New Delhi, August 17: World number one player An Se-young began her campaign at the BWF World Championship with a victory, defeating Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova 21-14, 21-13. The star athlete revealed that she is still recovering from an ankle injury.
The 23-year-old shuttler was seen icing her ankle after the match. Despite some discomfort, the South Korean player expressed satisfaction with her physical condition. Following her win, An stated to reporters, “I’m very happy to be back. Physically, everything is fine, so I hope to perform even better in the next match. There is a bit of pain, but I want to get back into my rhythm, so I hope everything will be alright and I will achieve a good result. However, the recovery process is ongoing.”
When asked about the injury and whether she has fully recovered, An briefly replied, “It’s taking time to heal.”
The ankle injury remains a concern for An, the current world number one, who needs more time to regain full fitness. She mentioned, “I need more time to recover from my injury. I believe there will be improvement by the next match.”
Despite the injury, An showcased impressive and composed gameplay against Nalbantova, securing a straight-game victory. However, she does not consider the match to be easy. She praised her opponent’s aggressive play, saying, “I think no tournament is easy for me, and today was no different. Her shots and attacks were formidable, but I try to stay calm and face every shot head-on.”
As the tournament progresses, maintaining her composure will be crucial for An. The World Championship is taking place during a busy calendar period. While she acknowledged the challenges of the schedule, she emphasized the importance of focusing on the competition while also taking care of her body.
She added, “I think, yes, of course, playing in this tournament is tough, but we should give our best performance. We are athletes, so it’s essential to avoid injuries. We must put in our utmost effort for good results. The timing for the India Open in January is also very good, but today’s tournament is even better. I think I love India.”
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