KUALA LUMPUR — Paris Olympics gold medallist An Se-young remains determined to silence her critics as she targets this year’s Malaysia Open title.
The 22-year-old South Korean, who is the tournament’s defending champion, expressed her resolve following a commanding performance that saw her defeat Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 21-14, 21-18 in just 50 minutes, securing a spot in the final for the second consecutive year.
Speaking to Scoop after her match, Se-young, a winner of 23 World Tour titles, vowed to stay focused and not let external challenges disrupt her quest for victory in tomorrow’s final.
“2025 is going to be different for me, and I pledge to be a new animal on the court. I’m not trying to sound boastful, but I’ve been through a lot last year, and this year my focus is on taking down my opponents and securing victories in all the competitions I compete in.
“While I prefer not to blame anyone for some of the external issues I faced, my primary focus in participating in this tournament is to transform my frustrations into victories. Instead of dwelling on those who can’t accept my honesty, I’d rather prove myself on the court.
“The Malaysia Open is always one of my favourite tournaments to play in my career, as I love the hospitality here, the crowd, and the way they always push me to the edge in each and every game.
“I enjoy playing against Ratchanok today, and it’s always fun playing against her. She’s like my elder sister, and we always treat each other with mutual respect.
“I’m still hungry for success, and I’ll give everything to win the title against whoever I face tomorrow,” said Se-young during her post-match interview.
Se-young will face China’s world number two Wang Zhi Yi in tomorrow’s final after Zhi Yi overcame Thailand’s Pornpicha Choeikeewong 21-16, 21-12 in the semi-finals.
Off the court, Se-young has been embroiled in a dispute with the Badminton Korea Association (BKA).
She has openly criticised the BKA for neglecting player welfare and practising favouritism, claiming she was forced to compete while injured for over a year leading up to the Paris Olympics.
Her remarks have prompted South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to launch an investigation.
During a recent briefing, the ministry revealed interim findings, including a controversial BKA policy that restricts players under the age of 28 (for men) and 27 (for women) or with less than five years of national team experience from participating in BWF international tournaments.
The ministry stated that it would recommend the BKA abolish this policy, as it denies many Korean players the opportunity to compete internationally.
The investigation also uncovered that players were unaware they were entitled to prize money from sponsors for their international achievements.
The ministry alleged that the BKA had withheld all prize money from players and amended its rules in June 2021, removing a requirement to allocate 20% of sponsorship funds to national team members. — January 11, 2025