When An Se Young steps onto court at the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025 in Paris next week, she will do so as the defending champion, Olympic gold medallist and world No.1.
At just 23, the charismatic Korean has collected titles and accolades most players would take a lifetime to achieve. She’s already considered one of the best of all time among her peers and fans. Yet if you ask her, she will tell you the greatest opponent she faces is not in the draw.
“All opponents are threats to me, but the biggest threat is actually myself,” she said after discovering she will play world No.101 Clara Lassaux in the opening round at the Adidas Arena.
It is a revealing comment from a player whose composure on court often gives the impression of unshakeable confidence. But behind that calm exterior lies a perfectionist who admits nerves and pressure are part of the job.
“I do feel nervous and a lot of pressure but I try not to reveal it. Learning how to enjoy even those emotions is part of the process,” she explained.
Her preparations for Paris have been shadowed by the knee injury that troubled her when she withdrew from her semifinal against Han Yue at the China Open last month. Fortunately, recovery has gone well.
“My knee has recovered a lot and even if some of my training was intense, I was still able to follow it. Recovery is almost at 100 per cent,” she said, adding she has been able to take part in most of the national team’s training programme.
An’s side of the draw has placed her alongside familiar rivals such as Gregoria Mariska Tunjung and Michelle Li, as well as compatriot Sim Yu Jin. For An, however, it is not the names that matter.
“At the World Championships, there’s no match I can take lightly. I just need to face them one by one,” she remarked.
Paris holds special memories for her. Last year she won Olympic gold and lifted the French Open at the same venue. Yet she is wary of relying on history.
“Past success does not secure this year’s success. I just want to show what I’ve prepared and perform at my best. Then results will follow.”
Her season has already brought six titles, including three Super 1000s, a testament to her relentless consistency. The secret, she insists, lies in the balance between ambition and focus.
“At the start of the year I just tried to enjoy the game but as time went on, I became more eager to win and started to put more expectations on myself.”
That determination was evident at the Indonesia Open in June, when she staged a remarkable comeback against Wang Zhi Yi in the final. Trailing one game and down 17-9 in the second, she refused to give in.
“I focused on one point at a time. I saw my opponent was shaken. I tried to exploit that weakness,” she recalled.
If Paris is to bring her another gold, it will be because of that same mindset: a champion who understands the toughest battles are often fought within.
