Asiad badminton men’s singles is anybody’s game, but An Se-young looks invincible in women’s singles

TOKYO – Just a month ago, Indonesian badminton ace Jonatan Christie became the first men’s singles player from his country to become the world No. 1 in more than 20 years – despite having not won a title in 2026.

While the 2018 Asian Games champion won the Korea, Denmark and Hylo Opens in September and October 2025, he has been criticised for his title drought.

His two defeats in the 2026 Asiad men’s team event – losing to Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao in the quarter-finals and Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semis – highlight just how stacked the field is, with no clear favourites in the men’s singles competition which begins on Sept 25.

To further illustrate the point, three Asians have topped the men’s singles world ranking in 2026 – China’s Shi Yuqi and Thailand’s Kunlavut being the other two – a rare occurrence not seen for more than 15 years.

Also, in this season’s Badminton World Federation World Tour, 19 of the 25 men’s singles events were won by 15 different Asians, with no player bagging more than two titles.

Gone are the days of long dominance by the likes of China’s Lin Dan, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei or Japan’s Kento Momota.

Other than Christie, Indonesia will be represented in the men’s singles by world No. 10 and former world youth champion Alwi Farhan, who is one of just six players to have won two World Tour titles in 2026.

Only traditional powerhouses China, Indonesia and Malaysia have won the Asian Games men’s singles gold since 1962, but this could be the year the trend ends.

Rocked by ongoing investigations on their badminton association vice-president and singles head coach Xia Xuanze for suspected serious violations of discipline and law, China have slipped up as 2025 world champion Shi Yuqi and defending men’s singles champion Li Shifeng have slid to sixth and 12th respectively in the world rankings.

Malaysia, meanwhile, do not have anyone in the top 30 of men’s singles world rankings following 2021 All England Open champion and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia’s decline.

Hosts Japan have also been unconvincing, although world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka has proved his credentials with runner-up finishes at the 2023 and 2026 world championships.

On the other hand, players from Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong have impressed.

Taiwanese world No. 11 Lin Chun-yi won the India Open and All-England Open earlier in 2026. His fifth-ranked compatriot Chou Tien-chen then became the oldest winner of a Super 1000 event by clinching the China Open aged 36 in July.

Hong Kong also look a different beast with Malaysian coach and former world No. 1 Wong Choong Hann at the helm, as Jason Gunawan and Lee Cheuk Yiu reached the China Masters men’s singles final in September.

World No. 13 Loh Kean Yew, who is looking to win Singapore’s first Asiad men’s singles medal, told The Straits Times: “About 70-80 per cent (23) of the top 30 men’s singles players are from Asia, and most of them are going to the Asian Games, which makes it as hard or even harder than the world championships in a way.

“But at the same time, it’s really open because no one is really dominating the men’s singles now. Anyone can beat anyone else and go all the way on a good day, which makes it difficult and interesting at the same time.”

The 29-year-old, who received a first-round bye, will face India’s 14th-ranked Lakshya Sen in the round of 32 on Sept 26. The winner will face Thai Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul (17th), Malaysian Justin Hoh (48th) or Bangladeshi Gourab Singha (595th) in the next round on the same day.

If the men’s singles event seems like anybody’s game, the women’s singles gold looks like defending champion An Se-young’s to lose.

The world No. 1 is in imperious form in 2026, winning 51 out of 52 matches – 44 of them in straight games – en route to lifting her second world title and Uber Cup, first Asia Championships crown and five victories on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.

Her only defeat this season came in the All England Open final where she lost to world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China.

In this season’s World Tour, the Asian domination is even more pronounced as players from the continent won all but one of 25 events so far.

Even then, An has a vastly superior head-to-head record against champions in this year’s Super 1000, 750 and 500 events such as Wang (21-5), Yamaguchi (22-15), China’s fourth-ranked Chen Yufei (17-14), Thailand’s world No. 5 Ratchanok Intanon (14-1) and India’s 11th-ranked P. V. Sindhu (10-0).

Yeo Jia Min, who has beaten An twice in 12 attempts, described the 24-year-old as someone “who is always reaching new standards and levels when everyone is trying to find her weaknesses”.

Indeed, tweaks to An’s game have worked.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve changed my style completely, but I’d say I’ve spent more time on weight training or finding the right timing in launching my attack to be able to make more attack-minded approaches to the game,” she said.

“I’m motivated by the desire to show my best performances to the people who follow my games consistently. That also makes me enjoy the game more, and then good results will follow – that’s why I keep pushing myself harder.”

Also receiving a first-round bye, Yeo faces Fathimath Abdul Razzaq of the Maldives on Sept 26 and could meet former world champions Ratchanok and An in the latter rounds.

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