KUALA LUMPUR: The Paris Olympics is only in July but South Korea's An Se Young is already considered the favourite for the women's singles badminton gold.
After winning eight World Tour titles last year, Se Young got her 2024 season off to a flying start by clinching the Petronas Malaysia Open title today.
Se Young, who is the first South Korean singles player to win the title in the tournament's history, downed Taiwan's Tai Tzu Ying 10-21, 21-10, 21-18 at the Axiata Arena.
The Asian Games gold medallist said: "I'm happy to create history, it's a good start to the New Year.
"This is an important step in regaining my best form. Instead of just focusing on the Olympics, I will concentrate on recovering from injuries and getting back to optimal condition through training.
"My knee injury has still not fully healed, and it's my biggest concern."
On her being the favourite to win the Olympic gold, Se Young said: "I appreciate everyone's high expectations, but this is a significant tournament, so handling the pressure is not easy. I believe I need to focus on myself."
