An Se Young Withdraws from India Open 2024 Due to Knee Injury
Conor Hudson
Sat Jan 27 2024
In a surprising turn of events, world number one badminton player, An Se Young from South Korea, was forced to withdraw from the India Open 2024 after sustaining a knee injury. Despite her determination to continue playing, Young expressed concerns about the injury worsening, recalling a previous encounter at the Asian Games. This setback opens the door for other contenders to vie for the championship title.
An Se Young's premature exit came during her second-round match against Yeo Jia Min of Singapore. Trailing behind with a score of 19-21, 0-3, Young made the difficult decision to halt her participation. Yeo Jia Min, on the other hand, advanced to the semi-finals, where she will face fourth seed Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei. Young's compatriot, Nguyễn Thùy Linh, comfortably defeated He Bingjiao of China, securing her spot in the semi-finals as well. Other Chinese representatives, Chen Yu Fei (world number two) and Wang Zhi Yi (world number ten) also emerged victorious in the quarter-finals.
In the men's singles category, an unexpected upset occurred as Indonesian world number four Anthony Sinisuka Ginting was defeated by Hong Kong China's Lee Cheuk Yiu, ranked 18th globally. The intense match ended with a score of 21-17, 18-21, 21-13 in favor of Lee Cheuk Yiu, marking his first advancement beyond the early stages in recent tournaments. Ginting acknowledged the efforts made by both players but attributed his loss to some crucial mistakes on his part. Lee Cheuk Yiu expressed his growing confidence, highlighting the positive impact of working with Wong Choong Hann, his coach.
In another notable match, former world number two from Malaysia, Lee Zii Jia, suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Japan's Kodai Naraoka, ranked sixth worldwide. After a marathon match lasting 78 minutes, Naraoka emerged victorious with a score of 21-13, 9-21, 16-21. Lee Zii Jia had a promising start, comfortably leading with a score of 21-13 in the opening set. However, he struggled in the second set, allowing Naraoka to gain momentum and eventually level the score. The deciding game was a tense battle, with both players displaying excellent control, but ultimately, Naraoka broke away to secure a 13-21, 21-9, 21-16 victory. Naraoka will face Lee Cheuk Yiu in the semi-finals.
An Se Young's withdrawal due to a knee injury has shaken up the competition at the India Open 2024. As the tournament progresses, Yeo Jia Min, Tai Tzu Ying, Nguyễn Thùy Linh, Lee Cheuk Yiu, and Kodai Naraoka will compete for a place in the finals. The unexpected outcomes and intense matches have captivated badminton enthusiasts worldwide.