[Asian Games] Women's Badminton Advances to Semifinals with a 'Complete Victory' over Maldives...

Korean women's badminton made a strong start by winning their first match in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games team event.

On the 29th, Korea defeated the Maldives 3-0 in the women's team quarterfinals held at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Not dropping a single set to the Maldives and with the total match time being only about 70 minutes, they were able to conserve their energy.

[Image source= Xinhua News Agency]

The first player, world No. 1 An Se-young (21, Samsung Life), easily defeated Abdul Razak Fatimas Navaha, ranked 205th in the world, 2-0 (21-1, 21-5). The match was overwhelmingly one-sided, ending in just 20 minutes. For An Se-young, who did not participate in the team event and was eliminated in the first round of the individual event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, this was her first victory at the Asian Games.

The smooth progress of Korean players continued in the second and third singles matches. World No. 18 Kim Ga-eun (Samsung Life) defeated Abdul Razak Aminas Navihah (ranked 213th) 2-0 (21-7, 21-4). World No. 126 Kim Ga-ram (KGC Ginseng Corporation) also beat Rashid Aishas Afnan (ranked 688th) 2-0 (21-3, 21-1).

Generally, team events proceed in the order of singles-doubles-singles-doubles-singles, but considering the Maldives' situation where one player competes in both singles and doubles, the three singles matches were scheduled first on this day.

Korea's semifinal opponent will be the winner of the quarterfinal match between Thailand and India. After suffering the humiliation of 'no medals' at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, Korean badminton aims to medal in all seven events, including the men's and women's team events, at this tournament.