South Korean badminton player An Se-young speaks during the national team press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 18, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Badminton star An Se-young said Monday she will try to add to her fond memories of winning tournaments in France when she goes for her second straight world title in Paris later this month.
An, world No. 1, will be the defending champion in the women’s singles when the 29th edition of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships begin in the French capital on Aug. 25. The final will be Aug. 31.
An, 23, has won several international tournaments in France, most notably her first Olympic gold medal in Paris last summer. The world championships will be played at the same venue in the French capital.
“I’ve always played well in France, and I can’t wait to see what kind of performance I will have there,” An said at a national team press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, 85 kilometers south of Seoul. “I’ve been quite lucky at times in France and I have good feelings about competing in France again.”
In addition to her Olympic gold, An won the Orleans Masters title in France in March this year and the French Open title in March 2024.
An, though, stressed that it will take more than just positive vibes in France to defend her crown.
“I tend to do better when I start a tournament with a clean slate,” An said. “I will try to forget about the past and have a fresh mindset.”
Even by her lofty standards, An is enjoying an impressive season. She has reeled off six titles on the BWF World Tour, including the prestigious All England Open title.
An retired from the semifinals at the China Open in late July due to fatigue, with her staff also exercising caution to make sure An’s knees would be rested for the world championships.
She said she has been a full participant in all recent practice sessions and added, “I am trying to peak in time for the world championships.”
Players and coaches for the South Korean national badminton team pose for photos after their joint press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, on Aug. 18, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
For four of those six wins, An defeated world No. 2 from China, Wang Zhiyi, in the finals. An and Wang are seeded first and second in Paris and could clash once again in the final.
No. 3 and No. 4 seeds at the worlds, Han Yue and Chen Yufei, are also from China.
An has beaten Wang 13 times in their 17 meetings so far. She holds an 8-2 record over Han and a 13-13 mark against Chen.
“I have struggled against Chinese players at times in the past but I’ve always managed to find my rhythm,” An said. “It’s never easy going up against Chinese players because they are all great. But I think I can bring home the results I want if I just focus on my own game and not think too much about my opponents.”
An, long known for her defensive style of play, has tried to adopt more of an attacking approach lately. It paid off with her unblemished win at the Japan Open in mid-July, when she did not drop a game while winning five straight matches.
“I was able to execute what I’d worked on at the Japan Open and I was really satisfied with the way I played,” she said. “But I think I have long ways to go. I have to be more consistent.”
Head coach Park Joo-bong agreed that An’s offensive-minded approach remains a work in progress.
“I am a little worried that she will put too much pressure on herself because she is a perfectionist,” Park added. “She has to realize she will lose at some point. So at the world championships, she will really have a battle against herself.”
In addition to An’s title at the previous worlds in Copenhagen in 2023, South Korea won two other gold medals to lead all countries with three, with Seo Seung-jae and Kang Min-hyuk claiming the men’s doubles title and Seo teaming up with Chae Yu-jung for the mixed doubles gold medal.
This time, Seo will have a new partner in the men’s doubles with Kim Won-ho, and will not compete in the mixed doubles. Chae will play with Lee Jong-min, who turns 19 next week, in the mixed doubles instead.
Seo and Kim have won five titles on the BWF World Tour this year and climbed to No. 1 in the world rankings after winning the Japan Open in July.
“I will be concentrating on just one event this year, and I will try to put my body and my mind in the best condition possible,” Seo said. “I won’t dwell on the past and I will only worry about what I can do better going forward.”
With Lee being the youngest member on the national team, Chae, 30, said, “It won’t be easy but I will try to lead him at this big tournament the best I can.”
(Yonhap)