Latest news with #SeYoung
New Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Absent Se Young hogs limelight in Malaysia Masters final
KUALA LUMPUR: The world No. 2 who beat the world No. 3 today, was left postulating how far ahead is the world No. 1. That was how China's Wang Zhi Yi felt after successfully defending her Malaysia Masters title by beating compatriot Han Yue 13-21, 21-13, 21-18 in the women's singles final of the Malaysia Masters at Axiata Arena today. The person on Zhi Yi's mind was not even at the venue. South Korean An Se Young, the numero uno, skipped the Malaysia Masters. Zhi Yi, 25, pointed out that Se Young's current dominance is pushing the sport to new heights. Zhi Yi echoed the sentiments of Japan's world No. 4 Akane Yamaguchi who said earlier this week that the rest of the world are still playing catch-up with Se Young. "I think it's because she (Se Young) can maintain a very high level for a long time," said Zhi Yi. "Whenever we play against her, it's a challenging situation, but having such a strong opponent is beneficial — it pushes us all to improve. "She possesses many admirable qualities, and there's a lot we can learn from her."
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
The world is trying to catch up with Se Young
KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea's women's shuttler An Se Young has surged so far ahead, that the rest of the world is struggling to catch up with her. That was the admission by Japan's world No. 4 Akane Yamaguchi after she reached the Malaysia Masters semi-finals after beating China's world No. 14, Gao Fang Jie, 18-21, 21-16, 22-20 at the Axiata Arena on Friday. Akane is impressed by the arcane rise of Olympic champion and world No. 1 Se Young. "Previously, we were rivals and there was not much that separated us. But she has now surged ahead of everyone and we are all trying to catch up to her," she said. Although Akane holds a 14-12 edge in her head-to-head record against Se Young, the Korean has claimed victory in three of their last five meetings. Se Young aside, Akane, 27, will have to deal with the rise of Chinese shuttlers. She will next face China's world No. 3 Han Yue — who ousted Indonesia's world No. 13, Putri Kusuma Wardani, 21-12, 21-13 — in the Malaysia Masters quarter-finals. Akane, who used to battle stalwarts such as 2012 Olympic gold medallist Li Xuerui and former world champion Wang Yihan, has witnessed a changing of the guard among China's women's singles players on the World Tour. While the current crop — including world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi, Han Yue and Chen Yufei — remain formidable, Akane felt they lack the dominance of their predecessors. "Chinese players have always been strong. But compared to Xuerui and Yihan, the current generation is not as dominant," she added.
