Ahn Se-young is the 'world's strongest player' who does not allow any gaps on the badminton court, but in front of the enthusiastic cheers of the fans at home, she became soft-hearted as a 24-year-old youth.
After confirming her victory in the Korea Open at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do on the 8th, Ahn Se-young, facing the cheers of fans cheering for her, was thrilled, saying, "My heart was a little touched, to say the least."
Seyoung Ahn defeated Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) 2-1 (21-12 15-21 21-16) in the women's singles final of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 500 Korea Open and lifted her 11th trophy this season.
Ahn Se-young, who met in the common coverage area (mixed zone) after the game, said, "I was very proud and happy to feel that there were so many fans who liked badminton like this," and "It's always a new feeling to win at home."
On this day, Ahn Se-young enjoyed the joy of winning more than ever.
He put his hands to his ears to encourage louder cheers from the 3,500-seat audience, and expressed his joy by letting out a long, unpretentious roar twice.
They then performed a ceremony announcing the 'Queen's coronation' in which they made a crown shape with both hands and placed it on their head.
Due to the tight schedule, I had trouble participating because of the strain, but I was fully rewarded for choosing to play on my home court instead of resting.
Ahn Se-young repeatedly expressed her gratitude, saying, "I was very proud and also got goosebumps listening to the fans' cheers. There are times when I feel intimidated when I make a mistake during a game, but I really want to say thank you to the fans who cheered me on so that I could play with confidence even if I made a mistake."
On this day, Ahn Se-young set another record by achieving 11 wins at home.
The only players who have achieved 11 wins in a single season so far are Kento Momota (Japan) in 2019 and Ahn Se-young herself last year.
Ahn Se-young is the first player in world badminton history to achieve an unprecedented feat of 11 wins in two consecutive seasons in both men's and women's singles.
Ahn Se-young looked back on her growth over the past year, saying, "I'm proud of myself for being able to consistently produce results again. I feel like I've grown mentally more than last year, and I think I've learned a lot about how to cheer myself up when I'm physically exhausted."
With the win on this day, Ahn Se-young won 11 consecutive matches against Yamaguchi and solidified his position as the unrivaled strongest player.
However, the process was not easy. They struggled against Yamaguchi's exquisite hairpin attack, losing two games, and had to fight for 1 hour and 2 minutes.
Ahn Se-young explained, “Yamaguchi is a player who comes up with a new play every game, so it is difficult for him to adapt,” but, “However, as he plays, there are plays that become a habit. He waits calmly and is heading in the direction of scoring confidently.”
He added, “There are times when you get impatient when you keep giving up points, but it is helpful to play the game in a way that allows you to confidently make mistakes with the thought that it is ‘okay’ and acknowledge the things your opponent did well.”
Ahn Se-young, who achieved 11 wins, the most ever, as soon as November entered, will now comfortably enter the year-end BWF World Tour Finals and aim for an unprecedented record of 12 wins.
However, for Ahn Se-young, for whom breaking records has become a daily routine, this is just a passing process.
Se-young Ahn said, “I’m not thinking too much about the record,” and calmly expressed her resolve, saying, “I will show my best performance in the next competition.”
