The queen of women’s singles badminton just pushed her dominance into new territory. An Se-young has now ruled the global rankings for more than 150 weeks across her career. As a result, she owns a brand new record in South Korean badminton history.
An Se-young World No.1 Reign Breaks New Ground
The Badminton World Federation refreshes its rankings every Tuesday. In the latest list across all five disciplines, the Korean star still sits comfortably at the summit. Therefore, her career total at the top has officially climbed past the 150-week mark.
Her rise to the throne began on 1 August 2023. Back then, she was just 21 when she overtook Akane Yamaguchi for the first time. Moreover, she became the first Korean woman to reach No.1 in three decades. The last to manage it was Bang Soo-hyun, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic champion. Naturally, the achievement grabbed headlines across the sport.
Why An Se-young’s World No.1 Grip Looks Unbreakable
Her hold on the top spot has rarely loosened. However, one short gap did appear in October 2024. At that point, she stepped away to recover, and Chen Yu Fei climbed from No.4 to lead for two weeks. Apart from that brief window, she has refused to let go.
Since 22 October 2024, An has stayed at No.1 for 88 straight weeks. Consequently, she has built a wall that her rivals simply cannot breach. In fact, her current run alone outlasts the peak spells of many former champions.
Still, one prize remains. The all-time record for weeks at No.1 belongs to Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying. An now chases that mark with every passing Tuesday. Meanwhile, her grip on women’s badminton keeps tightening, and the hunt promises to define the sport’s next chapter.
