Badminton world No.1 An Se-young tells dad to keep it down at Asian Games
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South Korea's An Se-young returns a shot against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi at the Asian Games team event semi-finals on Sept 23.
PHOTO: EPA
NAGOYA – Badminton world No. 1 An Se-young had stern words for her watching father as her frustrations threatened to boil over in victory at the Asian Games in Japan on Sept 23.
The reigning world and Olympic champion from South Korea defeated home player Akane Yamaguchi in three tough games in the semi-finals of the women’s team event in Nagoya.
But the 24-year-old was not always at her brilliant best against the world No. 3, winning 21-9, 18-21, 21-11.
“I think I expressed it too forcefully, to make myself notice that I was making mistakes,” she said of her visible frustrations.
“I should not have done that. From now on I need to hold it in more.”
An said the fact that she could hear everything in the crowd, including the commentators, was proof of her poor concentration.
Most of all, she said, she was aware of parents watching in the arena.
“Parents usually cannot bear to watch their own children compete, but my dad seems to watch perfectly happily, which is a bit much.
“I am out there running myself into the ground and he is just cheering away in comfort.”
Japan recovered to win the semi-final 3-1 and will meet China in the final on Sept 24. The Chinese beat Indonesia 3-0 in the other semi-final.
The men’s team final will be contested by China and Indonesia, who respectively overcame India and Thailand 3-1 in the last four. AFP