An Se-young breaks record for most women’s singles titles in badminton history

FILE PHOTO: South Korea's An Se-young, the reigning Olympic and World Champion, now holds the outright record for the most international women’s singles titles. | Photo Credit: AP

An Se-young is out on her own at 47 international titles and the names she has left behind reflect the absolute dominance of the superstar from South Korea.

By successfully defending her crown at the Denmark Open on Sunday, the 24-year-old An went past Susi Susanti’s all-time record of most international women’s singles trophies (excluding regional games). Spain’s Carolina Marin is now a distant third with 39 titles to her name.

Like Susanti and Marin, An has also conquered the Olympics and the World Championships.

But An also spent more than 100 consecutive weeks at World No. 1, and her secret is how fast she flips defence into attack.

An Se Young, an all-time great. 🐐 Take a bow, #BadmintonIcon. 👏 https://t.co/QeOjLSl3HM

— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 18, 2026

The name of Susanti, Indonesia’s first-ever Olympic gold medallist, is enough to fill the sport’s most ardent fans with instant nostalgia. A BWF Hall of Famer, Susanti retired in 1998 but her statistical prowess remained unmatched until the emergence of An.

ALSO READ: Denmark Open 2026: An Se-young defends women’s singles title, Lanier denies Antonsen glory at home

Then, there is Marin. Asia had dominated women’s singles for as long as anyone could remember but the Spaniard arrived without a trace of fear.

The fiery left-hander took the game to them with fast feet, attacks from every angle and a roar after every big point.