World No. 1 men’s doubles badminton players Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho said Friday they are focused on rediscovering their championship form as they depart for New Delhi to defend their title at the Badminton World Federation World Championships. The duo enters the tournament looking to reverse a mid-season slump after a dominant 2025 campaign that saw them capture a record-tying 11 international titles.
Defending the Crown in New Delhi
Seo and Kim arrived at Incheon International Airport west of Seoul on Friday before boarding their flight to India for the BWF World Championships, which run from Monday through Aug. 23. The pair will attempt to become the first Korean men’s doubles team to defend a world title. Seo is individually pursuing his third world crown, having won the 2023 championship with former partner Kang Min-hyuk before claiming the 2025 title alongside Kim.
“Although we won the title last year, whatever happened then is already in the past,” Seo told reporters at the airport. “We have to work even harder to win for the second year in a row.”
Kim echoed his partner’s sentiment regarding their return to the premier event. “We have some fond memories of winning this title last year and we will try our best to repeat as the champion,” Kim said.
Navigating Form and Adjusting to Opponent Scrutiny
The journey to defend their world title comes after a mixed stretch of results in 2026. Following their historic 2025 season—which culminated in a 2-0 victory over China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou—the Korean tandem opened the current year strong by winning the Malaysia Open in January and the All England Open in March. However, they have not captured a tournament title since.
Their summer campaign featured semifinal exits at the Singapore Open and Indonesia Open in June. After a month-long break, they returned in July to reach the final of both the Japan Open and the China Open, falling on both occasions to the Indonesian duo of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.
According to Seo, rival pairs have successfully dissected the team’s tactical tendencies over the course of the season. “We know we have been analyzed and picked apart and we just have to figure out how to overcome this,” Seo noted, adding that ongoing discussions with Kim are part of their developmental process.
Kim observed that opponents have noticeably elevated their preparation against the top-ranked pair. “I can feel that opponents are better prepared against us now and we have to try to stay ahead of them and put in even more work,” Kim said.
Tactical Adjustments and Training Innovations
To counter improved scouting and address physical mismatches on the court, the Korean duo has implemented specific training modifications ahead of the world championships. Kim reported that the team has focused heavily on refining their serves to increase unpredictability for returning opponents.
Meanwhile, Seo—listed at 182 centimeters, standing two centimeters shorter than Kim—addressed the distinct challenge of competing against taller opponents. Because national team training partners generally feature shorter statures, the team brought in external players to simulate the height, net play, and powerful smashes they expect to encounter in New Delhi.
The BWF World Championships commence on Monday in New Delhi, marking the next critical checkpoint for the world’s top-ranked men’s doubles pair as they test their tactical adjustments on the global stage.
Worth a look
