An Se-young secured her eleventh title of the season by defeating Akane Yamaguchi 2-1 at the Korea Open women’s singles final, 163.com reported.
The three-game match finished 21-12, 15-21, 21-16 in Suwon, South Korea, pushing An’s winning streak to 55 matches.
An claimed the opening game 21-12 after breaking a 9-9 tie with two straight points and extending her lead. Yamaguchi responded in the second game, jumping to an early 4-0 advantage and holding on to win 21-15.
In the decisive third game, An built a 6-1 lead before fatigue allowed Yamaguchi to narrow the gap to 8-7. An recovered to lead 11-9 at the interval, pulled ahead 16-10, and closed out the match 21-16.
The victory brought An’s record for the year to 71 wins and 1 loss, yielding a winning percentage above 98.6 percent, according to 163.com records. Her sole defeat this year occurred in March at the All England Open final against Wang Zhiyi, where a leg injury hampered her play.
Following that loss, An established an undefeated run spanning 55 matches. She holds the world number one ranking, while Yamaguchi stands at world number two.
Sunday’s final marked the 40th meeting between An and Yamaguchi on the international circuit. An holds a 24-15 advantage in their lifetime head-to-head record, including ten consecutive victories against the Japanese player.
An’s 2024 trophy collection includes titles from the Malaysia Open, India Open, Badminton Asia Championships, Singapore Open, Indonesia Open, World Championships, China Masters, Asian Games, Denmark Open, and French Open.
With her victory at the Korea Open, An matched her own mark of 11 tournament titles from the previous season. 163.com noted that she is the first singles player in badminton history—male or female—to capture 11 titles across two consecutive seasons.
At 24 years old, An maintains the top position in women’s singles as the international badminton calendar continues.
Earlier coverage: An Se Young Makes Badminton History with 11th Title at Korea Open
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