ASY narrowly misplaced out to Marin in three units within the Denmark Open QF. And whereas the headlines will learn that An reached the Quarters (which is certainly an achievement for anybody, not to mention a 17 yo teen, the underlying story is certainly one of a younger participant and her teaching workers that totally ready for the match however didn’t adapt in time to the fluid actuality of competitors.
In the course of the first intermission, the korean coaches have been reminding An to keep away from the rear forehand nook as Marin’s shot pace and selection make it too harmful. They reminded her to carry to Marin’s backhand nook, as per the unique sport plan. In addition they inspired her to calm down play herself into the match forsaking her nervousness. The coach made an fascinating remark telling her to maintain the large image in thoughts (most likely as a result of it was thought An was more likely to lose the primary set) and that they’re taking a look at a three-set match. With this adjustment and by the mix of her quick motion and stable shot making, she rallied and received the primary set, and that on a smash.
The coaches recommended her on her play (they mentioned extra alongside the strains of “see, what we talked about labored…”) and made point out of being sensible in shot choice when she was in her rear forehand nook (I take it in order to not make a shot that opened her as much as Marin’s assault). Then the protection went to Marin.
Within the second set’s intermission with An main 11-9, her coach instructed her to maintain yo-yo-ing Marin forwards and backwards and that this may trigger Marin to make errors. Furthermore, An was to not interact in drives or play that will pace up the sport as that will be advantageous for Marin. And if An was in hassle, she was to carry excessive and provides herself an opportunity to get well and reset the rally. (I believe the recommendation right here was stable, and the difficulty when main is that typically what you have been doing is profitable, which means that there isn’t a crucial to alter, or to place it extra positively, one ought to preserve with the working technique. However certainly a high class opponent and their (high class?) coach would make modifications lest the sport proceed in the identical pattern.
Within the following sequence, Marin continued her attacking model, made fewer errors (most likely as a result of she was instructed: “cease forcing the shot when you find yourself backing up and late…”), started to regulate to An’s playbook (certainly with extra recommendation from Rivas). Then on sport level for Marin, An hit a smash to Marin’s forehand that got here again, after which made a drive shot proper to Marin’s forehand that got here again quick to which she may solely make a weak reply that was completed off by Marin. The precise warning from coach to keep away from drives was unheeded in that closing rally that despatched the sport into the third set. And whereas matches should not often received or misplaced due to one rally, provided that the rating was 19-20, profitable that rally would have meant 20-all at which level it could have been anybody’s sport.
To the coach’s credit score, he remained calm (regardless of the regretful end result of the second set) and reminded An to maintain working Marin forwards and backwards, and to maintain avoiding lifting to Marin’s forehand. The protection went to Marin for a bit, and when it got here again to An, her coaches have been reminding her that she wasn’t attacking sufficient, and that she needed to assault every so often, even when it went out typically.
On the primary rally of the third set, Marin pounced on An’s internet shot. This was the primary main warning (to each An, and particularly her coaches) that Marin was on to their sample and technique. After all, the difficulty at this event was that the shuttles have been quick and now the drift unfavourable so lifting or pushing deep was dangerous. However, one has to find out if the technique must be modified or not. When an opponent makes a netkill, the participant’s confidence to play future internet pictures is affected.
An performed the subsequent half set with good management, particularly with high quality internet play (regardless of the sooner internet kill). Marin continued with errors into the web, whereas An’s lifts typically went lengthy (most likely as a result of drift). An’s larger consistency and Marin’s errors that stemmed from the gameplan led to An main 11-8 on the interval the place they’d change ends.
Sadly, there was no protection of what the Korean coaches mentioned throughout this interval. The play resumed with An making a profitable physique smash, then a internet shot that tumbled over to take a 13-8 lead. This, I believe was the hazard zone, the place the Korean crew would have thought, “sure, issues are going nicely.” However now Marin stored attacking, forcing an error from An, then a carry in the direction of the An’s backhand aspect that the drift stored in. The gamers then traded factors with Marin lifting lengthy (once more, drift), then An popping up a smash return that Marin killed, adopted by An lacking a kill shot of her personal, hitting it too lengthy. The rating was now 14-12 for An however Marin had simply scored the final two factors, and was about to attain three extra to take the lead 15-14. So when the opponent makes 5 factors in a row, there must an adjustment made, with out going into full panic mode. A internet shot error by Marin equaled the rating at 15-all, however the hassle was Marin’s offensive play stored firing full blast whereas the operating and retrieving prompted An to tire and to depart her inclined to Marin’s deception.
The following few factors have been primarily decided by whether or not Marin’s smash was in or out. To An’s credit score, she tried a couple of smashes, however Marin was as much as the duty, and now within the third set, An’s fatigue meant that she was unable to attain off her assault as earlier than. In the meantime, Marin is legendary for her uncommon skill to not fatigue (and even get out of breath after an extended rally). I do not physiologically perceive this, as all the opposite world-class gamers are panting and attempting to get well after a marathon rally, however by no means Marin. As a bicycle owner and fan of street biking, I can solely hope that different sports activities, and notably right here badminton are making use of the teachings realized from biking of their lengthy battle with PEDs, in order that there will be confidence within the efficiency of athletes. However again to the sport: at 17-16 in favour of Marin, An was pulling and pushing Marin however on a carry to her forehand, Marin flat-smashed it to An’s forehand that was returned vast. The following level went to An who could not put away brief lifts, however managed to play tight netshots on which Marin made a internet reply that was unfastened which An pushed to the empty rear. An’s serve at 17-18 was pushed onerous to the nook by Marin that An barely obtained it again with the body and was simply killed by Marin.
An then demonstrated her fierce psychological toughness by attacking (on the coach’s urging I presume) the primary carry she obtained and adopted up a superb internet shot by killing Marin’s internet return. Now serving 18-19, she confronted a barrage of smashes and on the final one she was unable to stand up from her dive and attain the cross courtroom internet shot in time. The ultimate rally was once more a show of Marin’s aggressive play the place An made the error of driving straight into Marin’s deadly forehand.
In analyzing the sport, the figuring out issue was that 5 level swing within the third set. It imbued confidence into Marin who stored working her attacking pictures, drilling her opponent into exhaustion, if not submission. There wanted to be an adjustment made to reply or neutralize the barrage of assaults from Marin. No matter modifications have been made or tried, they proved inadequate. The second issue was that An didn’t sufficiently heed her coach’s recommendation to keep away from Marin’s rear forehand nook. The third issue was that An must steadily work at being extra deadly on brief lifts, and certainly this can are available time. The final issue on this evaluation is that the coaches can have the chance (and the necessity) to develop and study from this match. Marin presents a problem that few gamers and coaches have solved, and her bodily pace and stamina are outdoors of the norm anticipated in order that anybody who expects her assault to melt within the third set does so at one’s personal peril.
General, this can function an important studying expertise for each An and her coaches. She has impressed the badminton world with implausible outcomes this yr, particularly at this Denmark Open 2019 together with her convincing win over PV Sindu. As followers of the game, and right here on this specific discussion board followers of Korea, we are able to solely applaud and cheer this unassuming Korean giant-killer that comply with the ilk of Okuhara and Yamaguchi.
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p.s. Anybody know why her title is spelt An, as an alternative of Ahn?
