An Se-young Wins Korea Open for 11th Title of 2026, Equals Historic Badminton Record for Second Straight Year
YEOSU, SOUTH KOREA, Nov 10 — World No. 1 An Se-young continued her remarkable badminton season by winning the 2026 Korea Open women's singles title on Sunday, November 8, defeating Japan's world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi in three games.
An secured a 21-12, 15-21, 21-16 victory at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, claiming her 11th international title of the year.
The achievement matched the single-season record first established by Japan's Kento Momota in 2019, which An had also equalled in 2025.
Her latest victory makes her the first singles player to achieve 11 international titles in two consecutive seasons.
World No. 1 overcomes a tough final
The match brought together the two highest-ranked players in women's singles badminton.
An initially faced strong resistance from Yamaguchi, with the opening game tied at 9-9.
The South Korean then took control by combining disciplined defence with accurate attacking shots.
She pulled ahead and eventually secured the first game 21-12.
Yamaguchi responded strongly in the second game, establishing an early 4-0 lead.
The Japanese player maintained the advantage throughout the game, winning 21-15 to level the match.
The title would therefore be decided in a third game.
Decisive run secures victory
An made a strong start to the deciding game, opening up a 6-1 advantage.
Yamaguchi reduced the deficit, but An remained in front at 11-9 during the interval.
A decisive five-point run then allowed An to extend her lead.
Although Yamaguchi fought back and attempted to put pressure on her opponent, the South Korean maintained control of the key rallies.
An eventually completed the victory 21-16, delighting the home crowd.
The result also extended her winning streak against Yamaguchi to 11 consecutive meetings.
A second consecutive 11-title season
The Korea Open victory was An's 11th international title of the 2026 season.
According to Yonhap, eight of those titles came from tournaments on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.
The other three were gold medals at the Badminton Asia Championships, BWF World Championships and Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The combined total matched the 11-title single-season mark achieved by Momota in 2019.
An also matched that figure in 2025, making her the first player to achieve the milestone in consecutive seasons.
Her accomplishment reflects a sustained level of dominance across multiple international competitions rather than victories in World Tour events alone.
Only one defeat in 72 matches
An's consistency has been one of the most remarkable aspects of her 2026 campaign.
By the end of the Korea Open, she had recorded 71 wins from 72 matches.
Her only defeat came against China's Wang Zhiyi in the All England Open final in March.
Since that loss, An has put together a 55-match winning streak.
Her ability to maintain such results across a demanding tournament schedule has strengthened her position at the top of women's singles badminton.
Fatigue almost kept her out of the tournament
Despite her outstanding results, An had considered skipping the Korea Open because of fatigue.
However, she decided to compete before home supporters, who filled the venue for the final.
Approximately 3,500 spectators watched her battle with Yamaguchi.
After the match, An spoke about the encouragement she received from fans and how it helped her recover from mistakes during difficult rallies.
She also expressed pride in matching the 11-title mark for a second consecutive year.
The South Korean credited improved mental strength and greater experience in managing difficult moments for her continued success.
A 12th title could create a new record
An is expected to take a break before the BWF World Tour Finals, scheduled to begin on December 9 in Hangzhou, China.
Victory at the season-ending event would raise her 2026 total to 12 international titles, surpassing the existing single-season record.
However, An has indicated that she is more focused on delivering her best performance than on chasing records.
For now, her Korea Open triumph stands as another significant achievement in a season defined by consistency, resilience and exceptional results.
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