World number one women’s singles badminton player An Se-young advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 BWF World Tour Super 750 French Open on Feb. 21, defeating Denmark’s Amalie Schultz 2-0 (21-6, 21-4) in just 25 minutes in Paris, France, starnewskorea.com reported.
Paris Court Dominance Over Schultz
The lopsided 32nd-round encounter saw An concede only 10 total points across two games against Schultz. After taking the opening game 21-6 in Paris, the South Korean star sealed the second game 21-4, utilizing a six-point scoring run from a 13-3 lead to close out the match efficiently.
The quick victory moved An past early concerns regarding her right Achilles tendon. She had experienced pain in her right foot during the final of the previous week’s Denmark Open against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, where she faced an 11-5 deficit in the third game before mounting a dramatic comeback. Medical evaluations and subsequent play in Paris showed no lingering physical repercussions from that final.
Chasing a Third French Open Crown
Having captured the French Open singles titles in 2024 and 2025, An is targeting a third victory at the tournament. A successful title defense in Paris would mark her 11th tournament victory of the season.
The win against Schultz elevated An’s overall 2026 match record to 62 wins and 1 loss, maintaining a 98.4 percent win rate. Her season already includes gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the April Asian Championships, and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, where she secured a historic consecutive women’s singles double.
Streak Implications in the French Capital
A tournament victory in Paris would extend An’s current streak of consecutive tournament titles to five, following prior victories at the World Championships, China Masters, Asian Games, and Denmark Open.
Her next appearance in the French Open bracket will test that physical recovery further as the Super 750 event progresses.
More on French Open
French Open 2026 — Day 2 | WS – R32🇰🇷 [1] AN Se Young def. 🇩🇰 Amalie SCHULZ2-0 (21-6, 21-4) | 25 minsLive scores and point-by-point updates in the Match Center: https://t.co/umwMgCkbVi#FrenchOpen2026 #Badminton #WS #TremblayenFrance2026 pic.twitter.com/YXqw5LkFrs
Worth a look
- Guangzhou Metro opens pickleball courts in underground stations
- Players Gear Up for YONEX-SUNRISE Vietnam Open 2026 Qualifications
- Macron accuses foreign leaders of exploiting French riots for electoral gain (newsarchyuk.com)
- Tuesday's French Budget Vote Is Not the Cliff. The Calendar After It Is (daybreakwire.com)
