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance) was amazing. Ahn Se-young, a leading Korean badminton player, easily recorded three consecutive wins and advanced to the semifinals of the international competition.
Ahn Se-young, ranked No. 1 in the world, defeated China’s Zhang Yiman (23rd) 2-0 (21-11 21-) in the women’s singles quarterfinals of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 China Masters held at the Shenzhen Arena in Shenzhen, China on the 22nd. 11) and was completely defeated.
Ahn Se-young is proving her skills again on the international stage with her exciting performance. The previous day, in the round of 16, he won 2-1 (21-23 21-12 21-12) against Song Shuoyun (24th). They lost the first game, but dominated the next two games and won. They also won 2-1 in the first match, the round of 32, against Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand, 18th place) on the 19th.
In the game on this day, they recorded a landslide victory without giving up a single game, showing off their dominance.
Ahn Se-young’s next opponent, who has reached the semifinals with three consecutive wins, is Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki (world number 13). Miyazaki is a powerhouse who made his name known by taking second place at the Korea Open last year. As a rising star in Japanese badminton, he is evaluated as a player with both aggressive play and tenacious defense. In particular, the explosive performance shown during the Korea Open received great praise from fans and experts. Entering the 2024 season, he continues to maintain top rankings and plays an important role within the Japanese national team.
This China Masters is the second international competition after the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Ahn Se-young won the gold medal. After taking a two-month break after the Olympics, he returned through the Denmark Open in September and finished second in this tournament, proving that he is still a world-class player. However, he did not participate in the Japan Masters last month to manage chronic knee and ankle injuries.
Ahn Se-young submitted an official letter and medical certificate to the Korea Badminton Association, expressing his intention to not participate in the Japanese competition, and did not appear at the national team strengthening training held in Boryeong-si, South Chungcheong Province. Some say that Ahn Se-young was not aware of the conflict with the Badminton Association and the national team coaches. This controversy was further highlighted as the difficult atmosphere with director Kim Hak-kyun was captured on the broadcast screen.
During the Denmark Open, Ahn Se-young was caught on camera not talking to coach Kim Hak-gyun during a break during the game. Ahn Se-young, who returned to Korea after the competition, avoided answering questions about the rumor of conflict with the Badminton Association. Regarding this, director Kim Hak-gyun said, “We need a little more time. We will be able to solve the problem through dialogue.”
Ahn Se-young’s performance is consistent. Following the Denmark Open in September, he contributed to his team Samsung Life Insurance winning the team event at the 105th National Sports Festival. In particular, the concentration and performance he showed after winning the Olympic gold medal once again proved why he is at the top of the world. Ahn Se-young is continuing her status as No. 1 in the world by challenging for the top spot in this year’s China Masters. Badminton fans are focusing their attention on whether Ahn Se-young will continue her momentum and advance to the finals.
