NEW DELHI: Packed to the rafters, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium was witnessing history on multiple fronts on Sunday.
Her semi-final win over China’s Wang Zhi Yi had pushed An to the brink, leaving her physically drained. Yet, true champions find another gear when the stakes are highest. The simple things are very important. This is the winning reason. “We stopped training for three weeks for recovery. We tried to skip this tournament, but she very strongly wanted to play. We discussed it, it’s her choice and I support it. Park’s tactical preparation paid dividends. Anticipating Yamaguchi’s blistering pace, the Korean camp analysed the Japanese’s attacking game. “She knows how to play. Beneath the tactical praise lay the challenge of managing a generational talent’s ambition. “Even with the same tournament load, she has many matches. We worry about this injury… but still, she wants to play, so we have to take care of her body condition in the future. “The excitement of playing a final brings quite a lot of energy. With that speed, I showed I could play long, for like two hours.”
Coming into the tournament, 24-year-old Korean sensation An boasted an otherworldly 38-1 season record, yet questions lingered over her physical condition. Trailing in the tense moments of the opening game (16-15) against the fast Yamaguchi, An unlocked a new level of tactical clarity. From 17-all, she rattled off four consecutive points to seize the opener. In the second game, she orchestrated a stunning sprint from 11-10, closing out the match in straight games.
Taping below her right knee told a story of remarkable endurance. “I focused on my recovery first, and recovered very well,” said An, her grin masking the exhaustion. “In July, An was worried about the World Championships, whether she can play or not,” Park said. Her control is very good, so is her defence,” Park said. “I’m not going to lie, I can definitely play one more game,” said an ecstatic Lanier, who stood out for his stroke production and tactical control.
“Today’s match was about fighting.
