Japanese badminton player Tomoka Miyazaki advanced to the second round of the BWF World Tour Super 750 Denmark Open on Oct. 13 in Odense, defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh 2-0 with identical set scores of 21-17, 21-17. The opening-round victory marked a fresh start for the 20-year-old athlete following a recent tournament defeat against South Korea’s world number one, An Se-young, which left the Japanese rising star in tears.
Opening Round Victory in Odense
Her straight-sets win over Nguyen secured her immediate passage into the tournament’s second round.
Rising Star and International Following
Known for her swift movement on the court and a distinct visual style that draws frequent comparisons to K-pop star Hanni of NewJeans, Miyazaki commands a devoted following across both Japan and South Korea. Observers view the 20-year-old as a cornerstone of Japan’s next generation of badminton talent, though she continues working to close the competitive gap separating her from the world’s absolute elite.
Chasing the Benchmark Set by An Se-young
For players like Miyazaki, world number one An Se-young remains the ultimate benchmark in international women’s singles. An has maintained a dominant grip on the sport, underlined by her gold-medal victory at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where she defeated Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the final to defend the title she first won at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. When Miyazaki faced An in a recent high-stakes meeting, the emotional toll of the loss surfaced publicly as the young Japanese player wept on the sidelines, reflecting the fierce ambition and heavy burdens carried by competitors chasing the top rank.
Tournament Outlook and Next Steps
With her opening match in Odense successfully behind her, Miyazaki turns her focus toward the subsequent rounds of the Denmark Open, where she will attempt to build momentum and prove her competitive standing. Continued advancement through the tournament bracket remains the only path toward securing a potential rematch against An Se-young on the international stage.
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