All England Open - Japan's Yamaguchi Akane tests World No. 1 An Se-young in a semi-final thriller to book Final spot
Yamaguchi Akane made An Se-young sweat and stumble during the All England Open Badminton Championships 2024 semi-final.
Last Updated: 09.18 PM, Mar 16, 2024
When discussing badminton, particularly women's singles, it has become widely acknowledged that Republic of Korea badminton star An Se-young is nearly unbeatable. She has maintained a strong hold on the No. 1 spot in the BWF Ranking, winning nearly every tournament from 2023 until the beginning of 2024. However, one player who has made her sweat, stumble, and even laugh ironically at the ongoing All England Open Badminton Championships 2024 is World No. 4 and three-time world champion, Yamaguchi Akane.
In their semi-final clash, Yamaguchi achieved the unexpected by defeating An Se-young in a gruelling hour and 20-minute battle. The World No. 1 lost 10-21, 21-19, and 14-21, handing the Japanese player the first victory over her.
In the first game, the Japanese star won with a significant margin of 21-10. Although An Se-young is nursing an injury to her right knee, it did not hinder her from playing exceptional badminton. However, against Yamaguchi, the Korean star appears to have fallen short.
The ace Korean player, who even got cramps on her uninjured leg, went on to put on a strong show in the second game, ultimately winning it 21-19. Nevertheless, the victory was hard-fought, as the two engaged in a 32-minute battle with extended rallies.
The third game saw Yamaguchi take a lead at the halfway stage 11-9, and she made sure to stretch her body everywhere to reach the shuttlecock. An Se-young, however, kept fighting, despite even calling the doctor for medical help and then continued playing. But the game was already in Yamaguchi's favour, who went all guns blazing to win 21-14.
An Se-young and Yamaguchi Akane at the All-England Open:
In the quarter-finals, An Se-young showcased her mesmerising form with a victory over Han Yue in the women's singles event. The world No. 1 and reigning world champion needed just 46 minutes to defeat the No. 8 seed Han from the People's Republic of China, securing a win with scores of 21-16, 21-19.
As for Yamaguchi Akane, she faced a tough challenge against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia in their quarter-final encounter. Initially appearing to dominate, the Japanese shuttler clinched the first game 21-10. However, Tunjung fought back strongly, claiming the second game 22-20 to level the match. The third game saw Yamaguchi seal the deal with a score of 21-18.