An Se-young: 3-Time Badminton World’s No. 1

Published: 16 Dec. 2025, 09:26

An Se-young celebrates after defeating Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki in the women’s singles quarterfinals at the 2025 Korea Open at Suwon Gymnasium in Gyeonggi on Sept. 26. [YONHAP]

Korea badminton star An Se-young has been named the world’s top women’s singles player for the third straight year.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recognized An as its Women’s Singles Player of the Year during the annual BWF World Tour Finals Gala Dinner on Monday in Hangzhou, China.

An, world No. 1, has claimed 10 international titles in 2025, becoming the first women’s singles player to reach double figures in wins in a season.

She first earned the annual award in 2023 after winning the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou and then repeated the feat in 2024 as the reigning Olympic champion.

An will go for win No. 11 of the season at the World Tour Finals starting Wednesday.

Also on Monday, the Korean men’s doubles team of Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho was honored as the Men’s Doubles Pair of the Year.

Reunited this year after previously playing together from 2017 to 2018, Seo and Kim claimed 10 titles on the BWF World Tour and won the world title in France in August.

Yonhap





James Whitfield

James Whitfield is Archysport's racket sports and golf specialist, bringing a global perspective to tennis, badminton, and golf coverage. Based between London and Singapore, James has covered Grand Slam tournaments, BWF World Tour events, and major golf championships on five continents. His reporting combines on-the-ground access with deep knowledge of the technical and strategic elements that separate elite athletes from the rest of the field. James is fluent in English, French, and Mandarin, giving him unique access to athletes across the global tennis and badminton circuits.

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