▲ South Korean national badminton player An Se-young practices during an open training session.
The South Korean women's badminton team, spearheaded by the tournament's most anticipated sports star and the undisputed powerhouse An Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance), is taking its first steps toward a second consecutive team title.
Led by coach Park Joo-bong, the national badminton team will kick off its team event schedule on September 22.
With a target of three gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals at this tournament, the women's team event is one of the gold-medal categories South Korea is counting on.
At the previous Hangzhou Asian Games, the South Korean women's badminton team rode An Se-young's stellar performance to defeat China and capture their first gold medal since the 1994 Hiroshima Games, and they are determined to stand atop the podium once again.
The most formidable competitor standing in the way of victory is, as expected, China.
China boasts an ultra-luxurious roster with 9 out of its 10 team event entries ranked inside the top 10 in the world, excluding Han Qianxi (ranked 29th in singles).
The squad features women's doubles world number ones Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, fourth-ranked Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian, alongside women's singles second-ranked Wang Zhiyi, fourth-ranked Chen Yufei, and ninth-ranked Han Yue.
Mixed doubles number one Huang Dongping and third-ranked Wei Yaxin have also joined, forming a formidable lineup with no apparent weaknesses.
Although evaluations suggest they may lag slightly in objective prowess, South Korea's momentum is by no means easy to dismiss.
This is because the team boasts a surefire winning card in An Se-young, and has repeatedly broken down the Great Wall to reach the top of the world in major team competitions this year.
The national team warmed up in February this year by defeating a second-tier Chinese squad in the final of the Asia Team Championships to claim their first-ever title.
In the ensuing final of the Uber Cup (World Women's Team Badminton Championships), they decisively crushed a full-strength Chinese squad 3-1 to proudly stand on top of the podium.
Beyond An Se-young, reliable players capable of staging an upset at any moment are standing by.
Women's doubles second-ranked Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na (both of Incheon International Airport), who recently captured the championship at the World Championships by defeating China's world number one pair, will anchor the team firmly.
Sixth-ranked Kim Hye-jeong (Samsung Life Insurance) and Kong Hee-yong (JB Bank), though temporarily slowed by injuries, are also fully prepared to unleash their true capabilities at any time.
In addition, women's singles 12th-ranked Kim Ga-eun (Samsung Life Insurance) previously played a pivotal role in winning the gold medal by pulling off a sensation against Chen Yufei during the Uber Cup.
The badminton team event consists of three singles and two doubles matches, with the country that secures three wins first out of five matches taking the victory.
Each match is played under the best-of-three sets format (21 points per set), identical to standard badminton regulations.
The tournament bracket is also favorable.
Having received a bye through the Round of 16, South Korea will immediately step into the quarterfinals on September 22 to face the winner of the match between Hong Kong and Malaysia.
In the semifinals, they are likely to clash with the winner of the India-Japan match, and barring any upsets, they are expected to comfortably advance to the final stage to compete against China for the gold medal.
Meanwhile, the South Korean men's national team will begin its campaign on September 21 with the Round of 16 of the team event.
Although men's doubles world number ones Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho (both of Samsung Life Insurance) anchor the squad, there are no other suitable contenders in singles to rival powerhouse China or Indonesia, making a rocky road ahead realistically expected in the quest for the title.
Earlier, the men's team suffered a painful 2-3 comeback defeat against China in the semifinals of the Asia Team Championships—where Seo Seung-jae was absent—concluding the tournament in joint third place.
Furthermore, in the group stage of the Thomas Cup (World Men's Team Badminton Championships), they were grouped with Taiwan, Denmark, and Sweden, and despite recording two wins and one loss, they finished third in their group, failing to advance to the quarterfinals.
The draw was also unkind to them.
Facing Hong Kong in the Round of 16, South Korea will face the burden of immediately confronting the heavy title favorites China—who received a bye past the Round of 16—in the quarterfinals even if they win their opening match.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.