An Se-young defends Asian Games women’s badminton singles title, beats Akane Yamaguchi 2-0

ICHINOMIYA, Japan — At 24 and still in her athletic prime, shuttler An Se-young has already accomplished more in the past couple of years than what many would take their entire career to achieve. She won the world titles in 2023 and 2026, and also an Olympic gold in 2024. She has held the No. 1 ranking in the women's singles for over 100 weeks. In 2025, An won a record 11 international titles and became the first player in badminton history to earn over $1 million in prize money in a season. The South Korean star etched her name in the record books once again Tuesday at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in central Japan. By beating Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the women's singles final by 2-0 (21-17, 21-9), An became the first player to win back-to-back women's singles gold medals in the competition's history. The women's singles was first contested in 1962. With her latest triumph, An further cemented her case as the greatest badminton player of her generation — if not all time. Despite the strong level of competition in Asia, An reached the top of the podium here with stunning ease. The t

An Se-young secured the Asian Games gold medal by defeating Akane Yamaguchi in straight sets in the finals. This victory adds to her impressive collection of major titles, including Olympic and world championships. She demonstrated exceptional athleticism and strategic play throughout the match, particularly in the second game. An's response to past challenges showcases her perseverance and determination in the competitive landscape.

ICHINOMIYA, Japan — World No. 1 An Se-young claimed her second straight Asian Games gold medal in badminton in central Japan on Tuesday, becoming the first player to successfully defend the women's singles title at the continental competition. An defeated Akane Yamaguchi, world No. 3 from Japan, by 2-0 (21-17, 21-9) in the women's singles final of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, just northwest of the main host city, Nagoya. An is now the first player to win back-to-back Asiad gold medals in the women's singles since the event was first held in 1962. An has won nine consecutive meetings against Yamaguchi, including twice at this year's Asian Games. Before the singles final, An got the better of her Japanese rival in the women's team event semifinals on Wednesday. An's gold was South Korea's second badminton title on Tuesday, coming moments after Lee So-hee and Baek Hana won the women's doubles gold medal. Yamaguchi came out strong, taking a 4-1 lead with some powerful shots that appeared to catch An by surprise. An took her first lead of

An Se-young is the world's No. 1-ranked female badminton player, and she proved it again on Tuesday. The South Korean star defeated three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 2-0 (21-17, 21-9) to take gold at the Asian Games. An has now swept the board of big titles: Paris Olympic gold medalist, two-time world champion, and now two-time Asian Games champion.