World number one An Seyoung swept past Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova 2-0 (21-6, 21-8) in just 39 minutes in the round of 32 of the Victor Korea Open Super 500 tournament at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu.
An Seyoung Overcomes Pre-Tournament Fatigue Worries in Yeosu Opener
Entering the tournament after a grueling stretch that had her pondering whether to compete until just before, An quickly quieted any physical concerns with an assertive display in front of home supporters. The Samsung Life athlete opened the first game with six consecutive points before stringing together an eight-point run from a 13-6 lead to secure the opening frame.
The second game followed a similar script as the South Korean star established an 11-1 lead by the interval. She maintained her momentum to eliminate the 38th-ranked Bulgarian opponent and punch her ticket to the round of 16.
Chasing a Historic 11th Title of the Season
Records show that An holds a staggering 98.5 percent win rate this season, compiling a 67-1 record across 68 matches. Her only defeat came against China’s Wang Zhiyi, giving her a 51-match winning streak since that single loss.
The Yeosu tournament is the only BWF World Tour event in South Korea in which An competes. A victory this week would allow An to tie her own all-time record for the most singles titles won in a single season across men’s and women’s singles, a benchmark she set last year.
YEOSU VICTOR Korea Open 2026 WS – R32 21 21 🇰🇷AN Se Young🏅 6 8 🇧🇬Kaloyana NALBANTOVA 🕚 in 39 minutes
Her path to the final cleared slightly when top Chinese competitors Wang Zhiyi and Chen Yufei withdrew from the draw. Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, ranked second globally, remains the primary threat on the opposite side of the bracket. Yamaguchi advanced to the second round by overcoming Singapore’s Rosylyn Happy 2-1 (12-21, 21-13, 21-15).
Korean Contingent Joins an in the Round of 16
While An commands the women’s bracket, other South Korean players also advanced on home soil. Men’s singles competitor Yu Taebin, who captured attention with a bronze medal run at the Asian Games by defeating higher-ranked opponents, advanced to the round of 16 alongside the world number one men’s doubles pairing of Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho, both representing Samsung Life.
Top seed An Se-young kicks off her Yeosu Korea Open 2026 campaign with a clinical performance, dismantling Kaloyana Nalbantova 21–6, 21–8! An Se-young now holds a 4-0 head-to-head record, and she has never dropped a set to the Bulgarian! pic.twitter.com/X3n2Iugt0k
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