(LEAD) (Asiad) Badminton star An Se-young captures 2nd straight women's singles gold
ICHINOMIYA, Japan, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- 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 Se-young of South Korea celebrates after winning gold in the women's singles badminton event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
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.
An Se-young of South Korea hits a return to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan during the women's singles badminton final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
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 the match at 9-8, and pushed that advantage to 11-8.
Yamaguchi refused to go away easily as she tried to match An shot for shot. After An built a 16-13 lead, Yamaguchi responded with three straight points.
But An did not let Yamaguchi lead the rest of the first game, forcing her opponent to move left and right in futile attempts to return one well-placed shot after another. An won the game's final three points with Yamaguchi visibly slowing down.
An Se-young of South Korea celebrates with the national flag, Taegeukgi, after winning gold in the women's singles badminton event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
An scored the first four points of the second game before Yamaguchi got the next five. From there, An scored eight unanswered points to blow the match wide open at 12-5.
Yamaguchi never came close to matching An's combination of power and guile, with the South Korean star securing her gold medal on a 9-3 scoring run.
An Se-young of South Korea hits a return to Akane Yamaguchi of Japan during the women's singles badminton final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Japan, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
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