World No. 1 An Se-young opened her Asian Games campaign Tuesday, overwhelming her Malaysian opponent as South Korea reached the semifinals of the women's badminton team event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
Playing the first singles match against Malaysia in the quarterfinals, An beat world No. 28 Letshanaa Karupathevan 2-0, taking the opening game in just 16 minutes. Korea won the best-of-five match 3-1.
"You can't handle the pressure of a stage this big without going a little crazy," she told reporters after the match at the mixed zone. "So that became my motto."
"Before every match, I can't help feeling a little weak. The thought of winning 21 points alone on the court can be daunting," she added. "But when I focus only on the point right in front of me, I actually feel stronger."
A double gold medalist at the Hangzhou Games, An is chasing another team title this time. "With my teammates cheering behind me, it's fun, and it makes me want to win even more," she said. "My condition is not bad, and above all, I'm glad I can help the team."
She said she is not in top condition yet, as the Games have just begun, but that she is playing her own style without fearing mistakes. South Korea will face the winner of the India-Japan tie for a place in the final.
After the team event, An will begin another gold-medal quest in the women’s individual badminton event on Friday, with the final set for Sept. 29.
limdoyun0603@heraldcorp.com
