A lookback at An Se Young's achievements in 2023

South Korean has won eight out of 10 BWF World Tour tournaments this year.

An Se-young, the prominent Korean singles badminton player, initially garnered international acclaim in 2019 challenging established names in the sport and positioning herself as a significant contender for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. After a successful tournament as a teenager, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) bestowed upon her the title of Most Promising Player of the Year for 2019.

Unfortunately, the momentum that she had built before the pandemic was disrupted hindering her progress. In 2023, however, she has reached the pinnacle of her capabilities securing the coveted title of world no. 1. Her performance this year has been nothing short of remarkable, marking a triumphant return to badminton after overcoming various challenges.

This year, she excelled in the BWF World Tour by winning eight out of 10 tournaments and breaking Chen Yufei’s record. She faced only three defeats in the entirety of the year. In August, she made history by becoming the first Korean women’s singles player to be crowned world champion in this century. Following this milestone, she added another accolade to her list by winning the Asian Games 2023 title.

An Se-young’s exceptional qualities are highlighted by impressive retrieval skills coupled with a formidable cross-court smash. Additionally, she is arguably most skilled player at net. Her stamina enables her to engage in prolonged rallies, a crucial asset in navigating intense matches successfully.

China Open Super 1000: Winner

Hailing from South Korea, An Se Young, emerged victorious against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, clinching the match with scores of 21-10 and 21-19. She demonstrated her dominance in the first game with apparent ease. Despite encountering a challenge in the second game, Am Se Young adeptly closed the gap against Yamaguchi, who is ranked second. In the end, the Korean successfully scored the final three points, securing her victory in a match that spanned 38 minutes.

Japan Open Super 750: Winner

The South Korean who was ranked second globally then, triumphed over China’s He Bing Jiao with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-11. This victory set her on the path to claim the prestigious world number one spot, thereby dethroning Japan’s reigning world champion, Akane Yamaguchi

Korea Open Super 500: Winner

An Se Young clinched the Korea Open 2023 title remarkably, overcoming Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in consecutive games. The South Korean badminton player demonstrated a dominant performance, defeating the fourth-seeded player with a convincing score of 21-9, 21-15. This triumph at the Korea Open signified An Se Young’s sixth BWF World Tour title for the year.

Singapore Open Super 750: Winner

An Se-young of South Korea clinched her fifth title of the year against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in straight games with a scoreline of 21-16, 21-14 at the Singapore Open badminton which is her eighth consecutive final of 2023.

Thailand Open Super 300: Winner

In the women’s singles final of the Thailand Open in Bangkok, An Se-young secured a resounding victory by smashing her way to success against China’s He Bingjiao. The 21-year-old South Korean exhibited consistency throughout the match sealing a decisive 21-10, 21-19 triumph in the Thai capital.

All England Badminton Championships: Winner

An Se-Young from South Korea emerged victorious in the women’s singles category at the All England Open Badminton Championships overcoming China’s Olympic singles champion Yu Fei Chen in a thrilling three-game encounter. In the longest final of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 1000 event, An Se-Young secured the first game with a score of 21-17.

The Chinese international rallied to take the second game convincingly 21-10. However, in a closely contested decider, An Se Young prevailed with a score of 21-19 which ultimately sealed the victory in a 75-minute encounter.

Indonesia Masters Super 750: Winner

In the final of the women’s singles, An orchestrated a remarkable comeback by defeating Spain’s three-time world champion Carolina Marin with a score of 18-21, 21-18, 21-13.

India Open Super 750: Winner

An Se Young halted the momentum of Akane Yamaguchi to make history as the first Korean player to secure the India Open Super 750 title at the K.D. Jadhav Hall in New Delhi. Yamaguchi, a two-time world champion and then world no. 1, had reached her third consecutive final on the BWF World Tour.

Asian Games 2023: Gold Medal

An Se-young, battled through knee pain against the reigning world champion and replicated her success over Olympic gold medalist Chen Yufei in the team final by securing a 21-12, 21-13 victory. She furthermore secured the top spot in the women’s singles category and the end the campaign by securing two gold medals.

BWF World Championships: Winner

The top-seeded, An Se-young, concluded a flawless tournament and secured the title by defeating two Olympic champions on her way to victory. In the semifinals, she dispatched Tokyo gold medalist Chen Yu Fei in straight games which set the stage for her historic win. An Se Young, 21, made history as the first woman from South Korea to claim singles gold at the BWF World Championships by defeating former champion Carolina Marin 21-12, 21-10 in the final on Sunday in Copenhagen.

Throughout the tournaments, An Se Young has consistently proven her standing among the elite in the world of badminton. In the Indonesia Open Super 1000, An Se Young reached the semifinals. Similarly, at the Kumamoto Masters Japan Super 500 and Malaysia Open Super 1000, she advanced to the semifinals showcasing consistent high-level performance. In the German Open Super 300, An Se Young emerged as the runner-up.

As we approach the conclusion of 2023, there is a strong anticipation that An Se-young will emerge as a top contender in Paris Olympics 2024.

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