World No. 1 An Se Young defeated Japan's Akane Yamaguchi to win the BWF World Championships women's singles title
The South Korean Olympic champion maintained her unbeaten record in India
Returning from a month-long foot injury layoff, she deployed a highly aggressive strategy throughout the tournament
South Korean badminton star An Se Young outclassed Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 in 49 minutes to clinch her second BWF World Championships women's singles title on Sunday.
The World No. 1 and reigning Olympic champion secured the victory at a packed Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The local crowd cheered passionately for the South Korean throughout the match, following a Saturday turnout of 8,000 people who had gathered to support home hopes Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.
Yamaguchi, a three-time World champion, failed to counter her opponent's dominance on the court.
A Masterclass In Aggression
The final marked the 35th career meeting between the two athletes. An now leads their head-to-head record 20-15 and has secured her sixth consecutive win over her Japanese rival. An entered the tournament following a month-long layoff due to a foot injury.
Despite the physical setback, she surged through the competition without dropping a single game. The champion only played beyond an hour once, during her semi-final victory against China's World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi.
An adjusted her standard defensive game plan to adopt a highly aggressive strategy. She deployed deft drops and sharp net play, which prevented Yamaguchi from settling into a rhythm.
Following the triumph, An struck a bravo pose and hit a shuttle into the stands. She celebrated with her coaches while keeping her 'Rambo' bandana on, unlike Saturday when she threw it into the crowd after defeating Wang.
Earlier on Sunday, Alex Lanier trounced Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11 in approximately 50 minutes to secure the men's singles title. He became the first French player to claim a singles title at the Badminton World Championships.
An Unbeaten Indian Legacy
An maintains a flawless record in India, having never lost a completed badminton match in the country. She previously clinched the India Open in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
The victory expands her legendary status in modern badminton. Her career accolades include Paris 2024 Olympic gold. She also became South Korea's first-ever women's singles World champion at the 2023 event in Copenhagen, and secured an individual and team double at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The World No. 1 has secured over 30 BWF World Tour titles. These victories include crowns at the All England, Malaysia and Singapore Opens.
Widely recognised as the ultimate "retriever" for her defensive resilience and court coverage, An showcased formidable offensive capabilities to dominate the New Delhi final.
