(C) Gulf Times

BIRMINGHAM, UK – The world’s undisputed badminton queen, An Se-young (24), is set to grace the courts of the Utilita Arena Birmingham this week, chasing her third All England Open title and a historic milestone for South Korean badminton.

The All England Open, a prestigious BWF World Tour Super 1000 event with 126 years of tradition, kicks off on the 3rd. For An, the stakes are higher than ever: a victory here would make her the first South Korean player ever to achieve consecutive women’s singles titles at this storied tournament.

The Pursuit of Legends

An Se-young enters the competition on the back of a staggering 32-match winning streak. Having not tasted defeat since September 2023, she is currently rewriting the record books. Her streak is the third-longest in women’s singles history, trailing only China’s Xie Xingfang (34 wins) and the legendary Susi Susanti of Indonesia (59 wins). If An reaches the final in Birmingham, she is poised to surpass Xie’s record.

The Indonesian media outlet Kompas recently highlighted her dominance, noting, "An Se-young is now in hot pursuit of the 59-win record held by the legend Susi Susanti."

A Path Littered with Giants

The road to the podium will not be easy. The tournament features a "Who’s Who" of badminton, including China’s elite trio—Wang Zhiyi (World No. 2), Chen Yufei (No. 3), and Han Yue (No. 5)—as well as Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi (No. 4).

According to the draw, An is expected to face her long-time rival, Chen Yufei, in a high-voltage semifinal clash. Meanwhile, other top seeds like Wang Zhiyi and Yamaguchi will battle it out on the opposite side of the bracket. An will begin her campaign in the Round of 32 against Turkey’s Neslihan Arin (World No. 37).

The "Undefeated Season" Vision

Coming off a stellar 2023 where she swept the BWF Player of the Year award for the third consecutive time, An’s momentum in 2024 remains flawless. After winning the Malaysia and India Opens earlier this year, she led the Korean national team to victory at the Asia Team Championships last month.

"My ultimate goal is to finish an entire year without a single loss," An recently stated, revealing her ambition for a "perfect season."

Korean Contingent Strengthened

The Korean squad also sees the return of Seo Seung-jae, who has recovered from a shoulder injury to pair up with Kim Won-ho in the Men’s Doubles. The duo, alongside Women’s Doubles powerhouses Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na, are all strong contenders for gold, aiming to replicate the multi-medal success Korea enjoyed last year.

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