Ahn Se-young: Victory Despite Fatigue – The Secret Revealed

[스타뉴스 | 박건도 기자]

She is the empress who has conquered the world of badminton since the beginning of the new year. Ahn Se-young (24, Samsung Life Insurance), who made her golden comeback by winning the India Open, revealed the secret to overcoming injuries and winning an overwhelming victory.

Ahn Se-young returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the 19th after winning the women’s singles title at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 India Open held in New Delhi, India. Following last week’s Malaysia Open, he also dominated the India Open, setting a record of winning two consecutive tournaments in the New Year and six consecutive wins including last season.

Ahn Se-young, whom we met at the arrival hall, said with a bright expression, “I went there as soon as the new year started because there was a game, and I am very happy to come back with a good result.”

The process was not smooth. Ahn Se-young, who complained of thigh pain at the World Tour Finals last December, entered the New Year schedule without proper rest. In the first match of the Malaysia Open on the 6th, she had a fierce battle with Michelle Lee (Canada) and showed physical difficulties.

Ahn Se-young confessed about the situation at the time, “I felt a little tired during the Malaysia Open. I had difficulty playing,” and “I had a cramp during the finals last year. I did not play when I was fully recovered, but I think I had a problem with my left leg. My body was a little heavy and I was anxious about getting a cramp.”

The secret to overcoming the crisis was rest. Se-young Ahn explained, “Originally, while preparing for the tournament, I did weight training to prevent my muscles from losing strength. However, this time, I focused on recovery by taking a complete rest after the game. Thanks to this, I recovered well and was able to perform better at the India Open.”

The fast and aggressive play shown in this tournament was also a choice to allocate stamina. Some analyzed whether this was a change in preparation for the introduction of the 15-point system. In response, Ahn Se-young drew a line, saying, “I’m not thinking much about the 15-point system.”

In addition, Ahn Se-young added, “I felt like I was being pushed back physically, so I wanted to finish as quickly as possible. That worked well this time,” adding, “It was an opportunity to learn how to make plays while adjusting to my physical condition.”

The season goal is clear. Ahn Se-young, who set an unprecedented record of winning 11 competitions last year, emphasized, “There are many big matches this year. I want to bring good results without missing a single one. As injuries are my biggest concern, I want to finish all matches well without withdrawing.”

Regarding the goal of winning 21-0, which he mentioned in the past, he laughed and said, “It’s just for motivation.” He then added, “It seems a bit difficult to do that in badminton. But if I keep preparing for that goal and make it perfect, I think it will be good practice to get results.”

He also did not forget to respect world number 2 Wang Ziyi (China), whom he faced in the finals. Seyoung Ahn said, “Whenever I play against Wang Ziyi, I always feel like she put a lot of thought into it. I want to say thank you so much for always doing her best. I will also try harder not to lose. I think she will show a better play if she tries to beat me, too.”

Regarding the dinner promise that drew attention, he replied, “I haven’t eaten it yet. We rarely meet in India, so I haven’t bought it for him yet.”

The secret to becoming the best in the world was the attitude of not giving up. Ahn Se-young said, “When I play against a good player, I often feel lost because my confidence drops or my play doesn’t come out. Rather, it’s important to use it as good practice, keep challenging myself, and have the confidence to show the play I want to play.”

He also expressed his thoughts on the new uniform and ceremony. Regarding the national team uniform that will change next month, he said, “I think I will continue to wear the dress as long as there is no major change. I believe it will look pretty. These days, I do not prepare the ceremony in advance and only do what I can quickly and on the spot.”

In response to commentator Ha Tae-kwon’s praise of the best player of all time, he smiled shyly and said, “I’m a little weak when it comes to compliments, but I’m very grateful. I’m really honored and proud to be praised by a legend.”

Lastly, Ahn Se-young pledged not to stop toward the Asian Games in September. Ahn Se-young said emphatically, “You have to do your best in every game to get good results. I will do my best in every game. Then, I think I will be able to get good results at the Asian Games or the World Championships.”

Reporter Park Geon-do [email protected]