Composed Display Ends Contest in Under 50 Minutes
World No. 1 An Se-young of South Korea claimed the women’s singles crown at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, defeating defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-14. The match lasted just 49 minutes, as An dictated the pace from the opening rally onward. Furthermore, she avoided prolonged retrieving battles that typically favor Yamaguchi, instead pressing forward with sharp smashes, flat drives and delicate net play to keep her opponent on the back foot. Consequently, Yamaguchi rarely found room to mount sustained pressure. One of the most memorable exchanges came at 17-13 in the second game, when the pair traded 33 consecutive shots before An finished the point with a delicate net drop that effectively sealed the outcome. Overall, the scoreline mirrored the balance of play, as An maintained control throughout and never allowed Yamaguchi a genuine opening to fight back. Additionally, the result ended Yamaguchi’s perfect run in world championship finals, having previously claimed the title in 2021, 2022 and 2025.
Second World Crown Adds to Grand Slam Season
This marked An’s second BWF World Championships title, following her 2023 breakthrough win over Carolina Marín of Spain in Copenhagen. Notably, the 24-year-old Paris Olympic champion had already completed a career Grand Slam earlier this year, after adding the Badminton Asia Championships title in April to her existing Olympic, World Championships and Asian Games crowns. As a result, this latest triumph in New Delhi further extends rather than completes that milestone, reaffirming An’s position as the sport’s dominant force. Throughout the tournament, An did not drop a single game across six matches, underlining her authority as world No. 1. Moreover, her run continued an outstanding 2026 season in which she has won six of eight tournaments entered while suffering only one defeat in forty five matches. From her breakout run at the Tokyo Olympics to her current standing atop women’s badminton, An continues to build one of the sport’s most decorated careers.
