PARIS — An Se-young, the world's top-ranked badminton player, has advanced to the semifinals of the women's singles event at the Paris Olympics, following a hard-fought victory over Japanese rival Akane Yamaguchi. The match, which took place on Saturday at La Chapelle Arena, saw An overcome a first-game defeat to win 2-1 (15-21, 21-17, 21-8).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Yamaguchi initially dominated the court with skillful play, forcing An to defend aggressively. However, An regained her composure in the second game, leveraging errors from Yamaguchi to shift the momentum. The final game saw An dominate, executing powerful shots that Yamaguchi struggled to return, culminating in a victory sealed by a Yamaguchi error. An's win not only propels her into the semifinals but also continues her pursuit of Olympic glory, adding another chapter to her already illustrious career.