An Se-young (Samsung Life), known as the "Queen of Shuttlecock," has become the first Korean player to win the BWF Denmark Open for two consecutive years.
The world No. 1 in women's singles, An Se-young, defeated world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the BWF World Tour Super 750 Denmark Open final held in Odense, Denmark, on October 18 (Korean time). The match lasted 1 hour and 18 minutes, with An winning 2-1 (21-23, 21-14, 21-18).
After losing the first game in a close deuce, An struggled in the second game, trailing 11-13 at one point. However, she showcased her characteristic stamina and tenacious defense, scoring seven consecutive points to turn the tide to 18-13 and ultimately taking the second game 21-14, leveling the match.
The decisive third game also presented challenges. An fell behind 3-9 and showed signs of discomfort in her ankle during the match. Nevertheless, she maintained her composure, leading rallies from 9-12 and scoring another seven consecutive points to take a 16-12 lead. She then held off Yamaguchi's comeback attempts to seal the victory at 21-18.
This win marks An's tenth consecutive victory over Yamaguchi, extending her overall head-to-head record to 24 wins and 15 losses.
New records were also set. According to the BWF, An's victory at this tournament marks her 47th international title in women's singles, surpassing the previous record of 46 held by Susi Susanti (Indonesia) since the BWF began tracking such records in 1989.
An's performance this season has been exceptional. Currently on a 44-match winning streak, she has achieved 61 wins and only 1 loss in 62 matches this year, translating to a winning percentage of 98.4%. Including the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, she has now won nine individual titles this season.
Last year, An secured 11 titles, matching the record for the most titles in a single season set by Kento Momota (Japan) in 2019. If she maintains her current momentum, she could set a new record for the most titles in a single season this year.
After concluding her Denmark schedule, An will travel to France to compete in the French Open, which begins on October 20. She aims for her second consecutive title at this event, having previously won in 2019, 2024, and 2025, and to achieve her tenth title of the season.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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