The indomitable reign of An Se Young

The $500,000 Korea Open may only be a Super 500 tournament, but it kept the badminton world's gaze glued to the action in Yeosu’s Jinnam Stadium on Sunday.

For local superstar and reigning world and Olympic champion An Se Young, the women’s singles final was more than just another championship match — it is a rendezvous with history. Standing across the net was a familiar rival, second seed and defending champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.

For An, having clinched an astonishing 10 titles over the course of the season, victory in the summit clash on Sunday would match her own remarkable benchmark of 11 titles in a single calendar year. And badminton 's current phenomenon achieve that with a hard fought 21-12, 15-21, 21-16 win over Yamaguchi.

The season is a staggering testament to a level of dominance rarely witnessed in modern badminton. To appreciate the scale of An’s campaign, one only needs to look back at a masterclass in elite athletic execution.

The world No.1 added crown after crown in 2026 to her packed trophy cabinet, triumphing at the World Championships, Asian Games and the Asia Championships.

Her golden march also swept through the BWF World Tour — Malaysia Open, India Open, Singapore Open, Indonesia Open, China Masters, Denmark Open and French Open. Week in week out against the world's best, An has displayed incredible dominance.

Yet, standing in her way on Sunday was a player who knew her game better than almost anyone else on the circuit. Yamaguchi, the cerebral Japanese maestro and a three-time world champion, brings immense class to the court.

The head-to-head ledger stood at 24-15 in favour of the Korean superstar, but the psychological narrative was defined by a pivotal turning point.

It was precisely a year ago, in the final of the Korea Open, that An suffered her last defeat, at the hands of Yamaguchi. Since that Sunday, the world No.1 has strung together 11 victories on the trot against her Japanese opponent, dismantling the tactical puzzles Yamaguchi presents through sheer physical and mental endurance.

What is it that truly sets An apart from the rest of the elite field? It is not merely her array of strokes or physical conditioning, though both are world-class. Rather, it is her psychological unshakeability and her peerless capacity to turn defence into offence with ruthless efficiency.

While other players rely on explosive power or high-risk winners, An treats a rally as a chess match of attrition. She covers the court with poise, retrieving seemingly impossible shots until her opponents crumble under the weight of their own errors.

Under intense pressure, when games hang in the balance, An’s composure never flinches. She simply tightens her grip on the rhythm of the match and accelerates.

Only three players or pairs in the rich history of the sport have ever achieved 11 titles in a season. An herself joined that exclusive club in 2025. Compatriots Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae achieved the feat last year in men’s doubles, matching the benchmark set by Japan’s Kento Momota in men’s singles in 2019.

By raising the trophy at Jinnam Stadium on Sunday, she equalled that elite record once more. But her ambitions — the horizon is boundless — do not stop in Yeosu.

The season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou beckons in December. Should she conquer there, An will soar to an unprecedented 12th crown of the year.

An has gone from generational talent to all-time great to arguably the greatest. Her 2026 season is written only in gold, and another triumph in China would be a magnificent sign-off for the season. And few would bet against that.