An Se-young completes set of major titles after winning Asian championship

NINGBO – South Korea’s An Se-young became the first women’s singles player to complete a sweep of major titles after she won her first Badminton Asia Championships crown on April 12.

The world No. 1 saw off home favourite and second-ranked Wang Zhiyi 21-12, 17-21, 21-18 in a gruelling 100-minute slog in front of a partisan crowd at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center.

The career sweep comprises the sport’s major international and continental titles. For An, this means the Olympics, world championships, World Tour Finals, All England Open, Asian Games and Asian championships.

The only players who have ever achieved the feat are China’s Lin Dan and Dane Viktor Axelsen in the men’s singles; China’s Ge Fei and Gu Jun as well as Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan in the women’s doubles; and compatriots Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong in the mixed doubles.

At 24, An is the youngest player to achieve the feat.

She said: “From the moment I arrived in Ningbo, I constantly heard that the Asian Championships trophy was the final missing piece in my hall of honour.

“I was aware of it and felt the pressure.

“But I kept telling myself, ‘Focus only on this moment, on the next match.’ Now, I can finally say: ‘I did it, and I’ve kept pushing forward without stopping.’”

The first game was relatively even and was tied 7-7 early on, before An took the lead which she did not relinquish.

The second stanza saw the 25-year-old Wang take an 8-2 lead. An fought back to narrow the deficit to 13-11 but the Chinese took seven of the next 10 points before sealing things on her fourth game point.

An threatened to make the decider a formality, opening up a 13-7 lead. But a defiant Wang fought back to level proceedings at 15-15.

An won the next four points but again Wang, with a frenzied home crowd roaring her on, battled back to come within one point of An at 19-18.

But that was as close as it got as the South Korean closed out the decider to avenge her All England final loss to Wang in March and improve her head-to-head dominance over the Chinese to 19-5.

An said: “Both of us gave our all, and the physical toll was immense. The final moments were a complete battle of endurance and perseverance. I’m truly relieved and grateful that I came out on top – it was an incredibly tough victory...

“It’s true that the cheers from the local fans were almost fanatical. However, I also heard voices cheering for me. As a player who has competed in many international tournaments, I know how to maintain focus and channel my emotions entirely into the game.”

The men’s singles final was more of a procession as China’s world No. 2 Shi Yuqi won his first Asian title, outclassing India’s Ayush Shetty 21-8, 21-10.

The 20-year-old Shetty had knocked out Thailand’s world No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-finals, Indonesia’s fourth-ranked Jonatan Christie in the quarter-finals and China’s world No. 7 Li Shifeng in the first round, but reigning All England and world champion Shi proved a bridge too far for the world No. 25.

He said: “Really grateful for the final. It was a fantastic week for me. It was a pity it had to end this way, I would have liked to have a great match. But looking back, I was solid throughout the week.

“After the semi-final, the recovery was good; I was feeling great today, but Shi Yuqi was solid today. He was hitting winners all over the court.”

China also won the women’s doubles, with Li Yijing and Luo Xumin crowned champions after compatriots Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning withdrew while trailing 8-5.

But South Korea were the big winners, taking three of the five titles, their best showing in 22 years.

Qualifiers Kim Jae-hyeon and Jang Ha-jeong won the mixed doubles via walkover after Thailand’s third-ranked Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran were unable to take the court due to injury.

In the men’s doubles, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae beat compatriots Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju 21-13, 21-17 to maintain their unbeaten record in 2026.