Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance), world number one in badminton women’s singles, will compete in her third competition after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ahn Se-young will compete in the Chinese Masters women’s singles at the 2024 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour (total prize money of $1.15 million, approximately KRW 1.6 billion) to be held in Shenzhen, China from the 19th to the 24th. This tournament is at the World Tour Super 750 level, the second highest level after Super 1000. The Denmark Open, where Ahn Se-young finished runner-up last month, is also of the same level as this tournament.
Ahn Se-young, who also participated in this tournament last year, lost to Wang Ziyi (China) in the round of 16 and was eliminated. Attention is being paid to whether he will be able to shake off his regrets in this competition. If Ahn Se-young takes the top spot in this tournament, it will be her fourth win in the BWF World Tour this year, following the Malaysia Open, French Open, and Singapore Open.
The player that Ahn Se-young should be most wary of is once again Wangz. He is on a rapid rise, winning five tournaments including the Denmark Open last month. The current world ranking is 3rd. If Ahn Se-young reaches the finals, she can meet Wang Ziyi. This year’s record against opponents is favorable with 1 win and 1 loss. Top rankers such as Akane Yamaguchi (Japan, world No. 4) and Tai Chu-ying (Taiwan, world no. 5) are also aiming for the championship trophy.
Ahn Se-young will face World No. 18 Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand) in the first match, the round of 32. They have faced each other twice this year and Ahn Se-young is ahead with two wins.
This competition is the third competition that Ahn Se-young will participate in after the 2024 Paris Olympics. After winning the gold medal in the Olympic badminton women’s singles, Ahn Se-young took a break and focused on recovering from injuries such as her knees and ankles. Afterwards, he made his comeback at the National Sports Festival last month and showed off his top skills by participating in the Denmark Open. Ahn Se-young, who accumulated ranking points at the Denmark Open, raised her world ranking, which had fallen to 2nd, back to 1st.
Ahn Se-young did not participate in the Japan Masters (12th-17th) held after the Denmark Open due to injury. Since then, he has been focusing on recovery and training at the Samsung Training Center in Yongin, the team’s training site. An official from Ahn Se-young’s team said, “Ahn Se-young has improved her condition a lot.”
Including Ahn Se-young, women’s singles Shim Yu-jin (Incheon International Airport), men’s doubles Seo Seung-jae (Samsung Life Insurance) and Jin Yong (Yonex), women’s doubles Kim So-young (Incheon International Airport) and Kim Bo-ryeong (Gimcheon City Hall), Lee So-hee (Incheon International Airport) and Baek. Hana (MG Saemaeul Geumgo), Shin Seung-chan (Pocheon City Hall) – Jeong Na-eun (Hwasun County Office), Lee Yeon-woo – Lee Yu-rim (Samsung Life Insurance), Kim Hye-jeong (Samsung Life Insurance) – Gong Hee-yong (Jeonbuk Bank) will also participate in this competition. The pair of Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jeong took second place in this competition last year, and the pairs of Kim Ga-eun and Kim Hye-jeong and Jeong Na-eun took third place, respectively.
Reporter Kim Jin-su [email protected]
Her rehabilitation process, combining physical therapy with on-court training to ensure she is both fit and competitive. She has worked closely with her medical team to develop a comprehensive plan that allows her to gradually increase her intensity without risking further injury.
Section 1: Ahn Se-young’s Performance So Far
Interviewer: How has Ahn Se-young been preparing for the Chinese Masters tournament after her recent successes in the Malaysia Open, French Open, and Singapore Open?
Guest 1: After winning gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ahn Se-young took some time off to focus on her recovery from injuries sustained during the intense tournament season. She returned to competition at the National Sports Festival and showed impressive form by reaching the finals of the Denmark Open. Since then, she has been focusing on regaining her full fitness at the Samsung Training Center in Yongin, where her team is based.
Guest 2: Despite this success, there have been some challenges for Se-young when it comes to top-level competition. Wang Ziyi, currently ranked third in the world, has had an incredible run this year, winning five tournaments including the Denmark Open. What are your thoughts on how Se-young will fare against such strong opponents?
Section 2: Key Players to Watch Out For
Interviewer: In addition to Wang Ziyi, who are some of the other players that Ahn Se-young should be wary of in the Chinese Masters tournament?
Guest 1: Definitely, Akane Yamaguchi (Japan, world No. 4) and Tai Chu-ying (Taiwan, world no. 5) are both contenders for the championship trophy. They have consistently showed great form throughout the year and should not be underestimated by any means.
Guest 2: Furthermore, there are several other talented players to look out for, including the Danish player Mia Blichfeldt and Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon. They’ve had successful runs in recent tournaments and could potentially cause an upset if they face off against Se-young.
Section 3: Ahn Se-young’s Road to Recovery
Interviewer: After suffering from knee and ankle injuries, how did Ahn Se-young manage to prepare for this tournament while also managing her recovery process?
Guest 1: Ahn Se-young has been meticulous about