Can PV Sindhu, Yamaguchi, Tai Tzu beat World No. 1 An Se Young?

While Marin had no precedent in Spain, Se Young is the first Korean women’s singles player to rise to World No 1 this last week since 1996 when Bang Soo Hyun attained the pinnacle. The 21-year-old Se Young wasn’t even born when Soo Hyun won the Olympics, but will attempt to emulate her at Paris. A closer test comes this year at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, and the World Championships in Copenhagen, where the likes of Chen Yufei and Akane Yamaguchi will look to peak. Neither has won the Asian Games and Olympic champion Chen is looking for her first world title. While Se Young is yet to tick those boxes too, amongst her age group, she is unparalleled having reached the No 1 already on the back of 7 title wins in 2023 from 10 finals and 11 tournaments.

Nowhere is the excellence of the footwork as pronounced as when Se Young plays Tai Tzu Ying, against whom she has a staggering 8-2 record, having won the last four times. It’s a mix of anticipation and being well prepared. The good footwork sees her reach the shuttle on time, from where she doesn’t make errors and has enough in her armour to attack. She has very good balance in her fluent striding, and her movement is economical – she conserves energy too. With her height, she doesn’t need to jump when not required, she does just enough.

That footwork is just the kryptonite to Tai Tzu’s game — the Taiwanese doesn’t like it when everything she hits is coming back. And Se Young’s balance means she’s not caught on deception. With the shuttle going back to her, Tai Tzu often runs out of ideas. Se Young has shown the ability to keep up with Yamaguchi’s speed and is undaunted facing the reigning world champion, while Se Young has shown she can scramble against all of Chen Yufei’s strokes.

“The whole package of her is sensational – footwork, age, temperament, her coaching team, mindset of learning, consistency and she has the strokes,” Popat explains. It’s not one stroke that’s a wow factor – she doesn’t necessarily have Sindhu’s jump smash or Tai Tzu’s deception or an extraordinary shot. But she can be a beautiful player to watch with her nice, clean strokes that can also power through.

India’s PV Sindhu. (PTI)

Bang Soo Hyun was quick and steady, but Se Young has the same straight racquet Korean playing style with the clean geometric lines of footwork. Her dives and movement on the flanks are also very impressive. Court coverage (through footwork) with good strokes becomes important in women’s singles because compared to taller men who can hit a solid smash and run to the net, women expend a lot of energy in getting under the shuttle. Se Young holds an advantage over most of her opponents owing to her footwork.

Her game is also conditions-agnostic: unlike strokeplayers or overtly defensive players who prefer fast or slow courts, Se Young has a steady game, not reliant on court drift conditions. “Her game reminds me of Momota – the pace of it. She can push, come back, move forward, there’s a calmness in her movement, approach and temperament. She can also slow down the pace of the game, play soft,” Popat says. Se Young combines relative freshness with her experience, at a time when Sindhu has been erratic, and Chen Yufei and Yamaguchi inconsistent, and Tai Tzu not at her physical best.

To be sure, all these players at their very best on a very good day, can still push her. She’s not that far ahead either. Someone who has power and strokes and doesn’t allow her to control the pace can still beat her. “If Sindhu plays the attacking game of 2019, Chen Yufei can revive her Olympics form or Yamaguchi when she plays those out of her mind shots, or tight accurate net or outright win smashes, can still push An Se Young. It’ll come down to tactics effectively,” Popat explains.

Much of Se Young’s coolness also lies in how unhassled she is, by leads. The likes of Tai Tzu and Chen Yufei and Yamaguchi still dominate her – though in spurts. Se Young is not threatened by giving away 5 points to their brilliance. She is riding the confidence of someone who knows she will get to the 21 points first, no matter what the game situation. Her footwork gleams with that assurance.