“badminton’s Messi” Set to Ignite Australian Open, Sparking Local Excitement
Sydney, Australia is anticipating the arrival of world number one Ahn Se-young, dubbed “Badminton‘s Messi,” for the 2025 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 500 Australian Open, taking place at the Quay Center in Sydney Olympic Park from Febuary 18th to 23rd.
Ahn Se-young recently secured consecutive Super 750 titles at the Denmark Open and French Open last month, and is strategically limiting her tournament schedule this month to focus on peak performance. Following the Japan Masters in Kumamoto (February 11th-16th), she will compete in the Australian Open, both Super 500 events offering a total prize money of $475,000.
Managing ongoing ankle injuries, Ahn se-young initially planned to participate solely in the Australian Open, though a potential appearance at the Japan Masters remained conditional. Following the Australian Open, she will travel to Hangzhou, China for the BWF World Tour Finals from December 17th to 21st, a tournament boasting a $3 million prize pool, marking the conclusion of her competitive year.
The confirmation of Ahn Se-young’s participation has generated considerable enthusiasm in Australia. The official Australian Open website and social media channels have featured posters showcasing Korean players, including Ahn Se-young, Baek Ha-na, and Lee So-hee (women’s doubles). With top Chinese badminton players absent from the tournament, local fans are particularly eager to witness Ahn Se-young’s performance.
the Australian Open’s official SNS account expressed their excitement, stating, “Ahn Se-young, who won the 2022 Australian Open women’s singles and is currently ranked number one in the world, is coming.”
Fan reactions reflect this anticipation,with comments such as “Korea is the country that possesses Ahn Se-young,” “We can’t wait for the sparkling star Ahn Se-young,” and “Badminton’s messi,ahn Se-young,is coming.”
Ahn Se-young aims to add a tenth international title to her extraordinary 2024 record at the australian open. She has already claimed victories at the Malaysia Open, Indonesia Open, All England Open (Super 1000), India Open, Japan Open, China Masters, Denmark Open, French Open (Super 500), and Orleans Masters (Super 300).
[Photo = Yonhap News / Australian Open website]
