Korean badminton player An Se-young has transformed her playing style from a defensive baseline game into an aggressive approach, according to reports from India Today.
An Se-young Defeats Wang Zhiyi
At the World Championships semifinal in New Delhi last August, Chinese competitor Wang Zhiyi asked An Se-young directly after falling to her: How am I supposed to beat you?
India Today reported that tournament journalists sought an answer to Wang’s query but found no clear tactical solution.
That dominance stems from a deliberate stylistic pivot. Badminton journalist Abhijit Kulkarni recalled watching An in 2019, when the athlete relied on rallies. Few analysts anticipated at that time that An would emerge as a star, according to Kulkarni’s remarks published by India Today.
An Se-young Builds 50-Match Winning Streak Through Aggressive Play
Rather than maintaining a conservative defense, An began forcing the pace, sustaining an aggressive attack even during matches where she lost. Kulkarni noted that the player refused to revert to her former style when losses occurred, displaying the mental toughness that underpinned a subsequent 50-match winning streak and ten tournament titles.
The statistical record reflects that execution. An claimed 66 victories out of 67 total matches played during the season, anchoring a 98.5% win rate. Former Indian national coach Vimal Kumar compared facing her to playing against Rafael Nadal on a clay court, noting that opponents find themselves constantly retrieving shots as the shuttlecock relentlessly returns across the net.
Coach Lee Hyun-il Directs Power and Weight Training
To support this stylistic shift, coaching staff implemented physical preparation. Coach Lee Hyun-il confirmed that An desires a more attacking match strategy, prompting ongoing power and weight training regimens.
Badminton writer Vinayak Mohananaragan described the 24-year-old as a player who refuses to let the shuttlecock touch the floor. Former international player Aparna Popat added that opposing athletes openly admitting confusion over how to counter her tactics represents high praise.
Dominance Prompts Unusual Queries
The scale of An’s performance prompted speculation among reporters regarding whether she could compete in men’s singles, a suggestion the athlete acknowledged with a smile. Observers note that such hypothetical queries arise solely because of her level of dominance.
With her career advancing, analysts suggest that for An, who is 24, her best period may not have arrived yet.
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