Akane Yamaguchi, Japan’s best female badminton player who lost to An Se Young in the final of the BWF World Championships, actually expressed her gratitude to An Se-young.
Akane Yamaguchi returned to Japan on the 25th after completing the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships.
Yamaguchi, who won a silver medal in the women’s singles event at the tournament, met with reporters after returning home and reflected on the competition.
According to Japanese media Nippon Telenews, Yamaguchi stated, “I still accept the result and at the same time regret the defeat,” adding, “Defeating in the final was also a very valuable experience. I want to work hard to continue improving in the future.”
In particular, his assessment of An Se-young, his opponent in the final, attracted attention.
Akane Yamaguchi gave An Se-young a thumbs up, calling her a “very strong player” and praising her as “a player who almost always wins.”
He added, “I think it’s really something to be grateful for that there are players who allow even players like me, who have come this far, to continue to challenge themselves,” emphasizing, “It’s also very good for me to have players who make me think that I still need to improve.”
This is an expression of gratitude for the presence of Ahn Se-young, who continues to keep his fighting spirit alive.
Yamaguchi reached the top of women’s singles at the World Championships in 2021, 2022 and 2025.
In this tournament, he is aiming for the fourth World Championship title of his career. Should Yamaguchi reach the top, he could become the player with the most titles in history.
However, he faced world number one An Se young in the final and was unable to overcome An’s odds.
These two players have long competed for the top spot in women’s singles.
Yamaguchi did not feel burdened by competition with Ahn Se-young. On the contrary, he stated that the presence of opponents who were stronger than him was a new driver in his career.
Meanwhile, this World Championship has another meaning for Yamaguchi.
Kumamoto, where his team, Saishunkan Pharmaceutical, is located, suffered damage from the earthquake that occurred on the 28th of last month.
It was reported that Akane Yamaguchi was also at her home in Kumamoto at the time. That experience influenced his mindset regarding this World Championship.
Yamaguchi said, “I realized once again that being able to do what we love is not something to be taken for granted,” adding, “While the results are important, I feel that fighting to the best of my ability is what is truly important.”
He continued his reflection, “I was able to face this competition with the mindset to do my best without thinking too much about the results.”
Akane Yamaguchi, who has no regrets about the results, added, “I would be very happy if I had given strength and vitality to one more person.”
Article Tags: akane yamaguchi, an se young, bwf world championship
Published by Ligaolahraga.com at https://www.ligaolahraga.com/badminton/akane-yamaguchi-tak-menysal-kalah-dari-an-se-young-di-kejuaraan-dunia