Queen of shuttle: South Korea’s An Se-young returns a shot during the Malaysian Open badminton action at Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Reigning Olympic Games champion An Se-young of South Korea is out to stay ahead of China's Wang Zhiyi and maintain her position as the world No. 1.
However, the competition is fierce, with Zhiyi emerging as a serious contender to overtake the spot.
The 24-year-old Zhiyi, who ascended to world No. 2, has made her ambitions clear - she intends to win the world title and make this year the best in her career.
With only 8,872 ranking points separating them, the rivalry between the two is intensifying and a good performance at the ongoing Malaysian Open at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil can make a difference.
Despite the pressure, the 22-year-old Se-young remains focused on her goals.
"It’s good to see my ranking (as a world No. 1), but it’s also stressful. I have to work hard and focus to keep my position. I will do my best from now on," said Se-young.
"I don’t consider Zhiyi as my main rival because everyone is my rival. The points are close, but I just want to give my best and play," added Se-young, who won 11 titles in 2023.
Se-young has lost to Zhiyi at the Denmark Open, with a scoreline of 21-10, 21-12, fueling expectations for future match-ups.Reflecting on a year that she was affected by injury and also a spat with the national body, Se-young said: "Everything is fine. I think I just need to take better care of myself."
Yesterday, Se-young demonstrated her resilience by beating Vietnam’s Thuy Linh Nguyen 21-15, 21-15 to set up a match against Zhang Biewen of the United States. Zhi Yi defeated Chiu Pin-chian of Taiwan 21-17, 21-13 and will play Singapore's Yeo Jia Min of Singapore.
Barring any upsets, Se-young and Zhiyi are expected to cross sword in the final.
