KOREA OPEN 2017 QF – Son Wan Ho: Pressure and Confidence

Son Wan Ho is again into the semi-finals at the Korea Open after surviving a tough first-game loss to India’s Sameer Verma.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul.  Photos: Yves Lacroix / Badmintonphoto (live)

If last year’s withdrawal-fraught Korea Open seemed like a good chance for Son Wan Ho (pictured) to take a home Superseries title, 2017 is shaping up the same way.  Last year’s quarter-final as well, featured just one seed other than Son, and four players who had reached Superseries finals.

This year, Son was again one of only two seeds going into the last eight but only 3 other players had contested Superseries finals, only one of which had own a title, and Son was the top seed, something he says works in his favour.

Things did not start off the Korean’s way against Hong Kong Open runner-up Sameer Verma (pictured below), however.  Always playing catch-up, he tried to keep the pressure on his opponent at the net but after earning a point the first time Sameer looked askance and his opponent’s net kill, the next time came on game point and the challenger won it when the umpire ruled that Son had taken the shuttle a little too early.

“It was right at the end of that first game when the umpire called me for a fault,” explained Son Wan Ho.  “He said I was over the net.  It didn’t not feel good to have the game end like that.

“I think I was determined not to let the match end that way and I think that is how I was able to stay ahead after that.”

Indeed, Son bounced back to take the next two games handily and he thus booked his spot in the semi-finals, where he would await the winner between Anthony Ginting (pictured) of Indonesia and Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, with the 20-year-old being the one who made it through.

“Playing in Korea, it’s great to have the support of the crowd,” said Son.  “Even if I’m winning, having people yelling encouragement gives me the confidence to move up one or two points at a time, and I believe I can win.

“Being the top seed and also the world #1 does mean pressure.  I feel I have to play well, I’m expected to win.  The flipside is that it also brings confidence.  I think, ‘I’m the top seed, #1 in the world,’ and that gives me the confidence to play well.

On the prospect of turning his 2016 runner-up status into a championship, Son said, “My condition is good, I’m playing in Korea and a lot of the top-ranked players aren’t here so I think it’s a good opportunity to take the title.  I just have to be prepared.”

The last time a Korean won the men’s singles title at the Korea Open was in 2008, when Lee Hyun Il beat Lin Dan in a controversial final.  Lee was only the second Korean to accomplish that feat but Son is himself only the second Korean after Lee to become world #1.  Look for him to do his best to add a #3 to that #2 and #1.

Click here for complete quarter-final results