Despite frequently making the news due to her looks, Malaysian mixed doubles specialist Goh Liu Ying said she did not feel objectified and intended to use it to promote badminton.
Goh often attracted interest from various media publications, both local and international, for her postings on social media, with all the attention focusing almost completely on her physical features.
However, the Malacca-born insisted she had no problem with it.
"I don’t mind it actually. It’s good if you are good-looking and also a good player. It’s not wrong to have both, right?" she told Stadium Astro with a laugh.
"I have my results to show for it, so it's fine. Plus, it also gives the media something new to talk about! But in all honesty, I think it’s good that badminton has good-looking women.
"It’s a chance to attract sponsors not just personally, but also for the sport."
With almost a million followers on her social media network, Goh is the second-most followed Malaysian shuttler behind Lee Chong Wei.
Partly due to that, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist is also the face of many brands, including apparel giants Li-Ning, air-cond manufacturer Daikin and yogurt beverage Yobick, among others.
As an independent shuttler, the poster girl of badminton said all these endorsements played a pivotal financial role in her career.
"It’s good for athletes to cross fields sometimes and play the role of ambassadors. We need these sponsorships to help us fund our competitions.
"As for my social media platforms, it’s a chance to share my lifestyle with my fans," she said.
Putting those aside, Goh also expressed her delight to be able to train again after a three-month layoff due to the coronavirus.
"My stamina and strength have dropped because of the long break. It was quite challenging to maintain our fitness due to lockdown, so that is the main area I will be working on, now that we are allowed to return to training," she added.
The world number seven recently said she was still apprehensive about competitive action returning in September and may consider skipping a few tournaments this year due to the lingering threat of the pandemic.
This year, Goh and partner Chan Peng Soon posted their best result at the Malaysia Masters by reaching the semi-finals.