Breaking news! Chen Yufei leads An Se-young 21–15, poised to make history at the World Championships

On August 30th, Beijing time, the women's singles semifinals of the Badminton World Championships commenced. China's Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei faced a challenge from Korea's world number one An Se-young. After the first game, Chen Yufei showed greater stability, winning 21–15 and taking a 1–0 lead over the top-ranked An Se-young.

In the opening game, Chen Yufei played very steadily. An Se-young accelerated mid-game, but Chen patiently defended to secure a 15–10 lead. Afterwards, An closed the gap by speeding up, but at 13–15, Chen’s attacks became sharper, scoring consecutive points to extend her lead to 18–13, five points ahead. It is evident that Chen Yufei has adjusted well in this championship; she is also the only player this season to have defeated An Se-young. Chen controlled her unforced errors well in the first game and showed great patience against An, which contributed to her lead. Towards the end, An didn’t give up, but Chen remained composed, holding her ground in long rallies and eventually winning the first game 21–15 after a challenge.

In the second game, An Se-young increased her speed and offensive play, making the score tightly contested. The game was tied 3–3 early on, but at 6–3, Chen Yufei suddenly twisted her ankle at the backcourt, causing the match to pause. Chen’s condition looks concerning; let’s all cheer for her.