Chen Yufei Return: Rapid Recovery & Ahn Se-young Challenge

Ahn Se-young of the Korean badminton team. News 1

[파이낸셜뉴스] It was just four days ago. The player who had withdrawn because he could not lift his racket due to shoulder pain, flew around the court as soon as the venue was changed. This is the story of Chen Yufei (China, 4th place), the biggest rival of Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance, world number 1).

Chen Yu-fei defeated Lin Xiang-ti (Taiwan) 2-0 (21-17, 21-17) in the round of 32 of the India Open (Super 750) held in New Delhi, India on the 14th. Even if you look at the score or the content of the game, it was difficult to find an ‘injured person’. Although they only faltered for a moment at the beginning of the first set, their smashing and court covering ability at every point of the game was still there.

[파리=AP/뉴시스]China's Chen Yufei, gold medalist in the women's badminton singles at the Tokyo Olympics, was eliminated in the quarterfinals. 2024.08.03. /Photo=Newsis — [파리=AP/뉴시스]China’s Chen Yufei, gold medalist in the women’s badminton singles at the Tokyo Olympics, was eliminated in the quarterfinals. 2024.08.03. /Photo=Newsis

Here we cannot help but have ‘reasonable doubt’. No, to be precise, we should pay attention to the ‘strange phenomenon’ created by Ahn Se-young.

Chen Yufei withdrew ahead of the Malaysia Open semifinals on the 10th. The opponent was Ahn Se-young. At that time, Chen Yufei announced on social media that she had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. Normally, if the injury is severe enough to cause a player to withdraw from the semifinals, it is common sense to skip the next tournament, which starts just two days later. In fact, another rival, Akane Yamaguchi (Japan), gave up participating in this year’s India Open due to injury.

But Chen Yufei came out. And I won safely. How should we interpret this?

Chen Yufei is an Olympic gold medalist who has gone through many hardships. Rather, it is more reasonable to believe that it is based on ‘the fear and thorough calculation of competitors toward Ahn Se-young.’

From Chen Yufei’s perspective, the current Ahn Seyoung is ‘an opponent you can never beat if your condition is even a little bad.’ Low rankers like Lin Xiangti can cook even with 70-80% body condition. But Ahn Se-young is different. Even if you give 100%, no, 120%, you still have no idea whether you will win or not.

Rather than facing Ahn Se-young in the semifinals in poor physical condition, exhausting her stamina and losing, it is highly likely that she made a ‘strategic choice’ to withdraw and take a break and aim for the next competition.

Ahn Se-young is playing against Chen Yu-fei in the Hangzhou Asian Games badminton women's team final match between Korea and China held at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China on the 1st. News 1 — Ahn Se-young is playing against Chen Yu-fei in the Hangzhou Asian Games badminton women’s team final match between Korea and China held at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China on the 1st. News 1

In other words, Chen Yufei’s ‘mysterious return’ paradoxically proves the cold unwritten rule in the current badminton world that “Don’t even think about attacking Ahn Se-young unless she is in perfect condition.”

Ahn Se-young is no longer ranked first in terms of skill alone. He has risen to the level of a ‘psychological ruler’ who can force others to abstain and adjust their schedules just by existing.

With this victory, Chen Yufei opened the possibility of a rematch with Ahn Se-young. The two players in the bracket will meet in the finals. Will Chen Yufei’s ‘calculated rest’ be successful, or will Ahn Seyoung’s ‘absolute majesty’ devour him once again?

This strange tension created by Ahn Se-young is heating up the India Open even more.