'Painful comeback loss four years ago' An Se-young gets chance for revenge... Women's badminton faces China in Uber Cup final

*This content was translated by AI.

• Final showdown on the 3rd at 5 p.m.

The South Korean women's Bae Deu-min-teon (CEO) team challenges to reclaim the world team championship title. For An Se-young (Samsung Life), who tasted regret on the final stage four years ago, this is also a stage carrying the meaning of a 'revenge match'.

The South Korean women's Bae Deu-min-teon (CEO) team advanced to the final by defeating Indonesia 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Uber Cup (World Women's Team Championships) held in Horsens, Denmark, on the 2nd (Korean time).

South Korea took the lead with An Se-young defeating Putri Kusuma Wardani 2-0 (21-19, 21-5), followed by the women's doubles pair of Lee So-hee (Incheon International Airport) and Baek Ha-na (MG Saemaeul Geumgo), ranked third in the world, securing a 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 21-15) victory in women's doubles, bringing them closer to the final.

South Korea stumbled in the third match, women's singles, when Shim Yu-jin (Incheon International Airport) lost to Talitha Ramadani Wiryawan 0-2 (19-21, 19-21), but Kim Hye-jeong (Samsung Life) and Jeong Na-eun (Hwasun County Office) secured a 2-0 (21-16, 21-18) victory in the subsequent doubles match, clinching their spot in the final.

This tournament, which boasts the highest prestige in team badminton alongside the Thomas Cup (World Men's Team Championships), marks South Korea's first final appearance since the 2022 edition, a span of four years and two tournaments. In the 2024 tournament, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals after losing to Indonesia.

The final opponent on the 3rd at 5 p.m. is China, the tournament's most decorated team with 16 titles and the defending champion. China advanced to the final without losing a single match in the quarterfinals and semifinals against Malaysia and Japan, following their group stage A matches.

The final will also determine the champion through a sequence of singles and doubles matches: three singles matches followed by two doubles matches. The first team to win three matches claims the title. South Korea previously defeated China 3-2 to claim the title at the 2022 tournament in Thailand. With the score tied 2-2, Shim Yu-jin stepped out for the final singles match and defeated Wang Zhi to seal the victory.

Like last time, An Se-young will take the lead in this match, which carries the meaning of a revenge game. Four years ago in the final, An Se-young faced Chen Yufei in the first singles game. She won the first game 21-17 to take the early lead but subsequently lost the next two games in a row, suffering a comeback defeat and bowing her head. Fortunately, South Korea still reached the top thanks to victories in two women's doubles matches and Shim Yu-jin's singles win.

If An Se-young, who will take the lead in this final, succeeds in taking the early lead unlike four years ago, she can shed the regret of the previous final stage. Naturally, South Korea's chances of winning will increase significantly. If South Korea reaches the top, it will be their third overall title, following the 2010 and 2022 tournaments.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.