Ahn Se-young “Lack of players at the 2018 Asian Games, well-filled now, going to Hangzhou to see the results”

“At the 2018 Jakarta (-Palembang Asian Games), I was not the best player to play badminton, but now I think I have filled in well and become the player everyone expects. I think I need to show a better performance this time, and I’ve prepared a lot more than then. I’m looking forward to seeing the results.”

Ahn Se-young (21-Samsung Life) is the world No. 1 in women’s singles badminton. She is confident heading into the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8.

This was during the ‘Korea National Badminton Team Media Day’ held at the Champion House in Jincheon Athletic Center in Chungcheongbuk-do on Saturday afternoon.

When asked about her recent rise to No. 1 in the world rankings, Ahn Se-young said, “It’s a burden to be No. 1, but I’m excited to play at No. 1. I think I will be able to show that at the World Championships and Asian Games.”

The Korean badminton team, led by Kim Hak-gyun (52), has three big events coming up, including the 2023 World Badminton Championships (Individual) in Copenhagen, Denmark, from Sept. 21-27, the BWF Super 1000 Series, the China Open (Sept. 5-9.10 in Changzhou) and the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Ahn, who has won seven tournaments this year, including the All-England Open, Korea Open and Japan Open, was ranked No. 1 in women’s singles by the BWF on Jan. 1, overtaking Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, 26.

It was the first time in 27 years that a South Korean player had been ranked No. 1 in the women’s singles since Hwang Soo-hyun in 1996.

But with the World Individual Championships and Asian Games just around the corner, Ahn will have to contend with Akane Yamaguchi, as well as World No. 3 Chen Yufei (25-China) and No. 4 Tai Tzu-ying (29-Taiwan), who have plagued her for the past year.

Ahn said of Chen Yufei: “I’ve beaten him a lot of times in the past, so I wouldn’t say I’ve erased the enmity yet, but I’ll have to work on it. Whether it’s in his hometown (Hangzhou) or anywhere else, I’ll just have to do what I’ve been doing and enjoy it, and I think it will bring good results.”

Ahn holds a 5-10 head-to-head record against Chen Yufei.

With seven wins, three runner-up finishes and one third-place finish in 11 international events this year, Ahn also leads the season’s prize money list ($428,480). This is more than men’s singles No. 1 Viktor Axelsen (DEN).

When asked about this, Ahn said, “I expected to win the top prize. I worked hard, so I think I deserve it,” he said.먹튀검증

When asked what he would spend his winnings on, he said, “The money is coming into my bank account and I don’t have time to spend it now. I’m saving well and will buy a lot of gifts one day.”