Yamaguchi Opens Up After 9th Consecutive Loss to An Se-young: "All I Can Say Is 'It Can't Be Helped'"

Akane Yamaguchi, who took the silver medal after losing to An Se-young in the women's singles badminton final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, praised An's performance during a post-match press conference.

When asked about An's strengths, Yamaguchi responded, "If you ask what makes her stand out, it is everything," specifically pointing out her rally ability, defensive skills, and shot accuracy. "She can score from anywhere, and conversely, she doesn't give up points in any situation," she evaluated.

She also shared her honest thoughts on her nine-game losing streak against An. While she admitted that in the early stages of the streak she found herself thinking, "Has the gap widened?" or "Is there nothing I can do anymore?", she noted that recently there have been more situations where she sees a breakthrough in her offense, adding that she will prepare so she can win again.

Sports Mug brings you Yamaguchi's press conference immediately following her defeat in the final.

(Reported by Yu Byung-min | Produced and edited by Jinhyeong Park | Video by Yang Doo-won | Produced by Sports News Department)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.