(MHN Reporter Lee Hyun-ah) “He is in an unrivaled position” “The throne is unshakable” China has already acknowledged the overwhelming power of Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance) and has now turned to an avoidance strategy.
On the 29th, Chinese sports media ‘Fengwunbongwoo’ reported, “Ahn Se-young is in a unique position where her throne cannot be shaken even if she virtually does not move,” and “Within this structure, China is operating a more sophisticated ranking strategy with Chen Yu-fei at the center.”
At the same time, he also mentioned that Ahn Se-young’s stable leadership system is exerting psychological pressure on competitors.
According to the latest world rankings announced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on the 27th, Ahn Se-young firmly maintained the top spot in women’s singles with 117,270 ranking points. The gap with second place Wang Ziyi (China, 103,362 points) is approximately 14,000 points, making it virtually impossible to catch up in a short period of time. The media described this as “a barrier that is difficult to overcome.”
Chenyu Pay
Ahn Se-young skipped the Indonesia Masters to control her condition after winning the Malaysia Open and India Open at the beginning of the season, but thanks to the accumulated points, her first place position was not shaken at all. Chinese media analyzed that “Ahn Se-young’s unique operating method of selection and concentration is making long-term dominance possible.”
What is noteworthy is the competition for third place. While Ahn Se-young took a moment to catch her breath, Chen Yu-fei won the Indonesia Masters and jumped to third place in the world rankings (94,635 points).
As a result, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi (93,064 points) was pushed to 4th place, and Chen Yufei returned to the ‘Big 3’ structure in women’s singles.
Chinese media interpreted Chen Yufei’s rise as a ‘result of precise calculation’ rather than a simple recovery of condition. According to the current ranking system, if she stays in 3rd or 4th place, there is a high possibility that she will face Ahn Se-young early in the semifinals at major tournaments such as the All England Open. Accordingly, it is analyzed that China is considering a strategy to raise Chen Yufei to second place to avoid excessive attrition and early clashes before the finals.
Meanwhile, ‘Bongun Bongwoo’ evaluated that Korean badminton continues to be strong not only in women’s singles but also in doubles. The men’s doubles pair of Kim Won-ho (Samsung Life Insurance) and Seo Seung-jae (Samsung Life Insurance) is racing to the top of the world rankings, widening the gap with the second-place pair by more than 26,000 points.
After a short break, Ahn Se-young and the Korean national team are scheduled to participate in the Asian Men’s and Women’s Team Championships to be held in Qingdao, China on February 3. Chinese media predicted, “With Chen Yu-fei’s ranking calculation and Ahn Se-young’s absolute dominance intertwined, the women’s singles structure will enter a phase of more fierce competition in the future.”
Photo = Badminton World Federation (BWF), Yonhap News, MHN DB
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