Source: Sipa USA/Sydney
[Saba Sports News] In the quarter-finals of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024, Aya Ohori lost 1-2 to Akane Yamaguchi, ending her professional career with this defeat. After the match, the two shook hands tightly across the net, and the audience offered enthusiastic applause. The 28-year-old Ohori has garnered much attention from fans due to her looks. In a Japanese team primarily focused on defensive play, she is one of the few offensive players. However, her early career was mediocre, and she only began to shine in the last two years, winning a bronze medal in women’s singles at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games by defeating Tai Tzu-Ying, setting a personal best record. This year, she also secured her first Olympic qualification, but unfortunately, she stopped in the quarter-finals. This season, Ohori had impressive performances, winning titles at the Thailand Masters and Australian Open. However, she suddenly announced that she would retire after this season, making the Kumamoto Masters her final performance in Japan. After losing the match, Ohori’s eyes were red during the interview, and tear stains were visible on her face. She expressed tearfully that the match was very much in line with her style; she didn’t hold back her energy and kept pushing forward. Ohori admitted that she had thought about retirement after securing her qualification for the Paris Olympics, and reaching the quarter-finals was already a good achievement for her. The match is over, and she has no regrets. After playing badminton for 22 years, she expressed her gratitude for everyone’s support.