World No. 1 An Se Young cemented her place among the sport’s all-time greats after capturing her maiden Badminton Asia Championships title, overcoming China’s Wang Zhi Yi in a gripping three-game final today.
In a contest worthy of the occasion, An prevailed 21-12, 17-21, 21-18 in a one hour and 40 minutes energy-sapping battle to complete a rare career Grand Slam by adding the Asian crown to her Olympics (Paris 2024), World Championships (2023) and Asian Games (Hangzhou 2022) victories.
The triumph also ended Korea’s 11-year wait for a women’s singles champion at the championships, last achieved by Sung Ji-hyun in 2014.
It was a much awaited final, a rematch of last month’s All England showdown where Wang had halted An’s 36-match winning streak.
Today, the Korean badminton darling star responded with composure and tactical clarity when it mattered most.
An made a fast start, racing to an early lead, dictating play with sharp movement and attacking precision to take the opening game 21-12.
Backed by the home fans, Wang responded strongly in the second, adjusting her approach and extending rallies to disrupt An’s rhythm before levelling the match 21-17.
The decider lived up to its billing. An surged ahead 11-7 at the interval and appeared in control, only for Wang to claw her way back to 15-15 in a tense stretch that tested both players’ endurance.
But An held her nerve in the closing exchanges, stepping up her attack to seal victory 21-18 and complete a statement win on home soil for her opponent.
The result further strengthens An’s dominance in the rivalry, extending her commanding 19-5 head-to-head advantage over Wang.
Final Result
Women’s Singles: An Se-young (KOR) bt Wang Zhiyi (CHN) 21-12, 17-21, 21-18 (100 minutes)
